Here at Elite Tents, our mission as educators in the wedding and events industry is to answer all your questions—the common, the technical, and even the bizarre. (Don’t worry; it’s a judgment-free zone.)
The most common question? Cost.
Whether a marquee, a tipi or a sailcloth tent, whether extravagant or minimalistic aesthetics, people want to know about how much they’re going to spend.
You ask; we answer.
How much does an event tent cost?
Most event marquees cost between £1000-£7000 to hire before furnishing. (That’s based on an average event from 50 – 200 guests in 2022) The equivalent sized tipis will set you back £2000-£8000 upfront and the Sailcloth tent is somewhere in-between. All three will add anything between £500 and £3500 in extras and upgrades from fairy lighting to catering annexes, generators and toilets.
How much does a marquee cost?
The cost of a white clear span marquee.
Most marquees for an event of 50-200 guests will start off somewhere between £1000 and £7000 depending on the size.
What affects the price:
- The biggest factor which will determine the price is down to size
- Time of year – obviously during the summer season when weddings are most popular the law of supply and demand means that they tend to be more expensive.
- Material – plastic/pvc compared with solid shield systems
- Distance from your provider
- Quality of the manufacturer (garden gazebos are very different from high quality durable marquees with in-built weather proofing systems for example)
- Accessories – drapes, ground rails, flooring, heating, lighting (that’s a big one!) etc
- Additional furnishings – bars, dance floors, poseur tables, soft furnishings and the like
Unfortunately, the lower initial cost usually leads to the clear span marquees looking a less expensive option and needing a lot more internal decoration to make it acceptable for a special event like a wedding or party. They are really best for adding extra space or providing cover in inclement weather for things like exhibitions, fairs, schools, sporting events etc. However if budget is a key factor in choosing your tent structure, a clear span marquee might be a good option with some DIY decorating.
How much does a Sailcloth or Pole tent cost to hire?
Initial hire cost of a sailcloth tent.
A sailcloth sometimes called a Sperry™ or a pole marquee costs in the region of £2500-£8000
What affects the initial price:
- The biggest factor which will determine the price is down to size
- Time of year – obviously during the summer season when weddings are most popular the law of supply and demand means that they tend to be more expensive.
- Material – plastic/pvc compared with solid shield systems
- Distance from your provider
- Quality of the manufacturer (there are some sailcloth tents that are poor imitations of their USA counterparts and are very different in quality and don’t have the weather proofing systems for example)
- Accessories – flooring, heating, lighting (again that’s a big one!) etc.
- Additional furnishings – bars, dance floors, poseur tables, soft furnishings and the like
How much does a tipi cost to hire?
Initial hire cost of a tipi tent
Tipi hire costs for an average 50-150 person event is £2500-£10000 upfront.
What affects the initial price:
- Size and shape
- Type of Tipis (Authentic Nordic Tipis are usually more expensive as they’re more durable and look nicer!)
- Time of year – obviously during the summer season when weddings are most popular the law of supply and demand means that they tend to be more expensive.
- Material – plastic/pvc compared with solid shield systems
- Distance from your provider
- Quality of the manufacturer (there are some sailcloth tents that are poor imitations of their USA counterparts and are very different in quality and don’t have the weather proofing systems for example)
- Accessories – flooring, heating, lighting (again that’s a big one!) etc.
- Additional furnishings – bars, dance floors, poseur tables, soft furnishings and the like
Whichever tent you choose make sure you ask your tent hirer what the standard package includes. The basic package can vary greatly from company to company. It surprises me how often a company’s base package price excludes delivery, collection, VAT, damage waiver and sometimes even lights and matting!
Want to learn more about hiring your perfect event tent?
Price matters. Oh, does it matter. But it’s not the only thing you have to consider when you’re event tent researching for your special day. After all, this isn’t just a last minute BBQ… this matters. There will be guests, and photos and memories made. So you need to be certain that the tent and the provider that you choose are going to a) turn up (yes that can be an issue when you book some companies far in advance that end up disappearing before your event date!) b) Have the quality and tent that they are showing on their website, and c) don’t suddenly start adding extra costs at the last hour.
To ensure you’re getting the best tent for your event, compare all aspects of the three types.
Clearspan Marquees are less aesthetically pleasing than sailcloth tents and tipis. They are rectangular and have aluminium metalwork that will need hiding. However, these are great if you are on a budget, have very high guest numbers (over 300) and are fairly quick to erect. If you are hiring them in Winter you need to be sure they are high enough quality and installed properly so they don’t blow away or collapse.
Sailcloth tents are ‘prettier’ than a clear span marquee and can be a good option for the extra cost they incur. The wooden poles mean they can be themed for a rustic or ‘country garden’ event really well. Sadly though they are not suitable for Winter events as mostly they are manufactured in the US for warmer climates and less wind and rain than is prevalent in the UK.
Tipis are the most expensive of the three tent types, but with their strong wooden poles and thick canvas are excellent all year around. Because they are linkable it means you can create event spaces to suit your guest numbers easily. The down side to tipis is they need to be positioned on grass, so if you only have a patio or concrete outdoor space then tipis won’t work.
At Elite Tents we offer both Sailcloth and Tipi tents across Central England. Tents like ours are also available in other areas of the country – you can find stockists through Tentipi (tipis) and Anchor (Sailcloth)
Read through our article about the three tent types, and get in touch with us to see if either Tipis or Sailcloth tents might be the right choice for you.
We look forward to helping you!
