What size marquee do you need for your guest count?

Sizing a marquee wrong is one of the most common and most expensive event planning mistakes, because you either pay for space you did not need or run out of room on the day. The good news is the sizing rule of thumb is straightforward once you know it.

As a rough guide, allow about one square metre per person for a cocktail, stand-up event, and closer to one and a half to two square metres per person for a seated dinner with tables and chairs. A seated wedding for 100 guests, for example, generally needs a noticeably bigger footprint than a cocktail function for the same headcount, because tables, chairs and walkways all take up floor space that a stand-up crowd does not.

Then add for everything that is not guest seating. A bar, a buffet or catering station, a dance floor (from $300), a DJ or band area, and gift and cake tables all take a bite out of the usable floor space, so factor them in before you settle on a size, not after.

Give the hire company your final headcount and event style rather than a guess, and let them size the structure. A marquee (from $450) is quoted on the frame size and the extras, walls, clear roof panels, lining and flooring, so getting the brief right the first time avoids a costly resize close to the date.

Round up rather than down if your numbers are still moving. A slightly larger marquee costs less than a last-minute upsize once RSVPs land, and it gives you breathing room if a few extra guests confirm late.

Party Hire Near Me matches you with local hire companies who can size a marquee properly from your guest count and event style. Tell us the job and we send you the numbers, free, and you book direct.