Whether you’re hiring a marquee for your wedding celebrations or for a special party, you’ll want to create a festive atmosphere that befits the occasion. One of the ways to add ambience and glitz to your marquee is with the use of proper lighting.

From fairy lights and chandeliers to functional lighting, try these marquee lighting ideas to add a shine to any occasion and make your marquee gleam.

Chandelier

LET A CHANDELIER GRAB CENTRE STAGE:

A crystal chandelier will give any marquee a touch of glamour. They’re perfect for celebrations with a traditional and elegant theme, and are an ideal stylish addition to a clear roof marquee.

Circular Framed Lighting

CREATE A FOCAL POINT WITH CIRCULAR FRAMED LIGHTING:

It’s easy to add a fabulous focal point to your marquee with a chandelier, however for something a little different, why not try constructing a circular frame from willow or driftwood that can then be interwoven with fairy lights, decorations and greenery.

For added impact, hang several of these frames at different heights to create easy but effective lighting.

Fairy Lights

ADD SPARKLE AND LEARN HOW TO DECORATE WITH FAIRY LIGHTS:

There’s nothing that says ‘celebration’ more than fairy lights. String them in trees; add them to garlands; integrate them into decorations or simply hang them around the marquee walls.

Warm white bulbs are the most popular colour choice as they give a warm, traditional glow, while white or clear cables will help your lighting blend into the sides of the marquee. Alternatively, choose fairy lights in a colour to match your colour scheme for added impact.

Festoon Lighting

ADD A COUNTRY FEEL WITH FESTOON LIGHTING:

Stringing traditional large bulb lights in the roof space and adding a dimmer switch is a great way to create functional and pretty lighting for a country-themed marquee.

Whether you choose soft white lights or a string of multi-coloured lights, it’s a simple solution for a more casual occasion that can be used both indoors and out.

Battery Operated Candles

DITCH THE REAL CANDLES IN FAVOUR OF BATTERY-OPERATED VERSIONS:

While you may love the romantic atmosphere created by flickering candles, in reality, they’re not such a good idea in a marquee. If you really want to create the look of candlelight, try using battery-operated candles on your tables.

They’ll add the required dreamy ambience and help your guests to see what they’re eating. Plus, you can always let your guests take them away as gifts once the party is over.

Functional Lighting

DON’T FORGET THE FUNCTIONAL LIGHTING:

All marquees need some element of functional lighting so that guests aren’t left sitting or wandering around in the dark. For this type of lighting pendant lights and uplighters can be installed. These lights can be controlled by dimmer switches to add ambience to the proceedings, but don’t forget that you’ll also need to light up any catering tents, car parks and toilets so that your guests and caterers can move around safely.

There’s no doubt that the correct lighting can add a special glow to the occasion, but don’t go overboard and light up your marquee like the Empire State Building! There are also other ways to decorate your marquee such as seating and the use of bunting.

To create a romantic atmosphere subtle touches are best and, if in doubt, put your main lights on dimmer switches and add some of the decorative lighting features we’ve mentioned above. Happy decorating!

A christening is a special day of celebration. It’s a day where family comes together to show their love and support for the little one being christened and his/her family. More and more people are choosing to hire a marquee for christening celebrations rather than hitting their local pub/hotel for the day, as the benefits to doing so are many.

If you’ve joined the masses and decided that a marquee is a much better option for your little one’s big day, the following are some design tips to help you create the perfect space and atmosphere.

Design Tips for Christening Marquee

DECIDE ON WHICH TYPE OF MARQUEE YOU NEED

Marquees come in all different shapes and sizes including corporate marquees and wedding marquees. It is, therefore, important to explore all of your options before making a decision on which type to go for.

Ask yourself the following questions: Will there be many people attending? Are you planning on serving food/drink to your guests? Do you need space for the kids to run around? Will you be setting the marquee in a location where guests won’t have access to toilets? Are you planning to have a musician play on the day?

Once you’ve answered all of these, you’ll have a much better idea of which type and size of marquee you’ll need and then you can get to work on decorating.

LIGHTING

Take the time that you plan to start the celebrations at into account when choosing lighting. Depending on the time and duration of the party, think about whether the lighting will be mostly for ambience or will it need to be functional too.

