A marquee wedding… we must confess, we just love them. We can’t help but be impressed with the fabulous things couples do when they have a blank canvas to work with. And the guests? Well, they just love a marquee wedding – because, what’s not to love? They get the best of indoors and outdoors, and a wonderful intimate party feeling even when hundreds are attending. If this sounds good to you, here’s some key info to get you started.

Hiring a marquee

The Outdoor Wedding Company – these are your guys if you’re looking for something different. They’re the providers of stretch tents – unique-looking structures erected on poles and ropes, very festival in feeling, and unlimited in size and configuration options. They come both as roof-only or with side enclosures, and are weatherproof, stylish and modern.

Marquee Weddings in Ireland – is it a tent? Is it a conservatory? It’s the best of both! Their hardwall systems have that stunning marquee look overhead, while the sides are made of see-through aluminium frames. With this structure, you can admire the views while staying comfortable inside. A fab look in the summer, this design is particularly perfect for a marquee wedding in the cooler months too.

Marquee Marvel Ltd – the place to go for packages customised to your budget, and stylish traditional marquees. Tents can be erected on any surface, come with wooden floors, and all equipment is designed for maximum functionality and elegance. A huge variety of furniture and lighting options is also available – so tailoring your marquee wedding isn’t ever a problem.

Things to think about

Of all the reasons to have a marquee wedding, looks definitely take the top spot – the tents are simply gorgeous. But there are so many other reasons why you should! How about:

• Catering – hire whoever you like

• Huge flexibility with guest numbers

• No usual fees like corkage or room hire

• An enclosed tent is a safe space for kids

• Doing your own thing – personalise as much as you like

• Your own exclusive space – no sharing a venue with other couples

• Work all year round – yes, you could have a marquee in the winter

• A complete blank canvas – whatever decor you want, you shall have

• Pitch anywhere – yes, you could have your wedding wherever you like

• No quitting time – depending where you pitch, you could really party all night

If you’re considering a marquee wedding, we recommend not waiting until the last minute. Between May and September, marquees are in huge demand, so starting your research early and booking well in advance is best.

There are five things that make a marquee wedding different from a venue wedding. These are: the loos, power supply, chillout area, heating/cooling, and furniture. Many marquee companies will supply all these themselves, or will recommend trusted suppliers. Read our ‘where to start’ guide to make everything simple, and to make sure you ask all the right questions when hiring your supplier.

Marquee decor

Being clever with your booking time also means arranging everything will be much easier – after all, this is your blank canvas. Whatever you imagine, it can be created – so start the planning as soon as you can.

Having a completely blank canvas for your marquee wedding decor is exhilirating, but it could also be intimidating. How do you fill all that space? Don’t worry – it’s not all going to be empty. Once you agree on the layout of furniture, stage, dance floor and chillout area, you’ll find most of the area is filled – leaving you a much smaller job to do. Your marquee company will likely be providing all the furniture too, and they’ll discuss the layouts with you once you make your booking. Or if you’re hiring a separate supplier, you’ll need to take the essential information like size, shape and number of guests, and work out the plan in a meeting.

Many brides think something must be done with the great expanse of space overhead – but the truth is, it looks elegant on its own, and doesn’t need much embellishment at all. You could take the focus away from the ceiling by going for a beautiful theme with the tables. This could be one strong colour accent, or big floral arrangements for centrepieces, or every table done in a different colour. Standing plants and trees are also a great and easy decorating option you could hire.

If you’re having a Christmas-time marquee wedding, some of the space will probably be taken up by the tree and festive embellishments. You could have this anytime during December – people are already quite in the festive spirit by then, and your gorgeous decor will make them feel extra jolly for sure.

There are some decorations that look particularly good in a marquee – it just seems to fit! These are: bunting, pom-poms or lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and strings of lights. They can all be hired, bought or inexpensively made. And if you’d like even more ideas, here are 8 ways to decorate a wedding marquee.

Looking for an exceptional beautiful wedding tent? For marquee hire, Dublin or marquee hire, Cork’s top supplier of stretch tents are Tentickle Tents. Give them a call to discuss your specific needs.