When planning an event, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is the location. Two popular options are holding the event in a marquee or a traditional venue. Both options have their pros and cons, and choosing the right one depends on various factors such as the type of event, budget, and personal preference. The biggest factor in determining what is right decision for you is the experience you would like to delivery to your guests.
In this article, we’ll take an impartial look at the differences between having an event in a marquee or a venue.
A marquee is a temporary structure can be set up in a variety of locations (including back gardens). Marquees come in different sizes, styles, and shapes, and they can be customised to suit your personal preferences or event theme. They are a blank canvass for you to decide on exactly how you’d like it to look like.
Marquees are often used for outdoor events such as weddings, private parties, and corporate events. They provide an open-air setting that allows guests to enjoy the beautiful surroundings, and they can be decorated to match the theme of the event.
On the other hand, a venue is a permanent location that is specifically designed to host events. Venues can be anything from hotels, conference centers, ballrooms, to more budget friendly sports clubs etc. Venues often come with amenities such as catering/bar services, AV/sound equipment, and sometimes event coordinators. They can also accommodate events of various sizes and styles, from intimate gatherings to large-scale conferences.
Here are the pros & cons for both ideas to help give you some impartial advice on what will work best for your event.
It’s worth noting a venue could be cheaper AND it could be more expensive than hiring a marquee. We would need to compare apples to apples when comparing a venue that is of the same standard to a marquee.
Yes you can hire a real basic venue for less than £500, so you cannot compare that to a top of the range marquee.
Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue | Marquee Pros
- Complete Control of your Event
Typically a marquee is to be set up at home. So it’s your house, your rules. If you want to finish late (respectfully for the neighbours of course) then you can! You are not duty bound to finish early like many venues impose a 11pm-midnight finish. The very best events are in their peak
around this time and nobody wants the lights to turn on.
2. It’s a lot more personal having an event at home
Having a wedding or private party at home means a lot more to you and your family. It’s not in a sterilised, bland venue. It’s in an environment where everybody is comfortable.
3. More Chilled Experience
Most venues give access to set your event up with a very short window (typically 1/2 hours before the event and that’s it) and half an hour when finished to pack everything away..
A marquee company typically installs everything a few days before the event, and removes everything a day or so after. Meaning any setting up you would like to do can be completed in good time convenient to you. It also means you can clear everything up the next day, not minutes after everybody has left after dark!
4. Cheaper Bar Bill
Most venues will insist you and your guests have to use their bar. So if you are picking up the bar bill at the end of the event you will be paying typical pub prices per head.
Organising a bar at home is way more cost effective. Even when you hire a bar, fridge & staff from a marquee hire company – it’s still cheaper bar option!
Abacus can help with the running of your complete bar infrastructure including bar staff, chiller trailers & glasses for large events such as weddings.
5. Control of Aesthetics
Of course there are some stunning venues that could be hired for an event. They are typically towards the more expensive price bracket (more expensive than a marquee option)
With a marquee you have a blank canvass. You can control exactly how you would like your environment to look like. Perhaps a blackout marquee for a nightclub themed event, or a stunning white lined marquee with fairy lighting is your dream wedding set up. A marquee gives you far greater choices in the overall appearance and setting.
Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue | With a marquee you have a lot more choice with aesthetics & furniture which will ultimately give you greater control in the perfect environment setting for your event
Get some more ideas for your marquee layout with our gallery section
6. Marquees are often a Cheaper Alternative
Depending on what venue we are comparing to a marquee at home can often be a cheaper alternative to hiring a nice venue. However hiring a marquee after considering hiring external toilets, bar infrastructure, furniture etc – you could get a venue for less money. It depends on what you are comparing a marquee with!
Some venues may have a £10000 minimum spend, however there are smaller basic venues you can hire for £500. When comparing make sure we are comparing apples with apples.
Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue | Marquee Cons
- A marquee at home may be more expensive..
As previously mentioned depending on what venue we are comparing hiring a marquee in the back garden with, a venue may be a cheaper option
Typically a 100 person standing marquee, with some flooring, lighting, lining a bar and a dance floor may start in the region of £2000-£3000. There are venues out there that can be hired for a half of that cost (think rugby club, cricket club…)
I would argue a lined and nicely lit marquee with fairy lights beats a dark and run down rugby club in my opinion!
It ultimately depends on the experience you would like to give to your friends & family.
2. More to Organise
Depending on the size of your event at home there may be more infrastructure to organise having an event at home compared to hiring a venue. Some venues insist on having to use their catering/bar services which is all wrapped up within your inclusive venue hire cost.
