Tips for daytime party marquees:

Furniture:

Unlike marquees furniture is often too expensive to buy so hiring is usually the best solution
For a formal atmosphere use larger round tables (5ft for seating 8/9, 5ft6in for seating 10)
Use a mixture of smaller tables to create an informal atmosphere (see this article on seating)
You can get away with fitting more people in a marquee for a party than for a wedding, a wedding requires more space but you can squeeze people up a bit at parties.
A marquee can hold more people standing than seated (generally around 1.5 times the number seated) but it's always worth having some seats in rows against the sides of a marquee even if you are leaving the middle completely clear for standing (or using it as a dance floor area)
For formal seating remember an easel for table plans (or two for larger functions)
Furniture is often scattered around outside the marquee so a weatherproof chair option is popular (white plastic bistro chairs for example)
Ideally have a marquee just large enough to house everyone (even if it very cramped) just in case of sudden downpours.

Dance Floors:

Dance floors are only usually required at evening functions

Other:

With our DIY Marquees if it is light outside it will be light inside so for a daytime only function lighting is not usually required.
In October to April you will need to heat the marquee (see this article on heating your marquee)- have the heating on for an hour before people arrive to ensure they walk in to a wall of warmth
In May to September you might need a heater just to take the chill off in the seating area later in the evening
Think of how your guests will arrive - a simple path of carpet with flower pots makes an attractive and inviting entrance to the marquee
You would normally allow one toilet per 40-60 guests. If you don't have enough available then consider hiring in a luxury toilet unit In general there is less drinking and therefore you require less toilet facilities for daytime only parties.

We are always happy to offer more customised advice for your event, please contact us giving a few details of the event you are planning (type of event, space available, number of guests and diagrams/photographs of the site if possible) and we will be more than happy to advise on your options.

If you would like to use or quote any part of this article please contact us for permission or licencing.