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An outdoor marquee wedding offers a magical and personalised setting that few venues can match. Imagine celebrating your special day surrounded by nature, in a beautifully decorated marquee.
This guide will help you create an unforgettable outdoor marquee wedding, step by step.
Choosing the Right Location
Choosing the right venue sets the foundation for your wedding marquee. A clearspan marquee gives you unparalleled flexibility. With no need for internal poles, these marquees are perfect for maximising space and framing your scenic surroundings beautifully. You may already have your own land, whether that's your garden space or field. Otherwise there are plenty of options, local farmers fields, sports grounds, historic houses, local authority park sites, pubs and restaurants with gardens or land.
When selecting a location, space will be a consideration, not only ensuring it will accommodate the size of marquee required for your number of guests but also that it has space for additional services you may require such as a catering tent, refrigerated trailer, toilets, generator, outdoor furniture or games as well as nearby parking space and access for your guests.
Why Choose a Clearspan Marquee?
There are various outdoor structures you can consider for your wedding reception. Clearspan marquees are one of the most versatile options for outdoor weddings, offering many advantages over traditional, stretch or tipi styles. Here’s why they’re a popular choice:
Flexible Design: With no internal poles, clearspan marquees offer open and flexible layouts. This allows for creative seating arrangements, larger dance floors, and the ability to showcase stunning centerpieces or décor.
Weather Resistance: Built with sturdy materials, clearspan marquees provide excellent protection against unpredictable weather, from rain to wind. This allows them to be used all year round as well.
Custom Sizing: These marquees can accommodate weddings of any size, from intimate gatherings to larger celebrations with over 200 guests.
Aesthetic Appeal: The sleek and modern design complements any theme, and clear roofing and wall options let natural light in during the day or create a romantic starlit atmosphere at night.
By partnering with a trusted marquee hire company, you can customise your marquee to match your theme, from flooring and lighting to sidewalls and draping.
Perfecting Your Layout
A well-planned layout ensures a seamless flow of events within your marquee. Use the spacious interior of a clearspan marquee to designate areas for dining, dancing, and lounging. Popular layout ideas include:
Banquet Tables: Perfect for a communal dining atmosphere.
Bar and Lounge Areas: Create a cosy corner for mingling and drinks.
Dance Floors and Entertainment Zones: Take advantage of the open design to set up a spacious dance floor or stage for live music.
The absence of poles in a clearspan marquee means you can execute your layout vision without obstructions, making it easier to enhance the guest experience.An effective layout promotes a smooth flow of events.
Adding Decor and Personal Touches
Your marquee is a blank canvas, ready to be transformed into a stunning celebration space. Here are some ideas to bring your vision to life:
Lighting: String fairy lights along the marquee’s interior, hang elegant chandeliers, or incorporate LED uplighting or large mirror balls.
Seasonal Themes: Use fresh, seasonal flowers and décor elements to match the time of year.
Personal Touches: Add framed photos, handwritten notes, or custom neon signs and letters to make the space uniquely yours.
Clearspan marquees are particularly well-suited for large, impactful décor pieces as well, such as hanging floral installations or bold lighting features, as they provide plenty of overhead space. Decorating your marquee is where you can showcase your personality!
Catering Considerations
Food and drink are essential to any celebration, and with a marquee wedding you can get creative with your catering. Consider these options:
Buffet Stations: Encourage mingling with interactive food stations offering a variety of dishes.
Plated Dinners: For a formal atmosphere, multi-course meals provide an elegant dining experience.
Casual Options: A popular catering option are food vans, either during the day or as an evening option. These work great for relaxed themes and there are many cuisines and styles of food available.
Be sure to discuss logistics with your catering team to ensure they’re equipped to handle outdoor setups.
Weather-Proofing Your Wedding
Weather can be unpredictable, but with a clearspan marquee, you’ll have plenty of options to keep your guests comfortable:
Sidewalls and Heating: Sidewalls and window walls can be closed with doors and heaters to keep the interior warm and dry. You might also want to provide blankets for a cosy feel.
Fans and Ventilation: For summer weddings, all the windows can be opened easily and you could provide hand held fans for your guests too. Cooling systems can be hired if it is particularly hot.
Flooring: Protect your guests from muddy conditions with sturdy flooring, wooden panels with carpet for comfort.
Being prepared helps lessen stress and keeps the focus where it should be—on your celebration!
Entertainment Arrangements
Entertainment is key to keeping your wedding lively. Consider these ideas:
Live Music or DJs: Take advantage of the large, open space in your clearspan marquee for a live band or DJ booth.
Photo Booths: Set up a fun photo booth with props and backdrops that match your theme.
Outdoor Games: Lawn games like croquet, mini-golf or giant Jenga can keep guests entertained mini-gold are a great way to keep guests entertained during the cocktail hour.Entertainment keeps the vibe lively and guests engaged. Choose from:
Discuss logistical needs with entertainers ahead of time. This includes power supply and setup time, which can impact the flow of your event.
Seamless Setup with Professional Support
Coordinating an outdoor wedding requires careful planning, especially when it comes to setup and logistics. Partnering with a professional marquee hire company such as ourselves simplifies the process, we handle:
Delivery and Installation: Ensuring the marquee is securely installed at your chosen location.
Custom Features: Adding flooring, lighting, and décor options tailored to your preferences.
On-Site Support: Addressing any last-minute adjustments to keep everything running smoothly.
As a note you will need to communicate with your other suppliers, caterers, entertainment etc, about access, timings and any requirements and consider obtaining liability insurance to protect against any mishaps.
You can absolutely organise and plan an outdoor marquee wedding by yourself or with close friends/family, or for extra support there are some fantastic on the day and full wedding planning organisers.
Your Dream Wedding Starts Here
A clearspan marquee wedding offers endless possibilities to create a celebration that’s as unique as your love story. From the stunning natural backdrop to the versatile design, it’s an opportunity to host an event that your guests will remember for years to come.
Ready to plan your perfect marquee wedding? Our expert team specialises in clearspan marquee hire, offering bespoke solutions for weddings of all sizes, and we offer support from beginning to end with lots of advice and guidance along the way. Contact us today by phone, email or our contact form here to learn more about our range of options and start bringing your vision to life!
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