Mason jars and vases that contain pink/blue/white candles can make elegant, decorative and functional table centrepieces. If wind will be an issue, look into getting battery operated candles instead. Fairy lights are an excellent choice of decorative lighting for christenings and they can be coordinated with the colour scheme that you’ve chosen.

SEATING

When it comes to seating, you first have to decide if you’re going to have a seating plan in place for your guests. If you think having a seating plan is a good idea, you can add a touch of flair to your plan by customising it with your child’s name and adding a splash of blue or pink using ribbons, beading and/or glitter. Place the seating plan on a table at the entrance to the marquee and decorate it with a colour appropriate tablecloth, flowers and a framed picture of the main little lady/man of the day.

You can also spruce up the look of your chairs with coloured sashes, chair covers or by tying a pink/blue balloon to the back of each chair.

FLOWERS

Flowers will be an essential element of your design plans. They make beautiful centrepieces for tables, and having a floral arrangement to greet guests as they enter the marquee is always a good idea.

The following flowers are often associated with christenings as they perfectly encompass what the day is all about;

• Carnations
• Casablanca Lilies
• Calla Lilies
• Dahlia
• Tulips
• Daisies
• Easter Lilies
• Gladiolus
• Lily of the Valley
• Magnolia
• Roses
• Sweet Peas
• White Aster
• White Caladium
• White Poinsettia
• Zinnia

The best thing about hiring a marquee for a christening is that you’ll literally have a blank canvas to work with so don’t hold back when it comes to your design ideas. You can be as imaginative as you like when it comes to decorating and creating the perfect space and atmosphere to celebrate your little one’s big day with family and friends.

Your wedding day is YOUR day so you should be able to celebrate it anywhere you want. And by that, we mean absolutely anywhere! Traditional wedding venues don’t allow for much flexibility when it comes to location but with a marquee wedding, you’re in full control.

Ultimate flexibility

The best thing about a wedding marquee is that it allows you to host your wedding party almost anywhere. A marquee wedding can be hosted on top of a mountain, in a forest clearing, at the edge of the ocean, or in your own back yard.

A marquee wedding is also an extendable one. So whereas a traditional venue is limited to the number of people you can cram into the space, with a marquee wedding, if you want more coverage, you can just hire more marquees.

You can order and arrange them in any shape and size so whatever ideas you have, it’s possible to create the perfect wedding scenario.

Improved safety

Ireland isn’t exactly trustworthy when it comes to the weather but a marquee takes care of that as it provides protection from the elements without being restrictive.

Also, when you have 3,000 people cooped up inside a church hall and some kind of disaster breaks out, what you get is a stampede for the exits as people try to get outside.

With a marquee, even though you have shelter, everyone is already outside. This definitely makes a marquee wedding a safer option compared to alternatives.

More convenience

Parties are always great. What’s not so great is cleaning up after them. In traditional wedding venues, this will normally involve either a lot of work or a lot of expense (and sometimes both).

Cleaning up after a marquee wedding is so much simpler, and it’s definitely much less costly. Most of the time all you’ll need to do is pick up a bit of rubbish and gather some black bags to collect it.

And let’s not forget about that expensive deposit you’ll usually have to fork out for the use of a traditional venue on top of the hiring fee. Although this is refundable, it’s taking away some money that might otherwise have been available to make your wedding even more memorable.

Easier to manage

Organising a wedding is quite a big task. People begin planning weeks in advance. That’s why so many people hire professional wedding planners to take care of things for them. Because an outdoor location provides such great flexibility, that also makes managing the wedding much simpler too.

Everything from accepting deliveries to rigging cameras for the wedding video is made so much easier when you don’t have walls to restrict you. The key to success is to have everything set up as much in advance of the big event as you possibly can.

Your wedding, your way

If it’s possible for Burger King to let you have things your own way, it should be possible to have your wedding your own way too. A marquee gives you the most choice and versatility.

Unlike in bygone eras, the modern marquee is very stylish and elegant, honed to perfection by user feedback collected over centuries of time. So you’ll see a sturdy construction that is safe but convenient, and as long as you’re sensible in your selection, it will look fantastic too.

It’s your wedding, you should have it your way, and a marquee provides the freedom to do just that.

