This will always be one of the first questions anyone planning an outdoor event will ask when researching their options. So how much does an outdoor wedding cost?
The answer isn’t a simple one because of course it depends on so many factors – where you hold it, what type of structure you have, how many guests you invite and what sort of food you will give them just to begin with!
We’ve answered this question thousands of times over the years in relation to the structure for outdoor weddings and events, and these days, hundreds of prospective customers will ask us for quotes for a structure for their event every year.
We get it.
Price matters (it’s not the only consideration, but it is pretty important). Price often dictates what type of marquee or tipi you choose, and any furniture and lighting options and accessories, you might get.
So you need to develop an initial budget and then plan for any additional extras and that’s true for any marquee or tipi, at any size, in any configuration you might want.
At Elite Tents, we strive to educate every prospective buyer, even if that leads you towards a different type of wedding than we offer. I’ll do my best to offer some realistic price ranges, based on real events held in marquees or tipis together with typical accessory costs right now (in 2022).
Please keep in mind that all prices, whether for tipis, marquees, accessories, or anything else, are estimates based on the average outdoor event in 2022. Prices can and often do vary drastically based on the type of marquee or tipi you choose, your guest numbers, where you live, your chosen installer, and many other factors.
How much does hiring a marquee or tipi cost?
Based on an average wedding for 100 guests, most tipis and marquees will cost between £4000 – £10,000 to hire in 2022 — this price includes the flooring, lighting, seating and most of the nice additional extras and accessories.
As with any major special event, this price range can increase dramatically as you add more options and more elaborate designs, which might include ceremony areas, luxury furnishings, catering annexes, multiple accessories, and so on.
For a quick overview of the main costs of a marquee, tipi or sailcloth tent for an outdoor event we can provide more precise estimates when you visit our pricing page and look for your guest numbers and preferred marquee or tipi style, which you can find HERE.
Just the shell
Some couples want a marquee or tipi with just the basic flooring and lighting inside.
Installing a marquee or tipi will involve other costs (like delivery, collection, insurance and VAT) However, some people out there want to do everything apart from that themselves, sourcing their tables, chairs, fairy lights and other equipment.
We don’t typically recommend the do-it-yourself approach, even if you’re an experienced events organiser. There are many variables to consider, and by organising everything yourself, you will inevitably have multiple agencies to work with and it could lead to a stressful few days leading up your event and so a DIY event structure can easily cause far more trouble and long-term costs than it’ll save upfront.
So as a rule of thumb a basic set up will start in the ranges of:
A small marquee or tipi with capacity for 50 guests £ 2000 – £ 5000
A medium set up for up to 100 guests will cost £ 3500 – £ 8000
A large marquee or tipi marquee or tipi for up to 200 guests will cost £6000 to £12000
Remember, when thinking how much does an outdoor wedding cost there are other things you need to consider…
Adding to your Event Marquee or tipi Set up
A basic wedding set up typically also includes:
- Dance floor
- Some fairy lighting
- Tables
- Chairs or benches
Most basic marquee or tipi packages don’t include other options such as fire pits, bars or specialist lighting.
So when you start adding on all the extras – depending how much you want to go to town and how big your marquee or tipi set up is to begin with, your extras will add between £500 – £3500 to your costs.
I know this is a pretty big range, but there are a pretty wide range of potential extras you might include, of course there are also outdoor accessories you might want to think about like festoon lighting, walkways, ceremony areas, outdoor mini structures and lots more.
Adding on sub-contractor items
When asking how much does an outdoor wedding cost, you need to consider the not so obvious costs such as toilets and power.
Some venues will include the use of toilets and power with their hire cost. But if not, or if you are having your event at home and need to increase capacity for either toilets or power then this is a cost you need to think about in your budget.
Adding on a luxury toilet unit and, at minimum, a 40kVa super silent generator will add between £1300 and £1800 to your bill. You may also need to think about having a contingency budget for heating which comes in between £250 – £400 depending on your set up size and of course the British weather!
There’s the option to bring in an external decorator, such as Big Day Props, to create the theme of your event for you. Obviously this can be done yourself much more cheaply, but again having a decorator to add flowers or props to the setting is way less stressful.
Wedding or Event coordinators are another option which will help you to enjoy the planning of your event and they will deal with the nitty gritty for you. These can vary in cost from an ‘on the day’ service up to full planning which takes you right from your engagement through to the big day and afterwards.
Prices for other options
Catering Annexe usually cost £400 – £700
Decor for the marquee or tipi £250 – £1800
Wedding or Event Coordination £300 – £4000
Venue hire anything from £500 – £5000
So again, how much does an outdoor wedding cost? The short answer is it depends. Everything here is simply an estimate, and your final price may look much different. I hope you’ve developed a better feel for the potential costs of hiring a tipi for your outdoor event and the additional costs you need to allow for.
The key is to work out what matters most to you and then use your budget accordingly. For further help with your budgeting why not download one of our FREE budgeting tools.
We’re happy to help you get an actual price for your dream set up. You can get a quote today, by talking to one of lovely team. Just click the button below to arrange a consultation!
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