If you’re considering hiring a marquee for your event, you’ll want to know where to start and how to make sure you get the best marquee for the job.
There are plenty of marquee hire companies out there, but how do you pick the best one?
Of course it’s easy to choose the cheapest option, CENTS Marketplace but this is essentially a temporary building so if the company don’t look after their marquees well or they don’t follow safety procedures when they erect the marquee, your entire event and the guests at the event could be in danger.
So there’s more to marquee hire than meets the eye which is why it’s so important to follow as many tips as you can to ensure you end up with the perfect marquee for your event.
- Don’t be tight
You will have a budget to work from, but money isn’t everything. As mentioned above, if you select the cheapest hire company without checking them out properly, you could end up with a disaster on your hands. You are entrusting a company with the safety of your event, so although you might want to save a few pounds, you must consider safety above everything else.
- Beware of peak times
Not surprisingly marquee and teepee hire is the most popular in summer, so if you start looking at booking one last minute you could find yourself without much choice. Marquees can be booked years in advance sometimes, so don’t delay your enquiries!
- Look for quality
You need to know if the equipment you are hiring is high in quality. As you aren’t a marquee expert you’re not expected to know the ins and outs of the materials used, but you do need to take note of the basics. Check the following with the hire company:
- Has the marquee been made to meet British and European safety standards
- Is the structure designed to stay safe in bad weather
- How old is the structure and how old are the walls and lining
- Does the structure meet European fire safety standards
The best hire companies will be open and honest with you about their marquees because they will be proud of what they have to offer you.
Reputable marquee hire companies like Umbravilia, also have a wide selection of luxury linings for you to choose from so you can personalise your marquee interior to make it look extra special.
- Speak to the company about the details
Marquees come in many different shapes and sizes and the wrong sized marquee can create a bad atmosphere at your event. Be honest with the company you’re approaching about your needs. Explain how many guests you expect to come and what items you hope to place in the marquee itself. This should help them recommend the right size of marquee to you.
- Is your venue compatible?
You may or may not know that not all external venues are compatible. So while you might hire a field and expect to be able to erect a tent in it, there may be restrictions that mean your venue simply isn’t compatible. The ground needs to be quite level and without slopes, and there needs to be no underground and overground obstructions. If you’re hiring a venue that caters for weddings they will more than likely already know if their venue is suitable for marquee, however, if you’re using a new space or a residential space not usually used for weddings you should consult a marquee company for advice.
- Get an accurate quote
When you get a quote the marquee company may include extras that you don’t need such as chair hire. Speak to them about what you already have (and therefore don’t need them to provide) to ensure you get an accurate quote. Ideally you can get 2 or 3 quotes from them which indicate basic hire, hire with extras and hire with all the extras they offer. That way you can compare those prices with sourcing the items and extras yourself.
- Consider your neighbours
Are you having the marquee set up on your property or a friend or family members property? If you are you must consult the neighbours to make sure they don’t mind a bit of noise (potentially well into the night) on the big day. The best case scenario is you can invite them along to join in the celebrations.
- Check you are covered for accidents
The marquee should come with insurance and liability cover. Check this is definitely included before you make a booking.
Remember, the best companies will be more than happy to give you plenty of information and answer any questions you have without hesitation.