TENT WEDDINGS: What You Should Know
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is based on my experience as a wedding planner supporting my couples in Winnipeg, Canada during the 2020 wedding season and is not intended to replace public health guidelines. Always consult your local authorities for the latest COVID-wedding rules and regulations.
Tents have become a VERY popular option for couples getting married in this time of COVID. There has been a surge in tent weddings in the last year and the AME team is planning for several tent celebrations this upcoming wedding season. I particularly LOVE the uniqueness that comes with a tent wedding; each one can NEVER be duplicated in the exact same way in terms of décor, food service, flow and location. Every weekend in the summer, I get the opportunity to work with a collection of the best Manitoba wedding vendors and ‘build’ a wedding from the ground up. We start from scratch and commence set up days in advance of the wedding and by the following Monday, it’s like we were never there – total magic! It really is such a privilege to get these opportunities to be so creative and deliver something special for our clients every-damn-time!
It’s safe to say I’ve learned a lot about tent weddings, (especially in the last year) and thought it would be helpful to summarize some key takeaways when planning a tent wedding of your own.
Host with the Most
This is my first recommendation, because a passionate and caring host is the key to ANY successful event. Wherever you end up installing your tent, whether it be a relative’s property or a friend or a neighbor, you MUST have their full support in hosting your event. At a minimum, the property owner must be on hand during set up and tear down and be readily available during the wedding in case your vendor team has any questions about the property itself. Last season, our tent weddings were wonderful thanks to the hard work of the property owners. Whether it was extending a helpful hand during set up or providing insight about directions to the property to share with guests, or spending extra time doing yardwork prior to the wedding – the list goes on and on. For tent sites with a residence on the property, you also must establish some basic ‘house’ rules prior to the wedding. Can the couple and wedding party use the house? Does the house need to remain locked? Can you store cards and gifts in the house? Is the house off limits entirely?
A passionate and caring host is the key to ANY successful event. Photo by Josh Dookhie
Logistics, Logistics, Logistics
So you have access to an amazing property, full cooperation of the property owner AND you have booked your tent – look at YOU! I find this is often when couples reach out to me because, (as any former tent wedding couple will tell you), your work is just getting started. From start to finish, tent weddings average 5 days’ worth of set up and tear down logistics. Major items to consider:
· Washrooms. Porto potty, luxury washroom trailer or access to the residence?
· Where can your guests park? Do you need a volunteer to act as a parking attendant on your wedding day? Do you need to shuttle guests from a parking lot nearby?
· Garbage and Recycling. Where can you dispose of waste and where will you source and store the bins?
· Utility line locates. This is very important, since your tent company will not install without this confirmed by Manitoba Hydro. Ensure you call at least 8 weeks ahead of your wedding to book a time for a technician to come out to the property.
· Audio & Visual. For many tent weddings, this is the most challenging but essential component. Oftentimes, tent weddings are held outside of city limits where lighting after dark is minimal or nonexistent and poses a danger to guests and vendors. Think about power and the needs of the DJ or band, washroom trailers and air conditioning units, food handling equipment, lighting and monitors, amongst other elements.
· What time of year are you getting married? How bad will those Manitoba ‘skeeters be? Do you need to fog?
From start to finish, tent weddings average about 5 days’ worth of set up and tear down logistics. Photo by Casey Nolin Photography
Floor Planning & Design
Floor planning is a major element of any tent wedding. When I plan the preliminary layout, I work with my couples to think about focal areas like the head table, the dance floor or a sweets table. From there, I think about creating a plan with guest experience in mind – what is their path from the moment they walk onto the property, into the tent, alllll through to the end of the night when they leave? How do we design the experience with safety and optimal ‘flow’ in mind?
Tents come in a variety of sizes and materials, but generally speaking for a wedding of 100 guests, I prefer to work with a 40x80 tent and increase or reduce the size depending on client needs and final numbers. I’ve included an image of the stunning clear top tent above, but it is important to remember that clear top tents heat up quickly in the prime summer months, so consider a white vinyl option instead.
Once you’ve confirmed the tent, think about flooring options to level the ground, such as plywood with special event carpeting over top, vinyl flooring, wood or tiles. I will admit, Manitoba is lean on options right now, so if you feel like manufacturing some wicked tent flooring options in a 40x80 size, drop me a line #KiddingNotKidding. If you do NOT plan to install any kind of flooring, then you need to communicate this to your guests so they know to expect a grass surface and plan their footwear accordingly.
I’ve also learned that despite our best intentions, sometimes the floor plan has to change slightly during set up once we have all tables, chairs, bars and other equipment on site. Always ask your tent company about the number of center poles in your tent and distance between them so it can be considered in your floor plan and design.
Think about focal areas like the head table, the dance floor or a sweets table. Photo by Izabela Rachwal Photography
Neighborly Love
If your tent site has any neighbors within a 1-mile radius, it is VERY important to inform them of your plans, especially if guests are expected to drive their own vehicles and park around the area. A bottle of wine, some treats and a handwritten note before the wedding will go a LONG way to ensure you avoid conflict during your celebration and set up. Also, take time to review your local noise bylaws; many stipulate you must turn down music significantly at 11PM. I have found that many neighbors will ignore the noise from a DJ or a band if given plenty of notice, but as a courtesy, volume should be lowered at midnight.
If your tent site has any neighbors within a 1-mile radius, it is VERY important to inform them of your plans. Photo by Krista Hawyrluk Photography
Work closely with your caterer
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep your caterer updated with location changes and updates throughout the planning process! The most successful tent weddings maintain consistent communication with their caterer which includes sharing images of the site and scheduling an inspection ahead of the wedding. You must ensure adequate catering preparation and access to running water along with fridges and freezers for bartenders, but speak directly with your caterer about their specific needs.
PLEASE keep your caterer updated throughout the planning process. CHEW Catering doing what they do best captured by Krista Hawryluk Photography
Rain and Inclement Weather
I reinforce this message early and often during the planning process but couples MUST maintain a ‘go with the flow’ attitude about rain and poor weather. I always PLAN for all sorts of scenarios since terrible weather can very quickly sour a celebration. Consider portable heaters, air conditioners, fans, umbrellas and whatever you may need as a response to unfortunate weather.
Couples MUST maintain a ‘go with the flow’ attitude about rain and poor weather. Photo by Charmaine Mallari
Speeches and Sunset
A very special consideration is the placement of the sun as it corresponds to the timing of your speeches and reception. Where will the sun be during ceremony? Cocktails? Speeches? What time of year are you getting married? The sides of your tent will be open in order to remain ‘outdoor / COVID compliant’ and allow for optimal air flow and that means the sun will shine and may cause glare for your guests. I always try to consider these elements when designing the floor plan and confirming the placement of the podium to avoid any guest discomfort.
A very special consideration is the placement of the sun as it corresponds to the timing of your speeches and reception. Photo by Monique Pantel
Hire A Professional
Tent weddings are no small feat so of course, my final tip with regards to a tented wedding is to HIRE a planner who has done a tented wedding before, whether it be for wedding day management or full planning, you want to make sure you hire the BEST team and sort out your set up and tear down plan with your wedding coordinator to ensure no detail is missed and your wedding vendor team has exactly what they need in order to create a perfect wedding day for you and your family.
Me, casually holding a bag of glitter for no apparent reason, watching another tent reception go by. Photo by The Picture & The Poet
Do you need help planning a tent wedding of your own? Send me an email alli@allimae.com