Whether you’re planning a large corporate party for your employees or you’re in the midst of planning your dream wedding, one of the most important factors to consider is where you will host your event. You will need somewhere large enough to seat your guests comfortably while keeping within your budget, and a place where you have complete flexibility to decorate as you wish. For this reason, marquees have become a popular choice for many event organisers in recent years. Not only do marquees look effortlessly stylish and grand, but they are also a perfect choice for large-scale events with long guestlists. The benefits of hiring a marquee for your event are innumerable, especially when you work alongside an events company who can truly bring your vision to life. So, after careful consideration, you’ve decided to hire a marquee for your next event instead of a local manor house or function room - but where do you begin? Here’s our very own guide to hiring a marquee, what questions to ask, and how to find the right company for you. What type of marquee is right for you? First things first: what type of marquee should you hire? You’re likely to have different requirements depending on whether you’re organising a wedding, corporate event, charity fundraiser or birthday party, so it’s imperative to consider what you need the marquee for before you choose the right one for you. After all, for a completely unique event, you’ll need a completely unique marquee. The outdoor marquees available to you will vary depending on which company you choose to hire from, so this will also shape your decision when conducting your initial research. At Poppy Caterers & Marquees, we offer two main styles of marquee, each of which can be decorated to suit your tastes and chosen event theme. We offer: Multi-Span Marquees When you’re in charge of organising an event, you’ll understand how daunting the prospect of choosing a spot to host it can be. Not only do you have to think about design and location, but you also need to consider how much space you need. After all, you need to make sure you have adequate space for everyone invited, but won’t end up with an empty-looking room if only half of those asked turn up. Versatility is essential, which is why multi-span marquees are an excellent option for a wide variety of events. As the name suggests, this style of marquee can be extended or made smaller by three metre long bays. This allows them to be adjusted for events of all sizes, and are a perfect choice of marquee whether you’re planning an intimate wedding reception or a large-scale business party. Oriental Marquees If design and aesthetic are the main priorities for your function, an Oriental marquee may be the option for you. With beautifully pointed roofs, our Oriental marquees are a stunning option for events which require a little extra glitz and glamour. Like multi-span marquees, Oriental-style canopies are also an incredibly versatile option for a variety of events. In fact, although they make a perfect stand-alone marquee, it is often recommended that you use them in conjunction with multi-span canopies. When combined with larger marquees, Oriental marquees make the perfect landing or reception area to welcome guests and say goodbye to them at the end of the night. What size marquee is right for you? Once you’ve decided which style of marquee is right for you, it’s time to think about what size you need. This should take careful consideration, as you don’t want to end up with a marquee that is just too small. No matter what event you’re organising, failing to provide enough space for your guests could make for a stuffy and overcrowded room - something that is sure to leave them unimpressed. Equally, by overestimating how much space you need, you may end up with a room that only looks half full, despite the majority of your guests making an appearance. You will also be paying for space you don’t need - something you’ll want to avoid when sticking to a pre-determined budget. When deciding how much space you need, consider: Guests How many guests are you planning to invite? Once you’ve got a rough estimate of numbers, call your chosen marquee hire company and ask their advice. As experts in function planning and catering, they’ll have a much better idea of how much space you really need. Function Are you hiring a marquee for a lively wedding with a buffet feast or an important sit-down dinner for your most valued business partners? Think about what the marquee will be used for to help you decide what size is right for you. If you think there will be lots of movement, such as people dancing and moving around to chat to other guests, you may need extra room to keep the marquee well-ventilated and avoid overcrowding. If, on the other hand, you’re hosting a sit-down dinner, this extra space may not be necessary. Location The size of your marquee will also depend on where it’ll be erected. This may not be an issue if you’re hosting your event on large grounds, as there isn’t likely to be a shortage of space. If, however, your event is being held on your own private property or on your business grounds, space and size may need to be taken into consideration. What extras do you need? For a truly spectacular event, consider how you plan to decorate your marquee and what extras are needed to bring your vision to life. Again, the extras you opt for will depend on what type of function you’re hosting, whether it’s a wedding, christening or Christmas party. These may include: Flooring You don’t want your guests to be tripping over clumps of grass while carrying plates of food, so make sure you hire suitable flooring for your marquee. Your chosen hire company should offer a selection of wooden and carpeted flooring styles. Lighting No decoration is quite complete without the perfect lighting to accompany it. Discuss lighting options with your marquee hire company and make sure they’re willing to put it up for you. Catering services Unless you want to spend days leading up to your event preparing and cooking food, it’s advisable to hire reliable catering services to leave your guests happy and full. To save time, money and hassle, we always recommend finding a marquee hire company who offer catering services too. Dining equipment Once you’ve sorted catering, you need to make sure you’ve supplied enough dining equipment for every guest. From tables to desert spoons, dining equipment is essential to an enjoyable evening - unless you expect guests to eat with their fingers! What marquee hire company is right for you? One of the most important steps when hiring a marquee is finding the perfect company; finding the right suppliers could mean the difference between a truly memorable party and an event you’d like to forget. If you’ve never organised a function before, you may not know where to begin. Do you need a small marquee hire company or a large party planning service? What price should you be paying for catering? How can you trust that your chosen company will deliver the service they’ve promised? With this in mind, there are a number of factors you should research before committing to hiring a company. For instance: Quotes Deciding on a budget is essential to planning a stress-free function, so it’s important to find a company that can provide all the services you need within your set limit. When making your decision, it’s advisable to gather quotes from three or four companies to form an effective price comparison. Although it may be tempting to simply opt for the cheapest one, don’t forget that low-cost doesn’t always mean high-quality. Marquee prices should be affordable, but if they’re surprisingly cheap it may be worth doing more research into the company and their experience. Testimonials If a company has a collection of positive reviews from happy clients, this is a sign that they deliver great results consistently and, above all, prioritise the satisfaction of their customers. You can often check a company’s testimonials and previous reviews on their website, but it’s also a good idea to check their Google reviews and social media accounts, too. That way you’ll have access to an unfiltered selection of reviews with honest and relevant accounts. Additional services As we’ve mentioned previously, opting for a marquee hire company with additional services will help you streamline the planning process and make everything a little simpler. At Poppy Caterers & Marquees, we’re proud to offer a wide range of additional extras, including exquisite catering services, to help our valued clients plan the function of the year. In addition to our catering services, we also make it incredibly easy to hire equipment, including: ● Cooking equipment ● Refrigeration equipment ● Event furniture ● Flooring ● Doors and windows Poppy Caterers & Marquees: Excellent catering services and event marquees for hire in York At Poppy Caterers & Marquees, we’re proud to offer a wide range of beautiful marquees for hire and high-quality catering for all kinds of events. Whether you need a marquee for a wedding, corporate event or any other special function, we work alongside clients in York and the surrounding areas and are committed to helping our customers turn their design dreams into a reality, Our attention to detail and high levels of professionalism make us a top choice for every event, so get in touch with our team of experts for more information today.