One of the fun aspects of our job at Generator Power is providing power solutions for social gatherings. We really like it when we get to rendezvous at special get-togethers, particularly when a marquee is the main feature.
We provide the power and you supply the finishing touches for your wedding or special celebration. Organising a social gathering inside a marquee takes a fair amount of planning. We suggest you start here to keep things as stress free as possible.
Initial planning
To begin, create a checklist of everything you are going to require. As an example you might want to include some or all of the items on this list.
- Marquee hire
- Furniture hire
- Interior decor
- Lighting
- Heating
- Dance floor
- Catering
- Entertainment
- Portaloos
- Power
Once you create a basic checklist you can begin checking items off one by one. Keep reading and we’ll cover each bullet point in greater detail.
In depth preparation
1. Marquee hire
Draw up a guest list of the numbers attending the function and this will tell you the size of marquee you will need. Larger gatherings suit traditional or classic frame types of marquees. Plan a smaller function and you might want to hire a Chinese Hat or Teepee marquee.
Once you know the size and style of marquee you require ring around for quotes.
2. Furniture hire
An empty marquee isn’t much use without a selection of furniture inside.
Areas to consider include:
- Dining tables and chairs
- Tables for buffet food
- A table for the guest book and cake
- Somewhere the DJ can place their decks
3. Interior decor
Dressing the interior of the marquee will take a great deal of planning. Drapes, star-lit ceilings, table covers, carpets and table centrepieces are just some of the areas to address.
It helps if you hire a wedding co-ordinator. They’ll support you as you toy with different ideas. Or if you have a creative mind, use it and really go to town with the interior decorations. Create the perfect table setting complete with dreamy decor.
4. Lighting
Feature lighting really brings your marquee to life at night. Welcome guests invited to the evening function with a lantern walkway outside. As they step inside create a light spectacular that oozes style and appeal. Uplighters and star-lit ceilings, beam lights and backdrop lighting set the right mood.
5. Heating
Depending on the time of year you plan to use the marquee heating hire could be useful to keep guests freezing at your function. Heaters suitable to use inside marquees include:
- Radiant
- Fan
- Indirect heaters powered by diesel, paraffin or LPG
6. Catering and entertainment
You choice of caterers can make or break your marquee party, think about the structure of the day.
Host a wedding and you might require a formal sit-down meal during the day and a buffet at night. Get a price per head from the caterers, work through the menu options with them, see if they provide taster sessions so you can sample the fayre they produce before you commit to a contract.
Consider whether the food is going to be prepared fresh at the venue or transported to site. If you want everything fresh a separate preparation area will need to be provided.
7. Loos
Provide adequate washroom facilities for the number of people that are attending your event. Host a marquee party in your garden and guests might be able to use one of the bathrooms in your house.
In more remote locations speak to a portable toilet hire company about your restroom requirements, people need a place to spend a penny!
8. Power
Marquees need electric for heat, lighting and power. A generator hire solves this problem. It’s something we’re rather proficient at so contact us at Generator Power if you are planning a marquee event this year.
