Tented Weddings

    Being in Florida, we get a lot of requests for outdoor weddings.  It's common to find ceremony space outside, but planning an entire reception outdoors carries a lot of weather risk.  So what do we do?  Rent a tent and depending on the season, have air conditioners or heaters on standby.  

    Tented weddings can be ballroom-style grandiose, or quaint and outdoorsy.  You can play up the natural surroundings or bring the inside out and add chandeliers, carpet, and furniture.  The wonderful thing about tented weddings is that you begin with a blank slate in which to create your dream wedding by choosing each individual detail.  One common misconception is that an outdoor tented wedding costs less than a ballroom or traditional reception space.  In fact, tents will usually cost a minimum of $2,000 and if you want flooring, a stage for the band, side walls, and lighting, be prepared to spend a couple thousand more. 

    TENT TIPS:

• Pay attention to the surface you are placing the tent over.  Will women in heels be able to walk around comfortably or do you need to add hard flooring?
• If you are on grass, rent a dance floor from the tent company.
• Add ambiance with lighting.  String lights hanging above will give an starry, piazza feeling.  Add uplights around the perimeter in a color that coordinates with the wedding (turquoise, pink, etc) or in amber to give the tent a candlelit glow.
• Clear top tents will cost about three times more than white tops.  
• When choosing your tent, ask about the structural poles that will be underneath.  If any will be in the middle of the tent, you may need to consider this in your floor plan.
• Silver tent poles are not attractive.  Cover them with fabric "pole skirts" to dress them up.
• Don't forget to leave room under the tent for the caterers and bar!  

      And girls, ask a professional!  Hire a reputable tent rental company who has quality products and back up plans (tent side walls, heaters, A/C), and ask them to walk the space with you to determine things like height allowances and necessary flooring.

Know Your Tents

CENTURY TENT
Steer clear if using super-long tables. Everywhere there’s a peak, there’s a pole.

FRAME TENT
Smallest and least attractive. Outdoor venues tend to supply Frames.

STRUCTURE TENT
High-end. Aluminum I-beams, instead of poles, ensure an open party space.

Read more: New York Wedding Guide - The Reception - Planning a Tent Wedding for Less http://nymag.com/weddings/planner/2009/summer/tent-reception/#ixzz0cWfOTi68

  

Tara Guerard wedding, Brides.com

 

Tented ceremony with liner, theknot.com

Yellow and white paper lanterns with string lights, www.stylemepretty.com  

White tented wedding in a century-style tent, www.stylemepretty.com  

  

AMAZING David Tutera white tented wedding, Bride & Bloom

Comments

[Andre Nievo - Vermont Wedding]

Stunning tent structure and very elegant. I just hope that weather with this kind of wedding is fine.

[Sam Kirst]

a tented reception for weddings can still be as elegant or simple as one desires...geesh make me wanna re-do my wedding..mine was themed Weddings Koh Samui

[Theresa Marie]

Loved this post! Very informative for us since we were considering a tented wedding reception for October! Thankful that I now know my tents! :)