Marquee weddings are not for everyone. For a start, they are a lot more work. They involve many more individual vendors and contact points. And you always (always!) need a contingency plan in place in case of extreme weather.
But despite the added complexities, we still absolutely love a marquee wedding. Why? Because, with a marquee wedding you can really let your creative juices run wild! From the décor to the lighting, furniture to forks you literally have control over every single element of your wedding day. Of course, this does mean there are a lot more decisions to be made (ditherers, beware!). But by surrounding yourselves with a crack team of expert wedding vendors, your wedding day will come together to be an utterly unique celebration of you and your partners love for one another.
As we’ve already mentioned, a marquee gives you a completely blank slate to work with. You can select lighting, furniture, decorations…even the glassware, to reflect you and your partner’s unique style and taste. There’s nothing holding you back from creating a completely fresh and unique colour palette. And options for the marquee itself have come a long way. You can select a clear marquee so guests can dance under the stars. Opt for a giant teepee, or safari style tent. And if you’re getting married in the warmer months, you can roll the sides up for an open-air feeling.
One of the best things about a marquee wedding is that you can have it almost anywhere. Private property, farms, vineyards, orchards – you are only limited by your imagination (and the consent of the landowners, obvs!). Bear in mind that your chosen location will need to have vehicle, power and water access. And we usually recommend couples try and find a mainly flat area to accommodate the main marquee, toilets and dancefloor (because excavating a hillside is really gonna break the budget!).
Canberra has some insanely talented wedding caterers out there and having a marquee wedding means the choice is yours as to who feeds and waters you and your guests. Food trucks, caravan bars, epic grazing tables, cocktail style canapes or even a full sit-down dinner. The options are endless.
Even the most relaxed venue is going to have to shut your party down at some point. But on a private property, you can party until the break of dawn. This is a particularly appealing option if there is accommodation onsite for guests. Just don’t forget that all night dancing requires all night drink and food service!
While the initial cost for a marquee wedding will seem small in comparison to a venue package, don’t forget that the marquee itself is just the beginning. Don’t get us wrong, it is possible to throw a marquee wedding on a smaller budget, but you will need to be cautious that you’ve covered all the necessities (chairs, forks, lights!) when you’re plotting your finances.
We’ve all experienced one of those bone-chilling, wet weather days in Canberra, right? And they can happen all year round – unfortunately winter weather is not limited to winter! Your marquee should have sides which can be fastened and secured, flooring which can be installed if wet weather is predicted, and some outdoor heaters to keep your guests warm and cosy. And most importantly – have a backup plan. Extreme weather such as bushfires or flooding are a danger to you and your guests and vendors will not risk operating under such conditions.
A marquee wedding involves more time, more vendors and more complex logistics to ensure the day goes off without a hitch. For this reason, we highly recommend employing the services of a wedding planner or coordinator to take the stress out of trying to manage multiple vendors, workmen and staff both on the big day itself and in the week leading up to your wedding. Having a wedding planner does increase your outgoing costs a little – but when you consider the amount of time and level of stress involved in organising everything yourself, they are exceptionally good value.
Chances are if you’ve made it to the end of this article, you have your heart set on a magical marquee wedding. So, what are the next steps? Start researching marquee hire companies, wedding planners and last (but most definitely not least), caterers! Our handy notes section allows you to record details of conversations and quotes, list deposit and payment dates and have all your wedding planning details in one place.
We’d love to see some photos from your incredible marquee wedding so please share your photos on social media and tag us @weddingsofcanberra
