Marquee Wedding?

Milly Milou

Hi :-) My partner and I plan on getting married next August. We're having a Humanist Wedding Ceremony with 120 guests but are a little unsure about the reception. We want to have a marquee at home. We have the space, have the man-power ( woman-power ) to prepare food for that amount of people but what I am worried about is how it goes once we arrive back to the house. We plan on a three station service area so the guests are not standing around in a queue for long. But once this part is done I'm a bit unsure about the rest of it?
Have any of you have any experience of this? How many staff would I need for clearing plates and serving teas and coffee? And for the rest of the evening? Do we even serve teas and coffee or set up a station for this too alongside cakes and dessert?
What's the etiquette on the service at the bar? Do we charge a nominal fee per drink or not at all? What's normally done?
In my head I go from loving our plans for a marquee to worrying about how the reception will go. I want it to be as enjoyable as possible for our guests.
Thanks in advance :-)

westernlass

I work in the wedding industry and the general advice with a marquee wedding is to hire an on the day planner. Venues generally come with a wedding coordinator but you miss this with the marquee set up. It'll take a lot of stress from you and probably save you money as they know how things will work to sort things out in advance.

Birdsong

Agree totally with poster above, so many extras that you won't think of, you will need to hire portaloos core that number, heaters, it's gets cold in august at night. Need place to park cars etc. Wedding won't be much cheaper than hotel

lazygal

My parents were at an at home marquee wedding. It had good and bad points. The couple said if they were doing it again they'd have done a non marquee wedding because it was so stressful and difficult to organise. The honour system for drinks didn't work and the food service was chaotic. A friend of mine had a marquee wedding, did a free bar all day and night and hired catering staff and a wedding planner. It cost a lot more than a hotel wedding but you could tell it was a very well planned affair.

fits

My sister had a marquee wedding 15 years ago in our parents garden. It was an enormous undertaking. Everyone who attended says it was best wedding ever (including me) but none of us would ever ever take it on again. I got married recently and was mighty relieved i didnt have much to worry about organising in the run up to it. There are so many cool venues in ireland now that will give you a great day. Id think very hard aboutvtaking this on.

Milly Milou

Thank you all for your replies :-) Yesterday we worked out the pros and cons of a Marquee v a Hotel Wedding. We really want to have the Marquee at home but for the sake of peace of mind of the day ( my sanity ) and also cost ( the Marquee Wedding is working out at least 60% more again on top of the cost of a Hotel Wedding ) we've decided to go with a Hotel Wedding.
Thanks again for your replies :-)

westernlass

Milly Milou wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies :-) Yesterday we worked out the pros and cons of a Marquee v a Hotel Wedding. We really want to have the Marquee at home but for the sake of peace of mind of the day ( my sanity ) and also cost ( the Marquee Wedding is working out at least 60% more again on top of the cost of a Hotel Wedding ) we've decided to go with a Hotel Wedding.
Thanks again for your replies :-)

There's some really cool venues that have marquees set up. Coolbawn quay, annacarriga estate, tinakilly house, lisnavagh house are just a few. Then you get the same deal for less stress or cost

willow tree

Yes friends of ours had a marquee wedding in their garden, it was like a festival, fab but cost them a fortune in time & money. Doolin hotel & doonbeg Have lovely marquee weddings. I know doolin do good packages & the accomadation is gorgeous, excellent staff too & yum food.

clint_silver

kippure estate has a great marquee for smaller numbers. Great spot for a wedding.
castle leslie has one for the larger numbers and more opulent.

or you could ask Jp if he still has his 2 story one up..

http://www.limerickleader.ie/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/music/jp-mcmanus-hosts-party-of-decade-in-adare-for-ap-1-6894832

sweetie

westernlass wrote: »

There's some really cool venues that have marquees set up. Coolbawn quay, annacarriga estate, tinakilly house, lisnavagh house are just a few. Then you get the same deal for less stress or cost

Add to that Ballybeg, the millhouse, seafield.

blinding

My niece was at a Marquee wedding a couple of years ago.

Unfortunately the Irish weather let the day down.

Some of the guests had to leave early because they were freezing.

Marquees are risky in Ireland; Possible severe wind, severe cold and rain that may come in uninvited.

Extreme caution suggested !