Tent Weddings 101
Photograph Courtesy of Amanda Theresa Photography
Tent weddings are our bread and butter! OOOOHH tent weddings with bread and butter, even better! It is important to understand what we mean when we say tent wedding because there can be some confusion. We do not mean a pop up tent in the backyard with some picnic tables (we can make that work, too). These tents are large and are basically built as your own temporary venue. With that being said, there are many things to consider when choosing this to be your venue.
You are building a venue from scratch. There are a lot of logistics involved, but when your dreams come to life all of it is worth it!
We also recommend meeting with the tent company to discuss details. This includes all of the items you want to fit under the tent, layout, and the guest count. They need this information to determine which size tent you need and dance floor size. And we beg, please pay for set up and knock down of tables and chairs. Worth every penny for you not have to wrangle up a group of people to do this and its one less thing to worry about.
Accounting for the proper number of tables and chairs is something that is not fun, but is fundamental to a successful tent wedding.
What vendors need tables?
Will you have a guest book?
Dessert table?
Head tables?
Sweetheart table?
These decisions need to be made when you are booking your tent. In relation to tables, accounting for a vendor table is important as well. We suggest that you order separate chairs for the ceremony and reception so your guests do not have to move. This creates a better guest experience. You do not need to have the same amount of chairs for the ceremony as you do the reception. You can have fewer chairs for the ceremony and reserve them for those who need them.
Photograph Courtesy of Clover and Slate Photography
A pretty important item to bring in is bathrooms. Trust us, you do not want all your guests walking into your house to use the bathroom. Imagine the line! Having mobile bathrooms brought in is a must! There are some really nice ones we’ve seen. Couples have even put together little baskets with mints, hair ties, tissues and other items for guests which were really cute.
You need to discuss with the DJ or band how much power they will need to do their job. You may need generators to provide power to them. Speaking of power, make sure you know where you are plugging in the tent lights and anything else that needs power ahead of time. If you are using heaters or fans, those need power as well. Large equipment like this may need to be on separate circuits and it is critical you understand how much power each generator produces.
In relation to lighting, will you need lighting along paths for guests? How will you light the way to the bathrooms or to the entrance and exit of your property? You can use tiki torches, landscape path lights, lanterns, or a number of other options.
Talk with your caterer as to what they provide as far as equipment and what you need to provide. This includes items such as buffet tables, linens, flatware and dishes. We also recommend discussing who will clear away garbage after dinner. Will guests be expected to throw it away or will there be servers?
We need to talk about trash. You would be surprised how much trash a wedding produces. Empty cups, disposable flatware, plates, napkins, and who knows what else will fill your toter in half an hour. It is important that you rent cans from a trash service or purchase disposable trash cans for your event. Picture it, one 32 gallon trash can for 200 people… for the entire wedding. We were up to our ears in garbage (true story).
Oh, and do not forget about cocktail hour! You need tables for this. You need food, plates, napkins, displays and maybe some games or entertainment. Who will be responsible for setting all of this out while the ceremony taking place? Guests will need to move from the ceremony site to the cocktail hour. How far of a walk is this? Also, survey the distance to the tent from these locations. You may consider providing golf carts for parents and grandparents.
Here is where we stress the importance of a planner. The logistics can be overwhelming and stressful. Additionally, you have to set up everything. Like every single thing. (Oh, hey! It’s us! This is what we love and do!) It can take days to set up everything for your dream tent wedding. Each and every table cloth, napkin, and piece of decor has to be put in place by you. Then on the day, someone needs to make sure that all the vendors are instructed where to go and that the day is going according to the timeline. (need to add about making the timeline and tent layout/seating chart). We manage cocktail hour. This can not be done by your parents, they are most likely needed for photos or to mingle with guests.
