Wedding

How Much it Cost to Hire a Marquee

Cost of Hiring a Marquee

When planning any number of outdoor occasions, protection from the elements, be it the heat of the summer sun or from rain or cold, is an important consideration.  Often times the money spent on a marquee could and should be money well spent.  Just how much money does it cost?  What additional considerations must be made that might increase the initial cost?

Sizing

The first and most important factor will be the size of the marquee.  What size area are you covering?  How large is the total area in which you will be receiving guests?  How many guests will you be receiving?  Marquees come in sizes as small as 14’x20’ and range all the way up to 50’x140’, not including the combination of multiple marquees to cover even more space.  Price ranges for marquees in these sizes, unlined, are from $493.98 up to $4646.74.  (For the sake of simplicity, all rentals are based on a two-day rental.)

Lined or unlined

Marquee lining, in most cases, involves covering the basic plastic interior of the marquee with pleating and cloth walls and ceilings.  Lining is considered pretty standard for weddings and similarly formal outdoor parties.  The cost of lining, which adds an element of elegance and customization, adds about 20% across the board.

Flooring

While there are several options in flooring, anything that must be installed will add quite a bit to the price.  Coconut matting, a type of outdoor carpeting of sorts, will add about 30% to the unlined price.  Though this will be fine for most types of events, if flooring is needed at all, certain more formal events may require a finer type of flooring.  Indoor carpet will add $.42 per square foot to the price of the coconut matting while hardwood floors, the most expensive flooring option available, will add $.59 per square foot to that same price.

Lighting

The final basic decision in marquee rentals is whether or not lighting will be needed.  Across the board, lighting will add roughly 30% to the cost of marquee rentals.  In fact, basic coconut matting and interior lighting will add the exact same price to rentals in most cases.

Furniture

Depending on the nature of your event, chairs and tables can also be rented for seating as many people as needed.  A safe number to assume for the cost of these rentals is around $10 per table (seats 8-10) and $2 per chair for basic folding chairs.

Dance Floors

What party is complete without somewhere to dance?  Dance floors rent for roughly $1.50 per square foot and typically range in size from a 12’x12’ dance floor all the way up to 24’x30’.

More options

Other considerations for party customization include buffet tables and equipment, linens for the tables and/or chairs rented, heating or cooling, audio/video equipment, outdoor toilets etc.  It goes without saying that the considerations are many and the possible combinations endless.  If you know ahead of time the size and needs of your party, though, the above information should serve as a pretty good starting point in figuring out the particular costs for your next outdoor shindig.