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Marquee decoration

It is best to think of marquee decoration as but part of the overall look for an event.

Marquees are flexible enough to carry classic styles, romantic styles, functional, funky, vintage... as well as many themed looks.

You need to decide on a style or theme and then pick table centrepieces, flowers and other items to suit. Not simple, but there are a loads of resources on the web to help.

The American wedding website The Knot has lots of wedding tent photos to look at, though you will need to sign up (it's free) to see them large. Special Events magazine has some tented corporate event examples to look at. The decoration section of our own photo gallery illustrates lots of decorative ideas. But there are loads more if you search on Google.

On this page, we highlight a few items particular to marquees that, coupled with lighting and furniture, can help create the atmosphere you want.

Linings:

Marquees can be lined, a natural accompaniment to formal or traditionally-styled events. Please see this frequently asked question for a photo showing the difference between lined and unlined marquees.

County Marquees standard linings are pleated and ivory-coloured. They are an ideal backdrop for most styles. They can be set off with swags, roof swags, bunting (see below), as well as with lighting effects, theming accessories and bespoke printed linings (the ever popular butterfly, for example).

Bunting:

Very fashionable nowadays — bunting or flags in all sorts of fabrics can be strung across or around the roof of a tent, often accompanied by vintage-style accessories for a pretty, nostalgic and sometimes more economical effect.

Bunting can be custom-made with your choice of fabric, or bought off the shelf.

This case study is an elegant example of the shabby chic with custom-made bunting look.

Swags:

Swags are available in a wide range of colours to suit the overall look of your event.

The photo alongside shows a selection. Ivory for a pretty wedding, red to warm up a winter party, grey for an elegant corporate do and so on.

We can match pelmet colours as well if required.

Other fabric options include dangling fabric ribbons from the marquee roof for a more unusual effect — massed together, dangling ribbons can look very striking.

Roofs:

Another fabric idea is to drape overlays across the marquee roof, or hang drops down the wall. Overlays can be single or multiple for a striped effect.

The photo alongside shows multiple fuscia overlays combined with a black-out roof lining. Overlays can also follow down the walls of a marquee with fabric drops.

Marquee roofs also lend themselves easily to hanging things from. See this case study of a themed marquee for a dramatic example.

Black-out linings:

Marquees can also be completely or partially blacked out, typically in combination with a starlight ceiling.

The effect is dramatic and fun — ideal for an evening party with dancing.

Coloured lighting can enhance the effect by spreading washes of colour across the black.

Poles, walls and windows:

Other marquee specific items to consider include:

• Opening up the walls in summer: drawing back the walls allows the landscape around to be part of your decor while still enjoying the protection of a tent. See this question or this photo for examples.
• Windows: a similar outdoors effect can be achieved on colder days with lots of windows. See this photo for an example.
• Poles: for traditional tents or on open sides of frame marquees, poles provide another opportunity to make a decorative statement. They can be draped with material, or garlanded with flowers, ribbons or what you will.
  
  The upper pole photo alongside shows an unobtrusive pole treatment typical of traditional style marquees where poles run along the centre of the marquee and too loud a decorative style might overwhelm. The lower pole photo shows a pole on a frame marquee treated to make a spectacle.
  
  See this photo for another floral example of poles dressed to impress; or this one for a less dramatic (though still pretty) floral treatment in a traditional style marquee.

Chill out areas:

Events can be exhausting. And the experience of sharing a table with the same small group of people for hours can feel a little intense.

As a way of helping guests relax for a while, chill out areas have become popular features of long weddings and parties.

Chill out areas can be in a separate small marquee (chinese hat marquees look fun and are the ideal size); or they can be in a more or less screened-off section of the main marquee.

Sofas, soft cube seating and low tables are common furnishings. And different or striking decor is sometimes applied to chill out areas just for fun.

Flowers, balloons, theming, corporate branding:

Where to start? For further ideas, you can look at:

• the marquee decoration section of our photo gallery
• or some real life marquee case studies
• Or search for marquee decoration or tent decoration on the internet and see what takes your fancy and fits your budget, venue and season.

Here are some examples from around the web that we found interesting to set your creative juices flowing:

• Fun farmer theme - rough and ready with hay bale seating
• Large winter wonderland table centrepiece with sprayed eucalyptus leaves and delpiniums.
• Opulent tent with illuminated red roof and dramatic high table centre pieces
• Pretty rose garden, country chic and rock the kasbah themes from Cheshire marquee hire company
• Tent roof covered in branches
• Simpler and arguably prettier decoration with grapevines and small paper lanterns - everybody seems to love this look
• Cube style contemporary furniture in open-walled marquee. Also see goldfish table (!)
• Pretty top table decoration of petals and tea lights
• Crescent Moon offer sumptious marquee decoration. Browse their gallery for ideas.
• Jay & I Services offer fantastic Indian inspired marquee decor ideas including mandap decoration.

For an example of corporate branding, please see this case study.

• We also have more photos to look at on our Facebook and Flickr pages.

Although County Marquees does not stock theme items, flowers etc, we are happy to take on the task of organizing supply, and then integrating them with all the other elements of marquee design to create the look and feel you require.

Or please contact us for advice on your particular requirements.