2020 has been a difficult year for us all, but in particular for those who were planning to get married this year and have had to postpone. Wedding venues for 2021 are booking out fast, with virtually all key dates booked up everywhere nationwide. But, have you ever considered having a marquee wedding?
Deciding on a venue is one of the most important things you need to consider when planning your big day, but it is also one of the most challenging decisions. Having a marquee wedding may just be the solution you are looking for. A marquee wedding means that you can truly personalise your big day and create exactly the look and feel you were hoping for. If you are creative, individualistic and up for the challenge – it’s the perfect option.
Advantages of a Marquee Wedding
Below are just some of the advantages to marquee weddings:
Flexibility with your venue location
Unlike with your standard wedding venues, when you have a marquee wedding it’s your decision where you want to host your wedding. If you’d like to host your wedding somewhere extraordinary and wild or somewhere that is special and meaningful to you both as a couple you can. Choose a location with incredible country scenery or coastal views, or maybe in your very own back garden, it’s entirely up to you.
Your Wedding will be completely unique
A marquee wedding is completely unique and distinctively different. It’s unique for your big day, custom built specially for you. Traditional wedding venues can be incredibly beautiful too, but no two marquee weddings are the same. They are completely out of the ordinary and will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on your guests for all the right reasons.
Bring the outside in
If you’ve selected a stunning location for your wedding, you can take full advantage of the view and bring the outside in. You can hire marquees with clear window walls or have sections pulled back to allow everyone inside to enjoy the incredible views outside in the comfort and beauty of the marquee.
A blank canvas
A big advantage to a marquee wedding verses a traditional wedding venue is that you can customise it exactly the way you have dreamed of. You get to create your own layout, themes and colours, you’re in complete control in order to make the very most out of your chosen location. This is not always the case with traditional wedding venue, where they have existing décor and colours etc. There is a never-ending list of possibilities with a marquee wedding, you just need to get creative and enjoy the experience.
Number of Guests
With traditional wedding venues you are very much restricted to both maximum and minimum numbers of guests. This is not the case with marquee weddings. You get to decide on the number of guests you want to attend and then hire a marquee to suit this for your big day.
Top Tips for a Marquee Wedding
Sure, a marquee wedding is a little more work than a traditional wedding venue, as you have to organise everything from scratch, from the planning to the actual set up. But we have some top tips to help you get through it and have your dream marquee wedding:
Think about the style of Marquee
There are several things you need to consider before choosing the style of marquee for your wedding. Think about the reception style you desire, as this will affect the type of marquee that you could hire. You also need to think about the site of the reception: Traditional marquees cannot go on hard bases such as courtyards or tennis courts due to the guy ropes; so, in this instance you’ll need a frame marquee.
Another thing you’ll need to decide is if you want windows and doors or completely open on one side as well as how it will be heated if you fall foul of the Irish weather?
Do you prefer round tables, square tables or long banqueting tables? Do you have a feature in the site or garden you want to incorporate such as a favourite tree, pond or flower border? Just make sure you think about the style of marquee you would like thoroughly before making your decision.
Call in the professionals
Consider hiring a wedding planner to assist; or at least project manage the wedding day. Venues have banqueting managers to deal with problems but you will have no-one if you decide to go it alone. A planner can decorate the venue, take delivery of goods and manage the day itself, so if any challenges occur, they are dealt with in a professional manner; leaving you to relax and party at your marquee wedding.
Marquee wedding parking
You need to think about parking for guests and back-of-house suppliers. If parking is in a nearby field, then provide a solid walkway for guests in case it is raining – walking across a sodden field in heels is not much fun. Ensure there is good signage so people know where to park and the route back to the car is lit with lanterns.
Alternatively, perhaps you can use the local community hall car park, or nearest hotel and provide a shuttle service to and from the ceremony/reception. Just be sure to check the public liability insurance available.
Furniture for your marquee wedding
Yes, you need tables and chairs; but what shape? Couples nowadays seem to be steering away from round tables and opting for long banqueting tables. These tables work especially well for rustic or festival themes. They can be simply dressed and you don’t have to impose a traditional seating plan.
You’ll also need to hire linen, cutlery, glasses and crockery as a starting point. After that, think about a soft seating area, bar, dance floor, stage for a band, lighting, sound system, draping, chair covers and centrepieces.
Essentials you might not have thought of
It stinks, but you must provide mobile toilets, especially if you have a decent number of guests. Ask your marquee company for pictures as there are some nice contemporary ones available. Check the capacity is suitable for the number of guests attending and what power it requires.
Unless there is readily available power sources, you’ll need a generator. Check with all suppliers how much power they need to ensure you hire the right size one. Who will run all the cabling for you and will these be laid down safely? You may well need the services of an electrician and a plumber.
Is there access?
If hiring suppliers that will arrive in larger vehicles, think about the access. A classic mistake is only measuring the width of vehicles but not thinking about the swing needed. If access is narrow and deliveries have to be scheduled in, make sure suppliers know the relevant time slot they can deliver and explain any difficulties with the access available.
Food, glorious food
Check with your caterers what size catering marquee/kitchen they need to service your wedding proficiently. Ensure your caterers have access to fresh water, this can be simply an extendable hose into the catering tent.
Use the marquee ceiling
The beauty of marquees is you have so much height to play with. Hanging lanterns and bunting are making way for more elegant hanging crystals, origami birds, or chandeliers. Couples who want a more intimate feel in their marquee could also consider draping. When done well, this will help reduce the ceiling height and create dramatic entrances into different areas of the marquee.
National Event Hire
National Event Hire can supply all your marquee wedding needs. With over 25 years of experience in the event hire industry, we have a huge range of products available for rent – chairs, tables, crockery, cutlery, catering equipment, even the kitchen sink!
Contact us for more information and to get a quote:
Freephone: 1800 579 579
Dublin: 01 450 9922
Cork: 021 432 1155
email: info@neh.ie or simply Request a Quote here.