Events are expensive, and if you have one coming up, then chances are that you are trying to keep the costs as low as possible.

Whether you are having a corporate event, a wedding, a big birthday or simply a large get together – you will have to think of costs such as venue hire, food, caterers, seating hire, decorations, photographers, sound equipment and a whole heap of other aspects that will drive up the cost of your event.

So, it’s imperative to look at every avenue where you can shave off costs without having to compromise on the quality of the event. You can’t hire cheap sound equipment, serve cheap food, or have a cheap, low-quality photographer – so what other options are there?

Why Should You Hire A Marquee?

Well, one of the biggest expenses when it comes to hosting an event is the venue itself. The establishments tend to know that they are in high demand and certainly charge like it. That’s where hiring a marquee comes in.

Marquees are cost effective, flexible and weather proof, which makes them an excellent choice for any event.

Here are just some of the ways that hiring a marque for your event can save you money, without losing any of the quality…

How A Marquee Will Save You Money

NO NEED TO HIRE A VENUE

As stated above, venues can be exorbitantly pricey and many of them come with quite strict rules and regulations. By hiring a marquee you can use any venue that you wish without having to fork out a huge amount of cash.

Weddings and birthday parties in particular will benefit hugely from the cost effectiveness of having a marquee. They can be pitched in back gardens, parks, beaches (with permission) and other places that are either free or a fraction of the cost of an actual venue.

WEATHER PREPARATION

The weather is pretty unpredictable at the best of times, and if meteorologists struggle to determine what it’s going to do with all their fancy equipment, we can hardly expect to hit the nail on the head.

A marquee eliminates the cost of having to have a plan B should the weather decide to take a turn for the worse if you want to host an event outdoors. The cost of finding a venue that has an outdoor option and an indoor option is often incredibly inflated and having a marquee means that for a wedding you can have the ceremony outdoors and the reception indoors; or lift the sides up for a sunny, warm event and close them down in the case of bad weather.

VENDOR OPTIONS

Many event venues come with the necessary fixtures such as chairs and tables at an extra cost, or they have their preferred list of vendors that they recommend you to work through. Having your own marquee means that you have the choice of any vendors that you would like. You can look for the most economical options, give your friends business or supply your own items at little to no cost.

As you can see there are a number of ways that hiring a marquee for your event can save you some money, and these are just some of them.

If you’re looking for a cost effective way to hold an event, then a marquee is the way to go for economical reasons and many more.

Let’ be honest, corporate events are never the top of our social calendars. The fact that so many people miss the mark in creating awesome corporate events just furthers the unwillingness of many participants.

At the end of the day however, corporate events are important for your company – whether it’s for clients and potential partners to see what you do or who you are; or if it’s for your current employees to say thank you and to help them enjoy a social corporate culture.

Thus it’s imperative that you don’t create a boring corporate event that reflects badly on you, and that people simply don’t want to attend. Try thinking out of the box and finding an awesome venue that isn’t the office. Instead try doing something exciting like hiring a corporate marquee.

Not only will this save you money, it also gives you a little more freedom and a whole lot more flexibility when it comes to size, location, choosing entertainment and decor.

If you are having your corporate event in summer then it’s even better to hire a marquee, as this gives your guests more freedom to interact and enjoy the outdoors.

Here are some ideas and inspiration for your marquee corporate event:

Choose a theme

Corporate events are often thought of as pretty tedious, and you don’t want your guests to expect a boring affair before they even arrive. Select a theme well before the date of the event and send it out for guests to prepare for.

This will show them that the event is going to be more fun than they expected it to be. Choose a theme that relates to your company, or something completely different – it doesn’t matter as long as it’s fun and your guests will enjoy it.

Games and competitions

Everyone loves to win free stuff, and it adds a great atmosphere and incentive for people to attend. If the event is for clients and partners then raffles and other competitions are not just great for your brand, but fun for attendees too. If it’s a function for your staff then games or something like a pub quiz are bound to go down a treat.

A photo booth is always good fun

Everyone loves a photo booth. By hiring one you are giving people the opportunity to make wonderful memories, while also having fun. All attendees will get a photo with your company’s logo on it, which is great brand awareness and it gives staff an opportunity to get to know each other a little better.

