12. April 2026
What To Look For When Hiring A Wedding Marquee
What are the main features that you should look for when choosing a marquee supplier. What questions should you ask and what type or style should you choose?
Written by Matt Ratcliffe, owner, County Marquees.
The number one most important thing to take into consideration when choosing between marquee suppliers has to be locality. And I would also find out, as much as possible, how long the supplier has been established.
It is clearly advantageous to book a local supplier, probably no more than 25 miles from the event, than a company that is a great distance from your wedding location.
Why do I consider that location of your marquee supplier is so crucial? Simply because of service. If there was a problem after the marquee has been erected and the supplier has left the site, the local company only has a round trip of, say, a maximum of 50 miles (25 each way) to correct the problem. So if, for instance, you are struggling to close a wall on your wedding marquee in Henley, Oxon because the breeze is a little too strong, the chances of getting a supplier based in Norfolk back to help you is probably non-existent. In truth, you probably will not hear from a supplier that is a long distance away until they reappear to dismantle the marquee - whatever the problem you may actually have. They will be very unwilling to make an extra journey that may involve a round trip of three hundred miles or more.
The second most important thing to consider when selecting a supplier is the type of marquee you choose for your wedding. Should it be a clear span marquee, stretch tent, or something else such as a pagoda etc? As we are talking about marquees for a wedding the choice of structure is often selected with a particular style in mind rather than for practical reasons. Some structures, however, are simply not suitable in every situation. Ground levels and conditions may have to be taken into account, also the time of year and just how exposed the chosen site is to the prevailing wind.
If you think any of this may apply to you and you have any questions at all, please contact us. we are here to help.
See the picture below, from a different company, as an example of what can happen.
Why Choose Us?
Long experience is the simple answer. Establishing County Marquees in 1989 I have over 35 continuous years providing marquees for weddings. And experience matters. For example, at County Marquees we greatly encourage our clients to request a free site survey. During this meeting important items such as the most suitable type of flooring, orientation of the marquee, correct size etc. can all be discussed without the confusion that can sometimes occur with email correspondence alone.
Set A Budget For Your Wedding Marquee
It may seem obvious, but one of the main things I would personally encourage a customer to do is set a budget and try to stick to it - at least initially. By getting a free quote from us you will immediately know which marquees and items fall within your expected price range. During a follow up site visit, I can then advise which items are absolutely essential for a great event and which can be left on the "nice to have but it breaks our budget list." For example, a lunchtime event in the middle of July when it may not have rained on the grass for several days could possibly eliminate flooring. However, a wedding in mid September continuing on into the evening should, in my experience definitely have flooring and if the budget is tight, costs should be saved elsewhere. Your guests will complain of cold way before they notice that you cut back on flowers!
So how much does it cost to hire a marquee for a wedding?
There are so many variables such as style, size etc that almost every event is bespoke to the individual client. For an indication of price range, please either go to our wedding hire page, or our marquee prices page.
What Style Of Marquee Should I Choose?
There are many styles of structure available to hire currently that fall under the general term marquee. There are clearspan marquees, stretch tents, capri tents, espree tents, sailcloth tents, traditional tents, wigwams, gazebos etc.
So what to pick?
Most people will start off with a fairly certain idea of what they think they want, but I would encourage you to take a few points into consideration.
Is the marquee/structure waterproof? No, don't expect this to be a given. There are many cheap structures especially so-called gazebos that are barely shower resistant let alone waterproof.
Is the marquee flameproof? in the UK in the 2020s you would expect so wouldn't you? Unfortunately some of the cheaper imported structures are not great and if a supplier doesn't regularly replace old walls and roofs then flame retardancy can be lost.
Can the marquee/structure withstand strong winds? It's an unfortunate fact that in the UK we can experience quite strong winds blowing out of nowhere at times. Make sure that you hire a tent that is strong enough to stand up to the elements. Even if you aim is to have a structure without sides fitted I would always recommend thar you go for one that does have sides that can be fitted if absolutely necessary. Sometimes just one side needs to be fitted to create the necessary wind break that stops all the drinks glasses from smashing everywhere.
I really don't think that I can emphasise enough just how important it is to hire a structure that has sides that can be fitted if necessary. Because we hire our furniture out to customers who have used a different supplier for their structure and to other marquee companies who simply don't provide tables and chairs etc. I get to see all types of events and marquees. And I have lost count of the amount of times that I have seen soaking wet flooring and furniture over as much as a third of the tent because the slanting rain was able to enter the tent. Even if a heavy shower only lasts for 20 minutes drenched guests will not be amused. The ability to quickly close or hang sides is therefore, in my experience crucial.
