Tented weddings are widely popular, especially for backyard weddings. Choosing the perfect tent though can be overwhelming. There are just so many to choose from! Questions you may have are how big of a tent do I need for my guest count, where can I rent a tent, what kind of tent do I need? Hopefully we can help you out, and make sure you feel more confident in choosing the perfect tent.
First lets talk about the kind of tents you have to choose from. There are Pole/Canopy tents which look like this
. This is the cheaper option and as you can see it still looks nice. A tent like this that sits 135-169 starts around $660 to rent. You can also add in clear walls like this one has and midsections for an additional cost. You also can’t set this tent up on concrete or asphalt because it needs to be staked into the ground. These tents mostly get put onto grass surfaces. There is also a pole (or several) in the middle of the tent that you can decorate with tulle, lights, vines, etc. The poles can cause problems when it comes to floor plans. You will have to pay attention to where you put tables so they aren’t in the way of people seeing what is going on.
Their is also a Clear span/Frame tent which is better for weddings but twice as expansive to rent. 
This tent gives a clean look and is more formal than the canopy option. It’s able to be put on any kind of surface and there are no poles in the middle that would cause a problem with your room design. The cost is about double the price of a pole tent. For the guest count of 135-169 it starts around $1329.
Next, how big of a tent do you need? It all depends on your guest count so I will give you two different sizes for you to get a better understanding. A guest count of 135-169 is a tent size of 30′x45′ for and for 180-225 you need a tent 30′x60′. That size does not factor in a band, side tables, buffet lines etc. so make sure you work with a rental company that can provide a diagram (to scale!) of how the tent will look set up. More common sizes of tents for weddings, due to additional tables and space requirements, are 40′x80′ and 40′x100′.
There are a lot of tent rental companies out there, the two we use a lot are Colonial Events in Troy, and Delux Tents in Belleville. One thing I think you need to know when planning a tented event is that they are NOT cheaper than going to a venue. Everything you need adds up: tables, chairs, bathrooms, food preparation areas, lighting, and maybe parking attendants. However, I really believe that they are also some of the most beautiful events TwoFoot Creative has ever done!
