There are many things that affect the price of hiring a marquee in the UK. No event is the same, everyone’s vision is different and all of this can affect the price. Of course there are is a basic price for the tent, but then what you choose to add or change can affect that basic price.
Planning an event and wondering “okay but… how much is this actually going to cost me?” – you’re in the right place.
Short answer – most marquee hire costs land somewhere between £2,500 and £15,000+ depending on guest numbers, location, and how fancy you want to go with all the fun bits (bars, lighting, dancefloors… the works).
Longer answer? Keep reading…because many things mean the prices are always unique to each event.
Or if you’re more of a just-tell-me-now kind of person, go to our Prices page for a better guide, or use the Instant Price calculator to work out a bespoke price based on the event you have in mind, in about 30 seconds.
Stretch Tent
photo: Emily Tyler
Sailcloth Tent
photo: Tom Haliday
Tipis
photo: Ed & Annie
So… what affects Sailcloth, Stretch tent or tipi hire costs?
Every marquee event is totally unique, and it firstly depends what style of marquee you are going for.
So, which one should you go for?
Well, that comes down to the vibe you want:
- Sailcloth – romantic, elegant, oozes romance and wow factor
- Tipi – relaxed, festival-style, a bit different
- Stretch – sculptural, stylish, slightly more laid-back
Two Tipi’s and a Kung set-up by the water, lit with fairy lights for a laid-back luxury festival vibe.
If you are not sure which style you like, head to our YouTube and you can:
- See our walkaround videos to get a feel of the marquees
- Listen to us talk about the marquees in detail
What actually affects the price?
- Guest numbers (big one) – it depends how many are formally seated (as this dictates the size of the marquee and also the number of tables and chairs you need. Also the style of tables affects the prices. We have rectangle rustic tables and round tables. They seat different numbers of guests.
- Layout – of course if you want a huge area for dancing and key features like a huge round bar, as well as a formal dining area this will inflate the prices. If it’s a simple layout of just flooring and no additional furniture is a simpler pricing structure.
- Location and access – there’s always a delivery charge and if you are close to our headquarters this is more cost effective, but if the journey to you requires lots of vehicles, lots of staff, congestion zones in London or motorway tolls it can affect the delivery charges. Access may also affect prices as if we need to hire different vehicles to the ones we own, or use more people because they are carrying over large areas then the prices will fluctuate.
- Ground conditions (sometimes we need to check what’s underneath) – we may have to hire special equipment to monitor underground services or you may need to employ specialist to ‘find’ them, as we certainly don’t want to be piercing underground pipes with the metre-long stakes we need to hammer into the ground to secure the structures.
- Flooring, lighting, furniture (aka the fun stuff) – whilst our maquees come with matting and interior fairy lights as standard, other things like dancefloors, additional festoon lighting and any furniture changes the price.
- Extras like catering tents, heating, generators – we supply all these important extras that are essential for some events and of course that’s something that also affects the price.
Want a clear idea of your price, nice and quickly? We built our Instant Price Calculator for exactly this reason!
It will suggest the best structure for your event, show pricing based on your guest numbers, let you play around with extras and gives you a clear total instantly – the works!
Wedding tables set, dance floor ready – layered with wood, candles, greenery and soft purples for a beautifully styled space.
Quick FAQs (because we know you’re thinking it)
Cost per person?
Usually around £50 – £150+ per guest, depending on furniture and extras
What’s cheapest?
Depends on your setup – but stretch tents can be more cost-effective if you keep things simple.
Do I need flooring?
Our marquees come with matting – it’s more durable than coconut matting (and yes, high heels are safe)
What’s included?
Structure, setup, takedown, lighting, matting – then you can layer in bars, furniture, chill-out areas, stages… all the good stuff.
How fast can I get a price?
About 30 seconds with the Instant Price facility on our website (button is top right hand corner on each page) or browse standard pricing on our PRICING page.
And if you want a bit of guidance along the way, our team are always here (during office hours) to chat it through to help you create something seriously cool, check for availability, and get the quote right for you.
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