If you’re organising an event at home you will have to potentially organise a caterer & bar staff, toilets, power etc (Abacus have already thought about this and can help organise your complete event leaving you with just one contact to organise your complete event!)
Now most marquee companies can recommend caterers and arrange external toilets & power if they are needed too. So there’s not that much more work on your behalf, but there are more people required to make your event happen at home.
Marquee companies tend to install your marquee and take it down after the event in the week. So you will need to consider letting them into the garden if you work Mon-Fri.
Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue | Venue Pros
1.Less to organise
There may be less “moving parts” to organise with a venue. Some venues have in house catering & bar facilities to take care of that side of your event as well as toilets & car parking. It may well be an easier decision to organise an event with a venue.
2.Depending on the venue it could be a cheaper option
As previously mentioned if comparing the same standard of venue to a marquee, the marquee may well be a cheap option. However there are some venues that provide a very basic set up (typically a rugby or cricket club) for a price than a marquee company cannot compete with.
It all depends on the type of experience you would like to give to your guests. If price is your only buying factor then perhaps a more basic venue would be the better option.
3. No mess to clear up afterwards in some venues (it’s done for you)
If holding an event at a golf club or premium venue, the post event cleaning will be part of your package and done for you. If hosting an event at home this is something to consider (Abacus can arrange a team of post-event clean up heroes to take that away from you!)
4. Car parking for larger 100+guest events
If having an event at home, it might be worth considering for 100+ guest events there may well be 30+ cars to park. If you live in area where you don’t have a location for car parking this may also be a factor where as a venue should have the appropriate car parking facilities.
5. Larger venues may come with event coordinators
For weddings and large scale events you typically get an event coordinator for help run your event on the day. From experience it is a bit of a lottery as to how effective they are as an event coordinator but for premium wedding venues they will have had extensive training to make the running of your event as smooth as possible.
Abacus can also provide an on the day event coordinator to ensure your event sticks to its itinerary and having that helping hand on the day works wonders
Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue | Venue Cons
- Usually have to finish the event around 11pm-midnight
This is one of the main reasons why everybody loves having a marquee event at home – there are no rules! Most venues are very strict with their licensing laws and they must finish by midnight. Which is typically when a wedding or private party is in it’s full swing….killjoy!
2. They never have the same vibe as a party at home
Let’s face it, the best events are home based events. You can never replicate that in any venue at all. Some say events in venues sometimes feel artificial in comparison to having a more personal vibe at home.
3. Rushed experience
Most venues are very strict on access. You do get limited time to do any setting up and bringing in other companies such as balloons, lighting, dance floors & DJ’s, sweet stands etc to turn the venue into something you would like. It means they all have to work typically non-social hours making organising these things quite expensive.
These companies then also have to remove their equipment (typically after midnight) and it’s all a mad rush to vacate.
Most venues will require any 3rd party service you bring in to see relevant paperwork from each company you bring in such as their insurance & PAT testing – so there’s bit of admin on your side to complete.
4. Difficult to find a nice venue with good atmosphere & surroundings
Depending on budget there are venues where the surroundings are so beautiful you simply turn up and have your event.
You may have to bring in other companies such as lighting, balloons and other party/event services if the venue setting of your choice isn’t quite right. So there’s a bit more work to find such companies if the venue budget is low.
In conclusion
As a reminder it’s all about the experience you want to give to your guests. You cannot compare hosting an event in a basic environment (rugby club) to a top end marquee. Equally we cannot compare a basic marquee to hosting your wedding in a top London hotel. We have to make sure we are comparing the two environments that are within the same price band and quality.
Typically after all hidden costs are taken into account marquees are typically 15-20% cheaper to have as long as you are hosting it at home.
I have been as impartial as I can be (I have many conversations on a weekly basis where some budgets will not suit a marquee and I do advise that perhaps a local venue might be a better option!).
Is a Marquee Cheaper than a Wedding Venue?
Wedding venues are notoriously expensive (they can only hold 1-2 weddings in any week) so having a marquee wedding at home will definitely be cheaper than the equivalent wedding venue. Even if you take into account a £1-£5k venue hire spend to hire some land for a marquee, it will typically be cheaper to have a marquee option!
If you do any any more questions about Hiring a Marquee v Hiring a Venue then please contact us on 01462 262001 and we will advise you on your personal situation and what will be best for you!
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If you are looking for micro wedding sized marquees (under 40 guests) head over to our sister brand – Party in your Garden Marquee Hire
