Without a doubt our most frequently asked question, and often the first question, we get asked by our clients is ‘what size marquee do I need?’. This might seem like a simple enough question but it’s not as cut and dry as it might first appear…
There are many things to take into account when working out the most appropriate size marquee for your needs. We are able to quickly recommend an ideal size for the number of guests you’re expecting and the style of the event you’re hosting. But we’d always recommend a site survey and a proper discussion about what you’re looking for from your marquee for a bespoke proposal based on your unique requirements.
Crucial elements to consider
Firstly, before you go ahead and decide on the size of marquee, there are some crucial elements to consider to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money. And that your marquee is going to do all that you need it to.
Location
Where would you like to put the marquee?
- Do you have the land in mind/secured where you’re hoping to put the marquee? What size is this space? Whether it’s privately owned or in the grounds of another venue there’s a marquee to suit.
- Is the location accessible by large vehicles or lorries? Sometimes marquees are large enough to require an articulated lorry to bring all the kit to the site.
- Are there any obstacles in the way? They’re often not enough to stop us, we’ve craned marquee’s over houses before, built over water fountains and garden pergola’s, incorporated garden borders and stairways. But it’s something to consider that you may need to increase or reduce the size of the marquee in order to work around obstacles.
- What is the state of the ground it’s going on? They each come with different requirements and may need some levelling to provide a stable and accessible surface for your guests.
Guests
How many people does your marquee need to accommodate?
- Sizes fluctuate depending on the number of guests you need to accommodate. It’ll also depend on whether your guests will be seated, the style of seating, if they’re dining or if they’re walking around freely.
- Will you have different numbers of guests at different points? It’s possible to section of areas to allow for more intimate situations then open up areas when required. We love this at weddings with a curtained off dance floor. It creates an intimate dining experience for a reception. Then later the curtains are pulled and your guests can flow into the dancefloor area, great if you have additional guests arriving for the evening.
Space Requirements
What type of event are you hosting in the marquee?
- Conferences, Exhibitions, Weddings, Parties, Corporate Events are all perfect in a marquee, with flexibility to design the space exactly as you want it
What is the purpose of the marquee? What do you need from the marquee space?
- Is it for dining? A theatre? Is it for a wedding ceremony? A party? Storage? Maybe it needs to suit multiple needs in one day, or multiple needs over a few days – a conference followed by a dinner and disco for example. All this is best to know before deciding on the size of your marquee to be sure it’s going to be sufficient for all your needs.
Do you need to expand or allow for storage?
- You can also use marquees to serve as flexible extra space – perhaps your company has expanded rapidly, faster than you’ve been able to find increased space for your operations. You can use our highly secure marquees for storage, or for additional factory or office space if you need it.
Read our Finsbury Food Group case study about how they utilised a marquee as a perfect temporary storage solution
So, what size marquee do I need to hire?
Of course, the size depends on all of the above elements but to give you an initial idea of what size we would suggest – based purely on the number of guests – this square metre marquee size guide will give you an idea of the space needed per person, to work out a rough square metre for the size of your marquee.
Marquee Size Guide
Seated Dinner | 1.25 square meters per person |
Seated Dinner & Dancefloor | 1.6 square meters per person |
Standing Buffet | 0.9 square meters per person |
Seated in Rows – Theatre Style | 0.8 square meters per person |
Standing – Concert Style | 0.6 square meters per person |
What else do I need?
Secret spaces
- If you’re feeding your guests then chances are, you’ll need a tent for the catering staff to prep and dish up the delicious food – depending on the scale of your event and the style of food your caterers will be serving we’re happy to recommend the perfect size to suit this – or your caterers should be familiar with marquee events and will likely know the space they require.
- If you’re hosting an event where there will be speakers, such as an exhibition or conference, you might want to consider some kind of Green Room space or break out area so your speakers can get prepped in a quiet spot.
- At conferences and corporate events, it’s a good idea to have a cloakroom area where guests can check in any bulky bags, coats or cases they might have with them.
- Maybe you’re using the Marquee for a TV production, in which case you may need extra space off camera.
Flooring
- We always recommend a single, stable surface for your guests. If you have unlevel ground where you would like the marquee, we can install a level wooden flooring which will give you a great base for your event. A site visit is imperative so we can see the ground, and measure to see what the different heights of the floor are likely to be.
- Even if you have a level ground a carpeted or wooden floor can still really enhance the customer’s event experience.
- We offer a variety of coverings to suit a variety of different events including wooden flooring, matting, carpets, AstroTurf and vinyl.
Internal lining
- What style are you hoping to create in your marquee?
- We offer a range of stunning internal items so that you can create the look you want. Whether that’s a full lining, half lining, clear linings, partially clear, star light lining, coloured linings, and many many more, the possibilities are endless for decorated the space as you wish.
Heating
- Marquees are often thought of as summer venues. However, they’re fantastic all year round and are very cosy in Winter with some heaters on hand.
Read our tips for creating a cosy marquee event in winter
Lighting
- Lighting is so important for creating the atmosphere you want at your event. We have a number of lighting options available to you in your marquee hire package. Festoons, starlit linings, chandeliers, lanterns, disco lighting, mirror balls, strip lighting, up lighting… so many fun options to go over the top or keep things simple. ?
This blog post will give you plenty of inspiration for getting the perfect lighting for your event
Water and Electricity
- Is there a nearby electrical source that can be utilised? Or will you need generators brought to site?
- Is there water available for use by the catering teams?
Toilets
- You may need additional toilet facilities, particularly if you’re not based in the grounds of somewhere with these already. If you have a large number of guests in attendance it’s best to have extra even if there are some on site, for a better experience for your guests. No one wants to miss out on a fab event queuing for the loo!
- We can provide these for you or we have links with a number of very reputable suppliers, we are equipped to deal with getting them onto and offsite.
- If you want to include them with the marquee, you would need extra space in order to accommodate them.
Furniture and Décor
- We are happy to offer all different styles of furniture to help you fill your marquee to your vision.
- Stages, tables and chairs, sofa seating, dancefloors, bar areas, whatever you can dream up
Fencing / Security
- Lastly, if you’re hosting in a public space, you’ll want to consider the space around the marquee – you may need fencing and a security presence to ensure safety. Again, this is something we can organise and provide for you.
We work with a number of fantastic suppliers in order to bring together marquee events of all shapes and sizes, with all of these elements. We are always more than happy to liaise directly with the various services you might need to take care of everything for you, to guarantee you’ve got all you need for a fabulous event. It can be daunting to arrange such a large number of suppliers if you’re not familiar with marquees so we’re more than happy to take this headache away! Otherwise we’re always happy to make recommendations for the individual services you might need to put on your event.
It’s always possible to come to us with a size you have in mind for a marquee but we’d always recommend getting in touch for a quote and a site survey. No matter your event we offer a bespoke quoting service, we take into consideration every influential element to ensure you’re getting the best marquee for its function, and to give you the very best value for your money.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your event and we’ll happily quote up the best options for you. We can’t wait to hear all about your plans!