The Marquee Experience
All A & A Marquees are of traditional canvas. We do not use PVC.
When choosing a marquee there are several factors that need to be taken into account with regard to its size and shape. Getting this right is crucial to the success of any event and no matter how large or small the marquee A & A Marquees see this as our number one priority – to make sure that your marquee fully meets your requirements.
Firstly, the venue itself. Are there any size restrictions for the marquee due to the size, shape and location of the venue?
Secondly, the number of guests to be accommodated. For wedding functions both reception and evening numbers need to be considered. We are able to accommodate guests numbers from 10 to 700+.
Thirdly, seating arrangements. Will all your guests be seated at the same time or will the function be slightly less formal? For example a buffet.
Fourthly, will a dance floor and/or staging be required?
Lastly, will any catering, bar or reception area be needed within the main body of the marquee or will any extra (smaller) caterers’/bar/welcome annex marquees be necessary?
When first planning your function some of the required information may not yet be available. A & A Marquees will however be able to help and provide advice. We are more than happy to visit you at your proposed venue and discuss marquee possibilities with you. Visits are provided without obligation.
We are also able to provide you with computer aided design (CAD) drawings. The drawings are to scale and display internal layout suggestions for the marquee. Following a site visit these can be further enhanced to show the marquee in situ at your chosen venue. Again this will allow you to gain a feeling of size and space both internally and externally. CAD drawings are provided again without obligation to yourself.
A number of additions and changes can be made to the marquee to meet your specific requirements.
One or more window sections can be added to the marquee to add light and allow guests to enjoy the surrounding gardens and/or view. Window sections can be 10 foot or 20 foot in length.
A welcome porch
can be added, with or without sides. A welcome porch normally
varies in size from 6 foot x 10 foot to 20 foot x 20 foot, although larger sizes
are available. 
A catering or bar tent can be added to the main marquee either directly or via a connecting awning. Sizes are dependent on your specific needs but generally tend to be 10 foot x 10 foot or 20 foot x 10 foot in size.
Emergency exits and lighting can be incorporated into the marquee should you require.
Wooden or aluminium doors can be fitted to the marquee entrance or emergency exits. They can be single, double or French doors. Worth considering during the cooler months of the year.
During your function you will wish to make your guests feel comfortable. To ensure that the event is a complete success you will neither want the marquee to be too small nor too big. At A & A we have experience in both smaller more intimate functions through to large ceremonial events such as Asian weddings. The table below is provided as a very rough guide to the number of guests that can be accommodated by the various sized marquees.
| Marquee Size | Guests all seated at tables | Buffet meal - some seated at tables | At chairs only | ||
| 20' x 20' | 30 | - | 40 | 50 | 70 |
| 30' x 20' | 40 | - | 60 | 70 | 100 |
| 40' x 20' | 50 | - | 80 | 90 | 130 |
| 60' x 20' | 70 | - | 110 | 130 | 210 |
| 30' x 30' | 50 | - | 70 | 90 | 140 |
| 50' x 30' | 80 | - | 100 | 140 | 220 |
| 70' x 30' | 110 | - | 150 | 210 | 330 |
| 40' x 40' | 90 | - | 110 | 150 | 250 |
| 60' x 40' | 100 | - | 150 | 220 | 400 |
| 80' x 40' | 140 | - | 200 | 290 | 600 |
| 100' x 40' | 150 | - | 280 | 370 | 740 |
| 120' x 40' | 200 | - | 340 | 450 | 870 |
| 140' x 40' | 270 | - | 400 | 530 | 1000 |
| 160' x 40' | 300 | - | 460 | 630 | 1150 |
| 180' x 40' | 400 | - | 520 | 740 | 1350 |
Marquees are either of a traditional construction with central wooden poles and wooden side standards or constructed of a galvanised steel frame. Marquees 30 foot and over in width are all of traditional construction. See table above for clarification. All A & A marquees and linings are flame retardant to BS 7837/BS 5867/BS 5438 British Safety specifications.
Your marquee can look great with no lining at all.
However, for that special occasion a lining can be the icing on the cake. At A & A Marquees we can offer you the choice of an ivory lining or midnight blue lining. Linings can be used in conjunction with our pea-lighting or fibre optic lighting to give a star field effect.
Your marquee can look great with no floor covering at all. However, the success of this approach will depend firstly on the ground below and also on the weather. We will be more than happy to advise on this aspect.
Should you decide to go for a floor covering then the most popular option is
natural coconut matting. This option comes with a separate damp proof membrane
below. It is stretched and pinned into position an
d
then all joints taped with sympathetically coloured adhesive tape. The tape
reduces movement in the matting and leaves it with a far superior finish to
matting that is simply pinned and stretched.
Timber flooring is a second option you may wish to consider. This provides a high quality finished floor for that extra special occasion. A third option is to carpet the main body of the marquee. This option is not suitable for all circumstances and generally needs to be used in conjunction with the timber flooring. The exhibition grade carpeting is available in a range of colours and all carpet is bought new for each client. The finished effect of a level, colour co-ordinated, carpeted floor may just be the extra touch that you are looking for.
