A marquee gives you a wedding shaped around you rather than around a venue’s rules. It also hands you a few decisions a venue would normally make for you. These are the ones that matter most, from a crew that puts marquees up across the Clarence Valley.
Do: pick the spot carefully
Placement is everything. Look for level, well-drained ground with a view worth framing, and check that guests can get from the car park to the marquee without crossing a paddock in heels. Leave room around the marquee for guy ropes and for the truck to get in and out.
Do: plan the decor around the marquee
Coordinate the styling with the marquee itself. Greenery and floral arrangements sit naturally on peg-and-pole marquees, and a white top is a blank canvas for almost any colour scheme. Pick a look, then hire furniture and tableware that fits it rather than fighting it.
Do: light it properly
Lighting sets the mood once the sun goes down. Festoon lights across the roof line are the classic marquee look, fairy lights suit a softer feel, and both are on the sound and lighting page. Light the paths to the toilets and the car park as well as the marquee.
Don’t: ignore the weather
Always have a wet weather plan. Walls close in the marquee against rain and wind, portable fans move air on a hot afternoon, and a patio heater takes the edge off a winter evening. Decide in advance who makes the weather call and when.
Don’t: skimp on space
The most common mistake is sizing the marquee to the guest count alone. Allow for the dance floor, the bar, the band and the buffet, plus room for people to move between tables. If you are between two sizes, take the bigger one.
Don’t: forget the floor
Grass is fine at three in the afternoon and a problem at nine at night after a shower of rain. Flooring keeps heels out of the ground and gives you a level surface for tables and a proper dance floor. Ask what is available for your dates.
Lay out your marquee setup in zones
A good marquee setup separates dining, dancing and lounge areas so guests can move between them without crossing the dance floor.
- Create distinct zones. Give dining, dancing and relaxing their own areas so the night flows from one to the next and guests can find their way around.
- Focus on guest comfort. Arrange the seating so every table has a clear view of the speeches and the first dance.
Choose the right accessories
A sound system that suits a marquee matters, because canvas does not carry sound the way a hall does. A PA for speeches and a jukebox for dancing cover most weddings. Add decorative lighting inside and safety lighting on the paths outside. Then stop. Accessories that do not match the theme make the space feel busy rather than finished.
Your wedding marquee, sorted
Our marquees suit from about 15 guests up to about 195. Our own crew installs the marquee and any dance floor, with walls, flooring, furniture, toilets and lighting quoted alongside. Tell us the date, the guest count and the site. Get a quote or Call (02) 6643 2878.
