Choosing a marquee for your event should involve comprehensive planning to pick the best available solution, depending on your needs. Undoubtedly, your goal will be to host an incredible event in a stunning location. But a number of factors contribute to the overall, final impression your guests will have. With this ultimate guide to marquee hire, you’ll make sure that all t’s are crossed, all i’s dotted, and all guests happy as can be. Read on to see all the steps to keep in mind when picking a marquee.
Event planning can be stressful enough as it is. Many moving parts require coordination, from catering to scheduling to picking the right kind of temporary structure that will accommodate all your guests. Hopefully, when all goes according to plan, you’ll create a wonderful event full of memorable moments and experiences – and that payoff will make all of the stress worth it.
To help you minimise the risks associated with insufficient planning, we’ve prepared a comprehensive list of items to consider. Take a look below:
Your expected number of guests will rank among the first considerations when picking a marquee. Of course, it’s a non-negotiable that all of your guests need to fit in the venue, so plan accordingly to arrange for sufficient space and pick an adequately-sized marquee.
Decorating the interior of the marquee is key to achieving that resplendent effect that sweeps guests off their feet. The stylistic direction of said decoration will largely depend on the type of event you’ll be hosting.
Whether you’re planning a sophisticated outdoor wedding, a charity event, or a corporate party to celebrate a significant company milestone or anniversary, pick a marquee that allows stylistic freedom so that you can shape up the party however you wish.
A practical consideration that cannot be overlooked concerns the ground on which you’ll be setting up the tent. Of course, the flatter the ground, the better, but the softness of the soil influences the type of stakes and pegs used to keep the structure firmly planted in the ground. Not every marquee can be set up on every surface, so consult with the marquee hire company beforehand.
When picking the type of marquee, consider the needs of your event. Poleadions, for example, are the best choice for large commercial events, while pagoda tents excel in their versatility and elegance for private parties and small receptions or gatherings.
If you require something extremely adaptable, ClearSpan structures work phenomenally across all kinds of events. Most important to note here, however, is that there is no definitive answer. Choosing a marquee type requires understanding the needs of your guests and how they correlate with the event you’ll be hosting.
As we mentioned, event planning involves managing plenty of different, moving parts, all of which are tied to various costs. These can mount up very rapidly, as they will most likely include the following:
To keep things under budget, try to pick a marquee tent that caters to all of your needs without compromising on quality and functionality, ensuring a balanced choice between cost and the level of service provided.
If you want to throw a truly unforgettable party, you have to remember every single detail. We’ve mentioned entertainment in the form of music, but lavish get-togethers include far more than that.
When choosing a marquee, consider that the dimensions of the space need to account for extra amenities. Restroom access comes to mind as an immediate aspect that requires a response. Another thing is lighting and the safety measures related to it, which you will need to address if the event is to take place during evening and night hours.
Of course, no modern outdoor event is complete without a spacious dance floor and a temporary bar setup, so make sure to account for these elements as well. Depending on your event’s scale, the marquee you choose might also need to provide heating or cooling solutions to keep guests comfortable.
Choosing a marquee can undoubtedly prove a daunting task, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. Hopefully, the above list has elucidated all the factors and considerations to keep in mind so that your party stands out in your guests’ minds for a long time as a perfectly coordinated event.
You may also read: Seasonal Trends in Temporary Event Structures for 2024
How to select the right marquee for your event? You need to look into the size, materials, shape and flooring. What is more, you should consider the chairs and tables – perhaps you can rent them out along with the tent(s)? In this article, we shall look into this in more detail – read on to find out more!
First and foremost, you should focus on the size. The bigger the event, the larger your structure should be. However, it’s not that simple.
When selecting the size, you need to plan your space first. Do you need one large tent, or perhaps a few smaller ones? You also need to decide whether your guests will be standing or sitting since it affects the capacity of your marquee.
For example, a 4x4m pagoda will fit up to 20 guests when standing, but only 12-16 if you put tables and chairs inside. Any additional furniture will limit the capacity further; thus, you need to take that into account as well.
Here’s a brief cheat sheet on the best sizes vs. the number of guests you’re planning to invite.
| Size | Standing | Sitting |
| 4x4m | 20 guests | 12-16 guests |
| 4x6m | 30 guests | 20-24 guests |
| 4x8m | 40 guests | 28-32 guests |
| 4x10m | 50 guests | 36-40 guests |
| 6x6m | 40 guests | 28-36 guests |
| 6x8m | 50 guests | 38-42 guests |
| 6x10m | 60 guests | 42-48 guests |
| 8x8m | 70-80 guests | 56-64 guests |
Naturally, this does not mean that you need to look for a single marquee in the exact size you need. Stretch tents, for instance, are modular – you can combine many of them to form a bigger structure, hence accommodating more guests. The same can be said about pagodas. On the other hand, clearspans can be expanded – only their width is fixed. Thus, you can tailor the size to your needs.
Apart from the size, you also need to focus on the materials when looking for the perfect marquee. Different types of tensile structures come with their own options regarding walls and ceilings, and not each will be fit for all occasions.
For example, if you’re planning to organise an event in the winter or autumn, you should opt for tents that can be sealed thoroughly. This way, you will be able to keep warm air inside. What tents work in such situations? We recommend poleadions.
On the other hand, if your event is taking place in the middle of the summer, you need it to be made from materials that are breathable and reflect the sun. Otherwise, it will get too hot inside them. In this case, you need to look into the quality of the tents – those from reputable companies like Pavilion, are typically better in this regard.
Finally, you have to consider the light inside your tent. If you are organising a wedding or a family gathering that starts at noon, you should opt for tents with transparent walls and ceilings. This is not possible with all types of tensile structures; hence, in such cases, we recommend clearspans (unless you need a smaller marquee) – they can be equipped with both transparent ceilings and walls.
You should also consider whether you want your tent to have walls at all. Stretch tents or pagodas might be installed without them, so they might be a viable option for you.
Since a marquee is installed outside, you also need to decide on the flooring and furniture. Let’s look at the former first.
In terms of flooring, you have several options. What are they?
We need to mention that, even if you plan a concert, you shouldn’t just leave plain ground – it might be dangerous for your guests, who might trip over and hurt themselves.
What about the furniture? It’s important mainly because it affects the capacity of your marquees. Sometimes, you might find event tent rental services that will provide you with furniture as well – it might be worth considering them.
When planning your tent layout, remember that furniture is not just the chairs and tables your guests sit at. Any additional equipment, e.g., DJ’s console, requires extra furniture pieces, so take that into consideration when planning how many chairs and tables you want to rent and when deciding on the marquee size.
Knowing what factors to consider when choosing a marquee for your event, you are ready to embark on a journey to finding the perfect one for your event, whether it’s a small wedding or a large corporate party. If you need a reliable tent rental service with the finest marquees available, don’t hesitate to contact us – we shall be happy to provide you with our excellent tensile structures.
You might also read: Elevate Your Event: Innovative Tent Designs and Structures for Unforgettable Occasions
© 2025 Pavillion Structures. All rights reserved.