Use the outdoors

We spend the majority of our days stuck inside an office and if you have a corporate event in the summer, you need to ensure that you use the outdoor space as much as you can. Guests can enjoy the surroundings and get some much-needed fresh air.

Entertainment is key

Make sure you hire entertainment that everyone will enjoy and that gives your event an added edge. It’s a great idea to stick to the theme with entertainment and if, for example, you have a country theme, then getting in a country band is bound to get everyone line dancing and boot-flicking across the dance floor.

Weddings, birthday parties, hen and stag parties, garden soirees, BBQs, corporate events – no matter what event you are organising, the most preferred venue of choice is fast becoming one of the most simple and flexible options – a marquee.

If you have never hired a marquee for an event before, you will need to get familiar with the various elements you can customise for your event.

Of course, you can always hire a marquee with standard set-up for your event, which can prove hassle free and a quick and easy solution. However, if you are keen to put your own stamp on your marquee venue, there are lots of elements to customise and add-ons to consider.

Once you have got your flooring, wall covers, seating, toilet arrangement, music etc. nailed down there is still one very important feature to consider – the dance floor!

No event is complete without a designated place for people to shake their stuff after all. When hiring a dance floor for your marquee, there are some very important considerations to keep in mind:

Who Many Guest Are Attending?

Size is everything! Nothing spells disaster than an over-crowded dancefloor. It can put a real dampener on the night for many guests if there is no room for them to get up and dance – not to mention present a health and safety hazard! On the other hand, renting a dance floor that is far too big for the number of guests attending can leave your event looking a little lame if the dance floor is half empty all night.

Marquee dance floor can be rented to accommodate as little as 8 or as much as 150+ guests. It is critical that you have a solid idea of the number of guests you expect to attend and inform your marquee hire company of this number so they can suggest a dance floor size to suit.

What Is Your Colour Scheme & Theme?

Your dance floor should be clearly identifiable and differ from the colour or materials of the rest of the flooring in your marquee.

Dance floors are typically available to hire in black and white tile style, wooden look plaslok or parquet or a plain white or black glossy finish, each outlined with aluminium edging so as to separate from the rest of the flooring.

Consider how the colour and style of the dancefloor will complement your overall colour scheme and theme or it won’t just be identifiable, it will stick out like a sore thumb!

Focal Point or Not?

If you want to put a real focus on getting and keeping people on the dance floor on the night, consider making the dance floor a focal point of the room.

Hiring an LED dance floor constructed with solid blocks of white or multi-coloured LED lighting is one sure way to let everyone exactly where the dance floor is and make a statement as to your expectation that they get up and bust some moves.

It may seem like a standard element of your marquee hire but your dance floor has such a key role to play in your event that it deserves such considered thought. You won’t regret it when everyone is up and getting their groove on!

A First Communion is an important time in the life of any young Catholic, and it’s important to plan a communion party that they can look back on to remember it as the happy memory that it should be.

The first communion party is different to other parties children are likely to participate in within our culture, because it is a festivity with a more religious significance and theme than typical parties.

Preparing for it can be a little more work than for the average party, but getting it right will pay off considerably in terms of ensuring a memorable and happy occasion for your child’s first communion. The following tips will help you achieve this aim:

• Plan well in advance

Neglecting to plan the party is a sure way to invite a substandard result. If you plan everything meticulously, you can avert many disasters including the dreaded budget over-run and not being able to find necessary supplies or services in time.

One of the most important things you’ll need to arrange in advance is the marquee hire. Remember, many people will be hosting communion parties around the same time, so if you wait until closer to the party to arrange it, you may miss out.

The same applies for formal communion clothing. Many suppliers may run out of items quickly, and if you don’t order early, you could be left disappointed.

Ideally, it is best to start planning at least eight weeks in advance. Invitations should be sent at least six weeks in advance, and should be RSVP so that you’ll know the head count and can plan accordingly.

Bear in mind too, that some people will receive multiple invitations and they can only be in one place at a time. If your invitation is received first, it’s more likely to be the one the invitee accepts.

• Ensure you have a sufficient marquee

In our climate, a marquee is essential, no matter what the official season happens to be. You need to choose something large enough for adequately hosting your party and, in the case of a big party, you may even need multiple marquees.

