Internals part 1 – Get The Look
This is all about the details, the things that make your wedding 'you'. We're going to discuss the internals of the tent and anything additional you might want to bring on board to make it the right environment for you on your special day.
Start with the layout
An important aspect of planning of course, is helping your ideas come to life. Before you commit to anything it's worth getting pictures and images depicting what's it's actually going to look like and getting the layout right. We use CAD software but you (and your planning team) can just as easily cut out some pieces of card to scale and arrange them to visualise what you want to do and figure out any pitfalls in advance.
One example of this is figuring out where the doors are going to go. On most traditional marquees these can be wherever you want them to be and as large as you require. It's important to think about pathways into the tent and the places people are going to be moving to and from, especially if you have more than one structure involved. Another useful consideration is draft, particularly if your venue is in the open and windy.
Everything you want in the marquee (bar, stage, floorstanding lights, speakers, furniture) takes up space and will need to be taken into account. Never fear though, you're always able to check in with your hirer to make sure you're selecting the right size for your wedding.
This is a typical example of a compact wedding setup with tables, chairs, DJ and dancefloor, seating 100 people for dinner:
As always, depending on what you're using the structure for you should get a design to help you imagine and plan the space. It's also worth remembering that the vast majority of tents are 'modular' (this means sections can be added or taken away to make them longer or shorter) so you may well still be able to get the look you want at the size you want if you ask.
Think shoes, think flooring
Now that you know where your marquee is going and the type of surface you're dealing with, it's worth having a think about what type of flooring you'd like. If you're having tables and chairs, it's generally recommended to have flooring otherwise chair and table legs can sink into soft ground (not to mention high heeled shoes!).
Even if the marquee is on hard standing, a wooden floor will create a much nicer environment than an expanse of tarmac or concrete - which can be as lumpy as grass anyway!
If you really don't need hardwood floor, there are various types of matting available which generally works out a lot cheaper and still creates a tidier environment than grass or tarmac.
Furniture
Your choice of furniture will definitely be decided in part by your budget.You can have Beckham-style thrones for the bridal party table, or Medieval-style benches with casks of ale and wine. The list is endless!
Trestle tables fit much more neatly for those with a slightly larger guest list. The design below would host 120 people seated but there's a lot more room for the evening guests, should you have them. Some tables can be put away at the end of dinner and hey presto, dancefloor!
It's getting hot in here....
A common question we get asked is about how warm the marquees will get and whether additional heating units are required. You'd be surprised at how much warmer a space becomes once it's sheltered from the wind but that being said there are many factors to consider before deciding whether to install portable heaters.
It will depend on how large your tent is, where it's going (the level of exposure at the venue for example), what time of year it is and what you're going to use it for.
The best idea is to speak to your hirer or contact us to discuss your needs and get some help with where to find a supplier.
Fancy a Drink?
Depending on what your setup is, you might need a bar. Sometimes it'll be for people to serve drinks from, or you could have it as a table in the corner and let people help themselves if it's a bring-your-own scenario. Either way, it's nice to do something nice with this.
So that's your starter on internals. If this aspect of the event is a big consideration for you then please do head off immediately and read part 2.
As ever, you can contact us on the form below and ask us anything you like. We love chatting about events and how to make them awesome!