Wedding Marquee Help

I'd DEF go for the starlight it looks so pretty!

My friend had it at hers, with a white curtain hiding it for the wedding breakfast then when the evening do started they whipped open the curtain and the dance floor was ready.

Vintage thats what I am thinking. Have it hidden then open it up for the evening.

This depends on good weather of course, as if it is raining then we may have to have our reception drinks in that area as the rest of the marquee is full of tables / chairs and we won't be able to be outside.

I've just remembered our DJ is booked to play background music for the wedding breakfast, poor bloke will be stuck behind a curtain all day?! :-S

I had a marquee last May, sunniest hottest day of the year (super lucky) and I had starlight over the dance floor.... I was so pleased I did, light nights mean it is dark enough to dance, plus it just looks fab! ha

Did you mean to say light nights mean it is NOT dark enough to dance?

This is what I think, with a marquee you seem to get a lot more natural daylight then a room in an actual building for a venue...

OH probably won't think its necessary but I just find the idea of potentially dancing in the day-light a bit odd!

Yes that is what I meant.... If you are having white lining too then it is going to be super bright even if it is a dull day (fingers crossed it wont be), try and get the marquee company to knock a bit money off the star light, it is amazing how much you can get them to sway the cost/price of things.

Also a tip if you do have the star light just do the gable end of the marquee and the ceiling, it wont make it to dark/overpowering during the day so you can use all the space.

We did for our home party and it was something that I really wanted. Our marquee wasn't really a marquee, it was just lining in a massive barn, so there were no windows, which made it dark anyway, but it really gave a separation between the dancing/party area and the sitting/eating/drinking/chilling area. There were controls on the lights so they could flash in different ways.

Thanks.

When you say gable what do you mean?

They have quoted for 2 panels above the dance floor, gable and lining around dance floor.

I didn't know what they meant by gable though!

The Gable is basically the end.... to keep cost down, just do the gable end in black lining, and put the dj in front of it and then the ceiling as star lighting, if I was you I wouldnt worry to much about the area around the marquee, as you can see from mine, we didnt do the sides of the marquee. While the marquee was going up they did put the black lining on the sides by mistake and it just looked a bit to much, but that is just my opinion.

Thanks Far2Calm, thats an idea, I do agree with you. I think we might think it is a bit too much to have it everywhere around that area.

I'll need to speak to the marquee people though as if we are not using the space then it might be an option but hidden, especially if its not going to bring the costs down by much.

Can I ask, where were your toilets?!

I know thats random but our other marquee problem is that we haven't got any portable loo's, so people have to use the country pub that the marquee is beside.

Its not far, but you do obviously have to go outside and walk down for 2-3 minutes to get into the pub.

It will cost £500 + VAT for portable toilets and I'm just wondering if its worth it (they would still be outside anyway!).

I was in the middle of a field, on our farm, so we had portable ones, they were super swanky thou, not sure if you can see from the pic, they went off from the right hand corner into like a powder room which attached the to the toilets, so basically behind the dance floor.

So they didn't have to go outside to get to them?

Thats an idea.

All marquee weddings I've been to you have had to go outside to get to the portable toilets.

Yes the lights look nice but remember that you will have dj lights that will to some extent water down the starlights. You said it is a 2-3 min walk to the pub for loos, ---in the dark--in the rain--mud ?? and is that each way. If so then you would be better spending the money on some loos perhaps

Exactly... I have been to a number of marquee weddings where the toilets werent attached and there is nothing worse then having to run outside if its wet to the toilets.

Bill,

No mud, its just a car park they need to walk down to get into the pub. Its literally 2 minutes outside to get in and then back, less even.

Its not joining but its not exactly far either.

I'm not doing the starlight to look pretty, I'm doing it because it makes the area darker. Disco lights won't do that.

Far2Calm, will have to speak to the marquee company about adjoining the toilets. Bet it costs a bit as they will have to extend our marquee for it :-(

I have asked for a quote for the toilets to adjoin the marquee. I said I want them to be able to access without going outside, but at the same time I would like them hidden so they are not a focal point? They should know what I mean by this shouldn't they, maybe its just a case of lining off another section of the marquee (slightly extending it to do so?)

Depending on the structure of the marquee, you can get like a little "corridor" type thing leading to the toilets.

Knees thats the sort of thing I think we would want.

Hopefully it doesn't cost too much.......... !!

Just thought. How do they get the toilets into a space, is it driving up and literally pulling it off a can or similar? Our marquee is in a field but the access into it is a cut hedge so you wouldn't be able to get a toilet cubical through! The only way would be by lifting it over the hedge.

When you get your quotes from the portaloo company you should tell them if there are any access or sturdy ground problems. They will probably want to drive up to the place they are putting the loos. We aren't using them as we have 60 guests and the toilet in the house will be sufficient. Family will use the one upstairs so that is really 2 between 60 people. How many toilets do you need? I got quotes for two and that was £300-£400.

We are having a marquee in August and although it won't be dark at 8.30, when the dancing is due to start, it will be dusky which should be good enough. The disco lights will give the impression of darkness at the edges of the dancefloor too.

Our toilets where delievered by 4x4 vehicle, which pulled the trailer/unit along, surely there is enough access for this!?!

These are what we had, but our marquee company sorted it all out, had the Classic 3+1

http://www.classicchambers.co.uk/C-Chambers-Product-Spec-2012.pdf

No, definitely won't be room for any vehicle. They can park in the car park which is pretty much on top of the little field the marquee is going in, but they won't be able to squeeze those toilets through the gap in the hedge! x

How are they going to put the marquee up then?

They can reverse right up to the space in the hedge that gives you entry into the little field and its literally being set-up on the doorstep of that gap. You can get poles etc in there, they build the marquee from scratch don't they, portable loo's are already built thats what the problem is x

Yeah the marquee comes on the back of a lorry all in bits, it is nice to watch it go up ?

I won't be able to Only able to get 2 days off before the wedding, will be able to be there for 'finishing touches' but thats it. Wah.

Hi

I would go for the starlit ceiling, particularly if you're marrying in spring or summer where it will go darker later. Otherwise it's difficult to create any atmosphere with DJ lighting as the marquee will be so bright - it will also encourage your guests up to dance much more.

James