Wedding tents are perfect solutions for an outdoor-indoor wedding. They pose new freedom when designing a reception. You can customize your layout! You can place the dance floor where you want it! Think of the weddings from Father of The Bride and My Best Friend’s Wedding, which all featured tents for the reception. Why raise the roof at any indoor venue when you can dance under a tent canopy?
Wedding tents create ambiance. Open-sided tents will make your guests feel as if they’re celebrating al-fresco, while walled tents feel more intimate. The world of wedding tents is wide and vast, but we can simplify it. There are two main types: pole and frame tents.
Pole Tents
Pole tents are held together by, you guessed it, poles. The poles are driven into the ground, so they need to be placed on grass. (Make sure to ask your site’s vendors about the location’s sprinkler system. You don’t want rain OR sprinklers to interfere with your wedding!) Underneath the canopy, there will be at least one pole inside the tent. For some couples, this might be an inconvenience. For others, it is an opportunity to decorate! There are plenty of ways to adorn them and decorate around.
For real wedding tent connoisseurs, Sperry Tents are considered to be the premier wedding tent brand. Sperry Tents are made using sailcloth fabric, which is more durable and “breathable” than vinyl. (Most tents are made of vinyl fabric.) Continuing its nautical theme, Sperry Tent poles are made from boat mast wood. Sperry Tents are also waterproof and wind-resistant.
Frame Tents
Frame tents can be built on any surface (asphalt, concrete, grass, etc.) Since their structure is held by frames, there is no pole in the center to coordinate seating around. Frame tents provide more space within the tent. Unless you want the frame tent exterior to be visible, you will likely want to purchase lining for the inside of your tent. Some couples opt for clear-clothed frame tents, which is very chic but not ideal in warm weather destinations!
Tent Tips and Tricks
Check out local wedding tent rentals. (Wedding tents are called “marquees” in the UK.) Depending on your venue, the vendors may have tent recommendations for you. Make sure that whoever you choose will set up the tent for you. (The last thing you want your wedding day is to suddenly have to erect a frame tent!) Also, take into account that some wedding tents can take several days to put together.
After choosing your tent, you still have to decide on the flooring, lighting, and heating or cooling. Suddenly, you’ll ask yourself questions like “How much dance floor will guests need?” and “How cold will it be at night?” A surefire way to ruin a reception is to have a poorly ventilated tent. Also, remember to keep the weather forecast nearby. If showers occur, remember that rain on your wedding day is good luck!
