Preparing Your Home for A Marquee Celebration
Planning a marquee event at home can transform your celebration into an elegant, personalised experience. Whether for a wedding, milestone party, or family gathering, a marquee in your garden offers the perfect combination of luxury and intimacy. However, there can be many pitfalls in the preparation of your home for a marquee and a lot of things to think about long before the tent gets erected. Here’s our nitty gritty tips on how best to prepare your home and garden for a marquee.
The best marquee for your space
Marquees come in a range of styles to suit your event’s aesthetic. From traditional pole tents or clear-span marquees to stretch tents or elegant sailcloth structures, the choice of marquee sets the tone for your celebration. Consider your home’s style, the theme of your event, and the guest count when choosing the marquee.
Ensure your garden has sufficient space for the marquee and additional essential areas, such as catering tents, loos, and parking. A marquee provider can survey your site to recommend the best structure, but having a clear vision of your layout will streamline the planning process.
Keep the time of year in mind
Seasonal conditions significantly impact marquee events. In summer, ventilation and shaded areas are essential, while in colder months, heaters and solid flooring keep everyone warm and cosy. Always have a contingency plan for weather changes, such as sidewalls to protect against rain or wind.
Adapt your décor to reflect the time of year. Opt for floral arrangements and light fabrics in spring, open-sided marquees in summer, warm tones and textures in autumn, and twinkling fairy lights and plush furnishings for winter events.
Essential Logistics and Power Needs
Before installing the marquee, check for underground utilities like gas, electric, and water pipes that could be disrupted during setup. A utility survey can prevent costly damages or interruptions. Additionally, ensure the ground is flat and rolled for stability—uneven surfaces can lead to structural issues.
Assess access points for delivery vehicles and suppliers. Marquees and equipment often require large vehicles, so clear pathways are crucial. If access is limited or the weather is wet, hire trackway to protect your lawn and ensure smooth transport of materials.
When planning the event layout, consider:
Catering space: Ensure sufficient room for caterers to work efficiently while keeping their area discreet.
Loos: Portable trailers are essential, they need to be close to the tent but discreet.
Generator placement: Keep generators out of sight but accessible for maintenance.
Parking: Allocate parking areas for both guests and suppliers, ensuring clear routes to and from the marquee. Shuttle services can help if parking is limited.
Enhance Ambiance with Lighting and Entertainment
Lighting is a key element in creating an inviting atmosphere. Consider chandeliers, uplighting, fairy lights, or LED features to bring your marquee to life. Outdoor lighting both aesthetic on the surrounding garden, home and tent and necessary lighting are also important, keep in mind guests needing light for pathways, parking areas, external lights for the catering tent , especially as daylight fades.
Prepare Your Garden and Grounds for Setup
A well-maintained garden enhances the overall look of your event. Mow the lawn, refresh flower beds, and trim hedges to ensure a polished appearance. Prepare the ground where the marquee will be installed—flat, rolled, and stable soil is ideal for a secure structure.
Consider weatherproofing measures to keep your event running smoothly. Trackway can protect the lawn from heavy foot traffic and vehicles, especially in wet conditions. For rain protection, tented walkways can connect key areas like loos or catering tents to the marquee.
Power and Infrastructure Essentials
Marquees require reliable power for lighting, entertainment, heating or cooling, and catering equipment. Work with your suppliers to determine the correct generator size and backup options. Position the generator away from guest visible areas to distraction.
Ensure that suppliers like caterers, entertainers, and loos have easy access to their designated areas. Clear communication during the planning process will avoid last-minute logistical issues.
Safety is paramount. Confirm that all cables are securely hidden or taped down, fire safety equipment is accessible, and exits are clearly marked. Address any potential hazards, like uneven pathways, ahead of time to keep the event running smoothly.
Hosting a marquee event at home is an opportunity to combine luxury with the warmth of a personal setting. By focusing on meticulous planning and attention to detail—such as preparing the grounds, ensuring access, and planning for power needs—you can create a stunning celebration that is as seamless as it is memorable. When well planned, your garden can transform into the perfect event space, tailored entirely to your vision.
