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With the British weather so unpredictable, hiring a marquee for your wedding or event is a good option. Although they have been criticised for being drab, marquees now come in different colours, with various additional features that transform what is essentially a big tent, into a wonderful reception venue.

The trouble with hiring a marquee is that most people don’t know where to start. How do you decide on the size and style and what about electricity or torrential rain?

Our marquee guide makes the whole process of organising an event with a tent relatively simple.

Size does matter

When choosing a marquee you need to make sure that it will fit in the allocated space and it has enough room for eating, mingling and dancing. It also needs to be able to accommodate everyone without making them feel crowded or ostracised. Speak to the marquee company about expected numbers, as well as how you want to organise the layout of the marquee, and ask for their recommendations.

Don’t faff

Marquees are growing in popularity so you may need to book them several months in advance, especially if your wedding or event takes place in the summer. Most companies will offer a free site visit to assess your needs and will need a deposit to secure the marquee for your chosen date.

Floor your guests

Women tend to wear heels to weddings and events, so leaving the grass exposed (particularly if it’s wet) may not be a good idea. Most marquee hire companies offer parquet flooring, carpet or matting so think about the plan for the event - if there’s dancing involved then a wooden style floor may be best.

Light up the room

If your wedding or event takes place in winter or in the evening, lighting is crucial. You may want chandeliers, fairy lights or torches, so see what’s included with the marquee. If you need particularly extravagant lighting, you may need to hire a generator.

Timing is key

A marquee is usually put up a few days before the event and left up for a few days after. This allows all other suppliers to bring and remove flowers/furniture/equipment etc. Make sure that you time everything so that you don’t have everyone turning up at once.

John Lewis Wedding Insurance

Planning a wedding or event can be stressful, so get peace of mind and make sure your marquee is covered. Taking out marquee insurance ensures that if something does happen, everything will be taken care of.

John Lewis Insurance offers optional Marquee Cover for weddings and events in the UK so if something happens to your marquee, such as vandalism or damage, you’ll be compensated.

We will cover your marquee for up to three days after it’s erected, but if you would like to extend your Marquee Cover, please contact us on 0845 078 7527.

John Lewis Wedding or Event Insurance will also protect you against supplier failure, so if the marquee company goes bankrupt, we can offer cover towards the cost of finding a replacement.

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We have carefully selected Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc to underwrite John Lewis Wedding Insurance.

Terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply.

John Lewis Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis plc. Registered office: 171 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5NN. Registered in England (No. 233462). John Lewis plc is an appointed representative of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc. John Lewis Wedding Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc (No. 93792). Registered in England and Wales at St. Mark's Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XL. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Calls may be recorded and monitored.