8 Things to Remember When Planning a Marquee Wedding

We asked Georgie Fowle and Katie Tottenham, co-founders of Addo Events to give us their top tips to ensure your marquee wedding is a perfect celebration of your marriage. We bring you the 8 steps to nail your marquee wedding reception.

Top Marquee Wedding Tips

BESPOKE If you are looking to create a truly personal wedding, consider a marquee option. You are given an entirely blank canvas to design exactly the look and feel you want. By choosing the suppliers you prefer you can achieve a completely bespoke wedding.

BUDGET Marquee weddings do tend to be more expensive than weddings held at a venue, because of the various options you can employ. If you do not have land yourself then local farmers are often very accommodating.

STYLE There are a huge range of marquees so it’s essential that the marquee style will fit with the concept of your wedding. A vintage wedding a traditional marquee gives a great foundation from which to start. But having a vintage wedding in a circus big top simply won’t work.

STARS If you are looking for something a little different, consider a clear roof over the dance floor rather that the standard black pea lighting. If it’s a beautiful clear night you will be able to see the stars, which is magical. If it’s overcast have no fear, the lighting in a clear roof looks incredible with or without stars – it really provides the wow factor.

THE BIG REVEAL Segment the day and keep guests guessing by treating the marquee like a house with rooms. Starting at the entrance, flank the doors with flower arrangements or trees. When guests enter the bar area for the drinks reception, keep the dining area and dancing closed off. When dinner is called this is the perfect opportunity to reveal the dining area as guests move through into a new space and enjoy the next chapter. Once the speeches have ended and the guests leave the dining area, the dance floor can be opened up to reveal yet another space ready for the first dance to end the evening in style.

MUSIC Let the band strike up for a few cords, then pull the curtain as they hit the first chorus.

FLOORING If it has been raining for weeks before hand, board flooring is a must and it may also be necessary to incorporate tracking for the parking; once a few lorries have arrived on site to build the marquee, you could find yourself in a quagmire. Inside the marquee, the last thing you want is for your mother in laws brand new colour co-ordinated stiletto heel to go through the carpet into the soggy grass beneath.  Board flooring is money well spent at any time of year as it removes any worries of wobbly tables.

FINALLY A bride to bride top tip for the day: don’t go to a portaloo; you will get blue dye on your wedding dress!

For honeymoon inspiration, see our guide to the Maldives.

MORE WEDDINGS: The Debrett’s Wedding Planning Timeline / What to Wear to a Country Wedding / 10 Best Wedding Dress Designers / Dos and Don’ts of a Modern Wedding / The Ultimate Wedding Guide