Weddings are personal, an embodiment of your love story, and there’s nothing quite like a marquee wedding that offers both flexibility and a romantic canvas to bring your vision to life. However, with plenty of logistical and planning considerations, marquee weddings can be a tricky course to navigate. As one of the leading luxury marquee wedding venues in Devon, Pynes House is here to guide you through planning your dream marquee wedding.
What is a marquee wedding?
A marquee wedding is a great way to embrace the beauty of the outdoors during your wedding festivities. At its core, marquee weddings involve hosting your celebration—be it just the reception or the entire wedding—within a large tent or marquee. These structures aren’t just any tents; they are specifically designed to be both functional and decorative, shielding your guests from unpredictable weather while granting you a customizable space to bring your wedding vision to life.
For many couples getting married in the UK, where the weather can be unpredictable, marquee weddings are particularly enticing. They allow for the dream of an outdoor celebration to come to life, without the worry of rain dampening the spirits or a sudden cold snap catching guests unprepared.
Marquee weddings provide unparalleled design flexibility, allowing couples to create entirely bespoke celebrations. From intimate gathering spaces to grand ballroom atmospheres, the structural adaptability of marquees means your vision can be fully realised regardless of style preferences. The flexibility it provides ensures that no two marquee weddings are the same; each one can be as unique as the couple celebrating their union.
Pynes House, offers marquee wedding opportunities during the warmer months, providing optimal conditions for outdoor celebrations. This seasonal availability aligns perfectly with couples seeking expanded guest capacity or those drawn to the romance of quintessential English garden wedding settings.
Why you should consider a marquee wedding?
If you’re on the fence about the kind of wedding you want to have, marquee weddings might just be the dream setting you’ve been envisioning. A combination of flexibility, beauty, and personal touches makes it a standout choice. Still unsure? Let’s delve into five compelling reasons to opt for a marquee wedding.
1 – Blank Canvas To Create Your Own Theme & Design
A marquee is not just a space; it’s a blank slate brimming with possibilities. Along with theming, you can often choose the colour and type of your flooring, decide between high or low ceilings, pick the style of the walls, and so much more. Whether you’re envisioning a fairy-tale setting with draped silks and chandeliers, a rustic country celebration with wooden floors and warm lighting, or a luxurious ballroom ambience with elegant décor, a marquee gives you the freedom to tailor every detail to your taste.
2- Design a Layout That Suits Your Day
With a marquee, you’re given the unique opportunity to shape the environment precisely to your vision. Do you want a single expansive space or multiple sections for dancing, lounging, and dining? The layout is entirely up to you. The adaptable nature of a marquee means you’re not confined to a fixed layout. From an unobstructed dance floor and intimate seating nooks to a majestic banquet arrangement, a marquee can be moulded to your desires.
Furthermore, for weekend weddings, you can effortlessly transform the space for post-wedding events. Want a new look for your post-wedding brunch? Simply rearrange the furniture or decor for a fresh ambience. Marquee weddings at Pynes House demonstrate remarkable diversity, with each couple’s personal style shaping everything from spatial arrangements to decorative themes.
3- Increased Guest Capacity
One of the undeniable advantages of a marquee wedding is the flexibility it offers in terms of guest numbers. Without the spatial limitations of traditional indoor venues, marquees can effortlessly scale to accommodate larger guest lists, making them perfect for couples with extended families or a wide circle of friends.
At Pynes House, a marquee presents the opportunity to elevate your guest numbers for the wedding breakfast from 96 to 130. Additionally, should couples wish to transition indoors for their evening festivities post-dinner, the ballroom stands ready to offer an elegant, intimate setting for continued celebrations.
4- Enjoy the Surrounding Views & Landscape
Marquee weddings can be situated to capture the best of the surrounding environment. Whether it’s overlooking a serene lake, nestled amidst woodland, or capturing a sunset over rolling hills, your wedding can have a backdrop that’s both personal and picturesque.
Furthermore, with the design flexibility marquees offer, couples can decide on the spot whether to open the sides or keep them closed, depending on the weather. On balmy days, leaving the sides open gives guests the delightful sensation of dining al fresco, all while being sheltered under the marquee’s canopy.
The estate’s natural setting allows couples to celebrate surrounded by Devon’s rolling hills, mature rose gardens, and winding woodland trails that create an enchanting backdrop.
5- Real English Countryside Feel
The combination of historical estate grounds and modern marquee elegance creates an authentically British wedding experience that captures both tradition and contemporary luxury. For those dreaming of a genuine English countryside wedding, marquees embody this vision. The blend of nature, the outdoors, and the charm of an English garden wedding can be perfectly encapsulated within a marquee setting.
Things to consider when planning a marquee wedding
Planning a marquee wedding, while offering unparalleled flexibility and a unique ambiance, brings with it its own set of considerations. Due to the very nature of marquees and the outdoor setting, there are additional factors to keep in mind to ensure the day unfolds seamlessly.