It is not only the size that matters, but also the construction of it. You want to choose something sturdy and well made so it will provide adequate shade and shelter.

• Choose your catering sensibly

Catering can be a difficult thing to get right. You want to try to provide a good spread that has plenty of options, because food allergies and food intolerances are such a big deal these days.

You may think this is something that you’re not going to worry about, but this is a children’s party on a very special day, and you don’t want the highlight everyone remembers to be someone complaining about the lack of vegan or gluten-free foods.

Finally, it’s important to remember that a first communion is a joyful occasion and an intimate celebration of Jesus Christ. However, it’s also a time of celebration, where children and families should feel free to express their joy.

With the festive season just around the corner, the whole country is slowly turning their attention from work and responsibilities to Christmas shopping and partying.

If you’ve decided to throw a last minute Christmas party of your own this year – whether it’s for family and friends or your employees and customers – we’re about to throw you a lifeline with this Christmas party checklist so your event will be a resounding success (for all the right reasons!).

Here are the most important must-do’s…

Set a budget

First things first, determine how much you can comfortably spend and budget for that amount, and nothing more. Christmas is generally an expensive time of year so don’t leave yourself short.

Decide on a date

Chances are that your guests already have something else planned for the big days over the holiday season so try and select a date that will suit most people.

Get a guest list together

Ask yourself how many people you want to attend? Is it ok for people to bring their kids or is it a strictly adult-only night out? Will you be asking people to bring their partners or leave them at home? These are all important questions that need to be answered.

Choose a venue

As hotels are normally booked up months in advance with weddings and Christmas balls at this time of year, party marqueesare becoming one of the most popular Christmas party venues in Ireland.

And because they’re weather-proof, affordable, completely customisable, cosy, comfortable, classy and totally flexible in terms of how many people they can hold, what’s not to love?

Organise the food

If you’re having the get-together in your back yard with a small group of people, you might choose to look after the food yourself, which will mean you’ll have to source the ingredients, set the menu and get busy in the kitchen.

If, on the other hand, your guest list is much longer, getting an outside caterer is most likely a better option. Either way, since it is the Christmas season, be sure to include some festive favourites in your menu.

Décor

Do you have special decorations that you’d like to hang? Or is there a specific theme that you’d like to create with your choice of fixtures and fittings? If so, choosing to have your party in somewhere that allows you to add your own personal touch is the best solution.

The entertainment factor

As it’s the season to be jolly, entertainment is essential. Whether it’s in the form of a live band, a choir, your favourite DJ, or something alternative like a hypnotist or magic show, make your bookings as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Oh, and it goes without saying that a visit from Santa is a must if there will be kids in attendance at your party.

Dress code

If dress code is important, you need to tell your guests whether you’d prefer them to come in formal, casual or in a Christmas-themed outfit. And, to make sure each of your guests is dressed appropriately, everyone must get the memo on dress code.

And there you have it; your go-to Christmas party planning checklist. Now that we’ve made the list for you, check it twice to be sure your event is a success!

Are you breaking away from the traditional mould and hosting your big day in a wedding marquee? If so, you won’t be disappointed as marquee weddings are classy and beautiful and they also provide a fabulous venue for celebrations.

As with all elements of your big day, however, success is all in the planning. Not to worry as we’ve put together the ultimate guide to everything you need to know and consider before booking a marquee for your wedding.

First up are the questions that you need to ask yourself…

How many guests will be attending?

Perhaps the most careful area of consideration you need to focus on is the size of the marquee you intend to hire. Don’t just go for the biggest or the cheapest, or choose a size at random.

Trust us, hiring a wedding marquee that is far too big or too small to cater for the exact number of wedding guests is an instant atmosphere killer. Speak to your marquee hire provider about the approximate number of guests you expect both for the sit-down meal and for evening celebrations.

They will then be able to advise (per square feet) the most appropriate size marquee.

Where would you like to hold the celebrations?

The hill over-looking the lake might seem like the ideal location for your wedding marquee but unfortunately it’s a no-go. Your wedding marquee must be installed on flat grass with easy access and, ideally, not too far from power sources.

You will need to find an area of the grounds of your private site or hire a site which matches these requirements.

