How to Choose a Marquee for a Garden Wedding

Start With the Guest List, Not the Catalogue

It is tempting to begin by browsing photographs of beautiful marquees, but the single most useful thing you can do first is settle your approximate guest numbers. Marquee sizing is usually quoted in metres and described by how many people can be seated at round or trestle tables, but those figures assume a fairly tight layout. If you want a top table, a dance floor, a bar, a cake table and space for a band, you will need considerably more room than the headline capacity suggests.

As a rough guide, allow around one square metre per seated guest before you add anything else. A dance floor for 80 guests needs roughly 4m x 4m, and a bar, DJ or buffet will each claim a similar footprint. It is far better to book slightly larger than you think you need than to spend the day shuffling between chairs. A reputable supplier will happily draw a floor plan to scale if you give them your wish list, and this is the quickest way to spot a marquee that looks generous online but feels cramped in reality.

Think Carefully About Flooring and Ground Conditions

Flooring is the detail most couples underestimate, and it makes an enormous difference to how the day feels. Grass is fine in theory, but heels sink, chairs wobble and a wet summer can turn your aisle into a mud bath. Options generally range from a simple coir matting over grass, through a solid wooden floor with a waterproof membrane beneath, to a fully raised and levelled deck. For a wedding, a solid floor with a membrane is usually worth the extra cost.

Ask your supplier what the ground beneath the marquee is like and what happens if it rains heavily in the week before. If your garden slopes, sits on clay, or has drainage issues, this needs discussing early. You should also check whether the flooring can be installed on a patio or hardstanding, and whether the marquee can be pegged into the ground or needs weights instead. If weights are required, make sure they are positioned where guests will not trip over them.

• Measure your available space, allowing for guy ropes and access paths.
• Identify any slopes, drains, manholes, sprinklers or buried cables.
• Confirm whether pegs or weights will be used, and where.
• Decide whether you need a solid floor, matting or a raised deck.

Plan for the Weather in Both Directions

A marquee is your insurance policy against a British summer, but it only works if you plan for heat as well as rain. On a still, sunny day a clearspan marquee can become uncomfortably warm, so ask about ventilation, opening side panels and whether fans or air conditioning are available. Conversely, if the forecast turns wet and windy, you will want to know the marquee is rated for the conditions and that side walls are included rather than an optional extra.

Think about the route your guests will take from the house, the car park or the drop-off point to the marquee. A few metres of uncovered path can soak everyone, so consider a walkway canopy, a covered porch or even a simple stretch of matting. It is also worth asking whether the marquee has an internal lining. Linings soften the look of the structure, hide the framework and improve acoustics, but they also add cost, so decide early whether you want the traditional pole-and-drape feel or a sleek, modern finish.

Never Assume Power, Lighting and Heating Are Included

Power is one of the most common sources of last-minute panic. Many gardens simply do not have enough sockets or the right supply to run a band, a catering tent, fridges, lighting and a heater at once. A generator may be needed, and it should be sited well away from the marquee so guests are not bothered by noise or fumes. Ask your supplier to clarify exactly what electrical capacity is provided and whether a qualified electrician will be on site.

Lighting deserves its own conversation. You will want practical lighting for the caterers, warm ambient lighting for the meal, and something more playful for dancing. Uplighters, festoon bulbs and chandeliers all create very different moods, and the hire cost varies widely. Heating matters too, particularly for an evening reception in spring or autumn. Ask what type of heaters are used, whether they are safe around fabric and children, and how they are fuelled.

• Confirm the power supply, generator size and who connects it.
• Check whether lighting, heating and a PA system are included or extra.
• Ask about emergency lighting and fire extinguishers.
• Find out whether the marquee is insured and risk-assessed.

Access, Setup and Collection Day Logistics

Before you sign anything, walk the route the crew will take with the largest lorry and trailer they will use. Narrow lanes, low branches, listed walls, tight gateways and parked cars can all prevent a delivery, and it is much easier to solve this weeks in advance than on the morning of setup. If access is genuinely difficult, a smaller modular marquee that arrives in sections may be the answer.

Clarify who is responsible for what. Most companies will handle the full setup and collection, but some expect the customer to clear furniture, cut back vegetation or provide a water supply. Ask how long installation takes, when it will be removed, and what happens if the weather delays either. Get the answers in writing, along with a clear breakdown of what is included and what would cost extra.

Finally, trust your instincts about the people you are dealing with. A good marquee company will ask plenty of questions, offer sensible advice and be honest about what will and will not work in your space. That combination of practicality and care is exactly what you want behind the scenes while you enjoy the day itself.