Marquee Logistics
When it comes to planning a marquee wedding, there are a few practicalities to consider before you start signing contracts. Firstly, ensure there’s sufficient access to the proposed marquee site for suppliers and parking for their vehicles. Can the marquee have easy access to a power source, or do you need to consider bringing in a generator? Is there running water nearby for caterers to use? These considerations are crucial, especially if your chosen venue doesn’t provide these facilities as standard.
Other factors to check are whether there are adequate toilet facilities for guests or if there’s a need to bring in portable loos. Additionally, think about the setup time; it’s essential to ensure you have enough days allocated to complete your marquee build properly, taking into account any unforeseen weather conditions or other delays.
At Pynes House, many of these practical concerns are already addressed for you. There’s ample parking for suppliers and vehicles, ensuring easy access for your chosen marquee company both for setup and take down. And when it comes to utilities like running water or power sources, you’re covered. We’ve ensured these essentials are readily available, offering peace of mind as you plan your special day. Still, it’s always good practice to consider these factors, ensuring every aspect of your marquee wedding runs smoothly.
Design & Style of The Marquee
The design and style of your marquee play a pivotal role in setting the atmosphere for your wedding day. When envisioning your marquee setup, it’s essential to think about what aligns best with the style of the wedding you want to have.
Firstly, consider the layout. Do you want one big space, or do you want to section it off into areas for dancefloor, lounge area and seating? Would you prefer the traditional round guest tables or the more intimate feel of long banquet tables? Both options can look stunning and are entirely dependent on personal preference.
The type of marquee you choose can also add a distinct flair to your day. Whether you’re drawn to the rustic charm of a traditional canvas marquee, the elegant look of a sailcloth marquee or the versatility of clearspan marquees your choice will lay the foundation for the aesthetic of your celebration.
When it comes to flooring, think about options like carpeted floors, coir matting, or wooden flooring. At Pynes House, we ask that all marquees have a hard wooden floor, such as carpeted or left as wood. We believe this offers the best surface for both dinner and dancing, ensuring you can wholeheartedly immerse yourself in the festivities.
Don’t forget to factor in elements like lighting, décor, hanging points for decorations, and wet weather contingency plans. If this process feels overwhelming, remember that your chosen marquee company can provide guidance. They’ve likely encountered various challenges and preferences in the past and can advise on what will work best for your unique vision.
Lastly, it’s vital to get different quote options from marquee suppliers, comparing the inclusions and prices to ensure you’re making an informed choice. Consider everything from the base structure to the minute details to ensure your marquee wedding is as magical as you’ve always imagined it to be. Always remember, our Pynes House team is readily available to assist and provide advice. With our extensive experience from past marquee weddings, we can offer valuable insights, ensuring every detail aligns perfectly with your vision.
Choosing Your Marquee Company
After deciding on the design, style, and practicalities of your marquee wedding, the next crucial step is picking the right marquee supplier.
When choosing a marquee supplier for your big day, it’s essential to take your time and do your due diligence. We’ve written a whole post about choosing your wedding suppliers here, but you’ll need to do even more research before you start shortlisting. Begin by reading through reviews and testimonials from other couples. A thorough scroll through their social media pages can also give you a sense of their work quality and style.
Once you’ve shortlisted a few potential suppliers, reach out to them with your requirements, preferred dates, and guest numbers. Establishing clear communication from the start will ensure a smoother planning process.
At Pynes House, we’re privileged to have worked with some of the finest marquee wedding suppliers in the South West, such as Hatch Marquees, Marldon Marquees, and Penrose Marquees. We can vouch for their impeccable service and quality, providing you with trusted recommendations to make your selection process much more easier.
Streamlining Supplier Coordination for Your Marquee Wedding
When orchestrating a marquee wedding, effective communication between your suppliers is crucial. As you juggle various logistical aspects, it’s important to ensure that all suppliers are on the same page. This goes beyond just coordinating timings; understanding the specific needs of each supplier, from power requirements to set-up times, is paramount.
Instead of acting as the middle man, facilitate direct communication between your caterer, florist, and marquee supplier. Given that there will be multiple questions regarding access times, dimensions, hanging points for floral installations, and more, this direct line of communication can streamline the planning process.
Luxury marquee weddings at Pynes House
Nestled amid the scenic hills, Pynes House boasts an expansive lawn area that paints a picture of luxury and elegance. Our gardens, kissed by the scent of roses and punctuated by the soothing sounds of water fountains, provide an idyllic backdrop for your marquee wedding. Many of our couples treasure the experience of exchanging vows in the historic main house before transitioning to the marquee for their wedding breakfast or the evening festivities. And as the day’s celebrations come to a close, you and your guests can retreat to the comfort of our 12 lavish guest bedrooms.
Ready to explore how Pynes House could host your perfect marquee celebration? Contact our team to arrange a venue tour and discuss your wedding plans in detail!
Image Credits: Image 1 by Sarah Lauren Photography | Image 2 by Miss Gen Photography | Image 3 by Keith Riley Photography | Image 4 by Miss Gen Photography | Image 5 by Keith Riley Photography | Image 6 by Sarah Lauren Photography | Image 7 by Bianco Giles Photography | Image 8 & 9 by Keith Riley Photography