It is also, in my opinion, a huge risk renting a structure without sides if the event is going on into the evening during the months of April, May, and September. The night time temperature is unlikely to be high enough for you to be comfortable without sides and flooring.
Types of marquee
Clear span marquee These are, I believe, the most versatile structure available currently. They meet all the criteria mentioned above and the walls can be easily opened or closed by anyone or even removed completely. This style of marquee can be fitted with luxurious internal linings, different flooring options and can be erected on ground that would be impossible for some of the other structures available.
By using steel subframe floors and boards a clear span marquee can be erected on ground where it is impossible to use stakes to anchor the tent. This type of floor also allows the tent to be erected on sloping and uneven ground and also in gardens that have different levels.
Clears spans can be fitted tight against buildings, allowing for seamless extensions to homes and venues. They can also be fitted with solid sides if required and french doors with real glass panels.
Stretch tents. The term stretch tent is used for many different styles and appears to be applied to any structure where the roof and walls are not actually fitted to a frame. Be aware that many are not supplied with walls and are really just a roof cover - all be it a very large one! Some are made from a similar material to clear span marquees such as the Capri and Espree tents, others are made of a muc darker stretch material that are often beige or khaki in colour.
Stretch tents, by design tend to have a lot of poles internally. On the plus side this means that stretch tents can have interesting structural shapes, but it does mean that you will require a much bigger tent to produce the same guest capacity as the equivalent clear span structure. Stretch tents tend to be simply decorated with fairy or festoon lights as they can not be lined internally.
Capri tent for garden games at Ufton Nervet with sides removed
Pagoda Marquees Pagoda tents, sometimes called Chinese or Witches' Hat are a style of structure that have a peaked roof. They are smaller in size, slightly, than the other tents but can be joined together to form a larger structure. They are also ideal for stand alone food stations or bar areas at weddings and make ideal reception areas at the front of clear span and stretch tents.
Pagoda wedding marquees
Frequently asked questions for wedding marquees:
What size marquee do I need for all my guests? The size required will be determined by all the things that you wish to have in the tent. Do you want a reception area? A bar area? Are you having a band and do they need a stage? All these things need to be taken into account when calculating the size required. When you get in contact, please give us as much information as possible so that we can give you an accurate quote based on the best size for your event.
How much space will I need for a dancefloor, bar area, or for the caterer. For the same reasons as above, we really need a bit more information to be able to answer the question precisely.
Can we have separate areas within the marquee? Yes, many customers require sectioned off areas for caterers, or for a reveal, this is very easy to achieve with clear span marquees.
Can a marquee be set up on uneven, sloped or hard-standing ground? A clear span marquee can be rigged up in these circumstances, but it is often not possible with stretch tents and pagodas.
What space is required for your vehicles? A normal driveway is sufficient. Unless there is a height restriction we shouldn't have any issues.
Will the marquee damage the garden or grass? There is very little damage done to lawns, apart from a slight yellowing of the grass depending on how long the flooring has been down for, and a few tiny holes where the stakes have been you will be amazed at the end result.
Are the marquees weatherproof? Ours are, but we can vouch for other suppliers!
Will it be warm enough for a winter or autumn wedding? Yes, we have thermostatically controlled in-direct fired heaters to keep you comfortably warm.
Can the sides be opened on a hot summer's day? Yes. All of our marquees, which ever style, have sides that are easily opened or removed completely.
Do I have to book a hard floor or is matting, or carpet sufficient? In summertime on a reasonably flat, but not perfect lawn, matting or carpet on a good ground sheet is often a good choice. Where it is found not to be sufficient, however, then we can supply solid floor options.
Do we need a generator? To answer this question we would need to know the full list of equipment at the event that will require power. From that we will be able to calculate if household supply will be sufficient or if a generator will be required.
Do you supply power distribution and lighting? Yes, we have PAT tested distribution boards and have a large stock of different lighting options.
When will you rig the marquee bring equipment and when will it be dismantled? As a company policy we give wedding events priority in the week leading up to a wedding. So for a Saturday wedding for instance, we would normally rig on a Tuesday or Wednesday allowing plenty of time for decorating etc.
Are there hidden costs or extra charges? We do our utmost to give the most comprehensive quote based on the information provided by you. A free site survey helps as we can really drill down into the details during a face to face meeting.
Can we hang decorations or floral arrangements inside the marquee? Yes there are plenty of options for hanging items from the structure as long as they are not ridiculously heavy.
Can the marquee be connected to a building or home? Clear span marquees can be butted up tight to a building allowing for a great extension from a home or venue.