Does the hire company provide toilet facilities?

Don’t make the critical mistake of not hiring toilet facilities, as this is not an area for cutting costs. No one will fancy making a trip indoors to the nearest building to use the toilet and it will lead to guests scattered everywhere except where you want them to be which is on the dance floor enjoying the celebrations.

Will the hire company be able to organise electricity?

Despite it being a key requirement, it’s quite easy to forget about electricity. It’s a given with most venues but when hiring a wedding marquee, you will need to check with your provider whether they will give and set-up a generator, whether this cost is included in your package or whether this is something you will need to organise separately.

A generator needs to be set-up by someone with electrical knowledge or expertise too so it’s not a job for a member of the bridal party.

What kind of decorations would you like?

One of the key attractions to hiring a wedding marquee is the ability to assert your own décor. Few venues offer the customisation opportunities as a marquee so get planning your decorations.

Consider lighting, colour schemes, wall covers, table covers, chair covers and flooring as you can put your own stamp on all of these elements.

Ok, now that we’ve got all of the questions that you should ask out of the way, let’s cover the types of marquees that are available for rent for your big day.

What types of marquees are available?

Solid Side Marquees – These structures are built to the highest standard and feature clear span structures, glass window panels, hard panels, and steel cassette floors. There’s a variety of different sizes available, making them an ideal solution for wedding parties of all sizes.

Soft Side Marquees – These are clear span aluminium modular structures that are also finished to an extremely high standard. Much to the delight of Irish brides, they can withstand variable weather conditions and they’re finished with wooden floors and white PVC.

Pagodas – This option is ideal for couples that are getting married in the open air and have a small guest list.

And that completes our ultimate wedding marquee guide!

We hope you’ve found some inspiration from our post and remember; marquees provide a unique and super stylish venue for your wedding celebration so cover the logistics outlined above and your venue will be one of the biggest highlights of your day.

There’s a lot to consider when you are hosting an event in a marquee, and one of the most essential factors to consider is keeping the temperature in your marquee at a comfortable level.

There’s nothing that will kill a party faster than a bunch of freezing guests or guests who are struggling to enjoy themselves in the sweltering heat. So putting the correct heating and cooling measures in place is a necessity.

Summers in Ireland aren’t excessively warm and the evenings can get quite chilly. If your event is planned for the summer months then it’s always a good idea to provide some warm blankets for your guests to drape over their legs when outside.

It’s during winter, however, that your real heating needs are going to come into play. Even if you have your marquee sides down, outdoor events are bound to get cold and so you need to ensure that you have some big heaters to put in place when it gets a little colder.

Do’s and Don’ts of Heating Your Marquee 

Do’s

• Hire a heater that has a powerful fan.
• Do a test run of the heating a few days before your event and do it the same time of day to ensure that it works and is sufficient for the amount of space that you’ve got to heat.
• If it’s a really cold time of year, make sure you have the heating on at least an hour before your guests arrive. Guests who walk into a cold marquee are unlikely to warm up by the time the celebrations get underway.
• Use several small heaters, if you can, as doing so will create a more consistent temperature throughout the marquee.
• Always have a heater pointed towards the entrance.

Don’ts

• Use a halogen heater, cabinet heater or any other kind of infra-red heater with no fan as they are unable to heat larger marquees.
• Have anything in close proximity or touching any of the heaters.

The Best Heaters for Your Marquee

Choosing the best heater for your marquee is the next step in the process, and these are the most popular options to choose from:

• Indirect heaters: Indirect heaters are undoubtedly the most popular heaters for marquee events. They allow the heating element to be stored outside the tent, and this means that your guests can enjoy their evening without the sound, smell, or fumes that often come from heating appliances.

  As they are running from outside, they draw in and circulate heaps of fresh, clean air for your guests so it will ensure that they are warm and awake.

• Fan heaters: Fan heaters are also simple and effective; they work by blowing air across a heating element. The air moves around the marquee, gradually heating up the entire space. They are also the most cost effective option when it comes to hiring prices.
• Radiant heaters: Radiant heaters provide direct heat to the area around them, and by having a few in your marquee; you can heat up the whole place quite easily. These are particularly great for marquees that are slightly open, as they won’t lose their heat.