One of the main reasons for hiring a wedding marquee is the freedom of choosing where to put it. And for good reason. Holding your big day wherever you want, whenever you want, allows you to break free from constraints associated with traditional venues and transform your event into something that’s truly yours.
But narrowing down to a single venue isn’t always an easy task. Not to fret – here’s a few things to consider when deciding on your marquee wedding location.
Venue Size
It’s important to consider whether your chosen space provides enough wiggle room for the size and scope of your wedding. Ultimately, the amount of room needed is up to you and what you want to include. It’s important to ask yourself:
- How big is your guest list and how will that affect the size of your marquee?
- Will tables and chairs take up space for dining?
- Is there room for a dancefloor and bar?
- Is there room for outdoor activities?
- Is there enough space for catering tents, toilets and other practicalities?
Although these questions may seem simple, thinking about them early on can prevent a lot of headache in the long run.
Surface Gradient
It’s no secret that marquees work best on firm and flat ground, so we always advise to go for a level venue. However that’s not to say that slopes are immediate dealbreakers. It’s rare to find a site that’s perfectly flat, so a certain degree of unevenness is always expected. Opting for measures such as wooden or raised flooring can be perfect for tackling these slopes whilst keeping your big day looking fab.
Whilst our team will always try our best to accomodate any venue, it’s important to realise that the steeper the slope, the more complicated (and more than likely, expensive!) the final build will be.
Surface Material
Our setups work on either grass or hard surfaces, but both will change the way we secure our marquees. For grass, marquees are secured using pegs which are driven into the ground. To avoid drilling on hard surfaces like concrete and tarmac, marquees are secured by weights instead, making it slightly more expensive than grass.
Landscape
Surrounding features such as trees, bodies of water and overhead cables may get in the way of your wedding, so it’s important to consider them when picking your location. More often than not, careful planning can avoid most of these obstacles, with setups in the past even using certain landmarks to enhance aesthetics.
In addition, the pegs used to secure our marquees are driven several feet into the ground, so it’s vital that they’re kept clear from underground pipes and cables. To be on the safe side, it’s important that you inform our team about any known underground services. Don’t worry if you’re unsure – our team will be more than happy to help locate them during site visits.
Access
Marquee setups often require the aid of larger vehicles like vans and trucks to transport heavy equipment and material. Good road access to your site, although not necessarily essential, is a welcome gesture that helps our team and other caterers get to work as quickly as possible.
And what about your guests? Whilst an expedition may seem exciting to some, being dragged through muddy ground in wedding attire may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Taking the time to consider suitable parking and walkways goes a long way in keeping your guests happy.
Scenery
Marquees allow your wedding to spill outdoors, so it would be a shame not to incorporate scenery into your space.
Position your marquee near key landmarks or high-altitude spots for maximum impact. Opt for panoramic windows to bring your space closer to the outside world, and orientate your marquee so all windows point towards any views. Fields and forests tend to the most popular locations, but we’ve seen couples tie the knot in places ranging from coastlines to castles – so ultimately, the world is your oyster.
Bring your dream wedding to life.
From the first meetings, everything was so well thought and completed with professionalism and class. The marquee was unbelievable and totally surpassed the vision I had in my head. Kate Reilly
Still deciding on a venue or unsure whether yours is suitable? Our site visits are a great way to gain expert opinions and answer any queries you may have. Get in touch with us today for more info.
