Marquee VS Stretch Tent Hire - Which Is Best For Your Wedding?

Stretch tent + Mikata Festival Decor = The dream

The world of event tent hire is an ever-growing one, as modern tenting structures continue to introduce new and improved ways to host outdoor Weddings, Festivals, corporate or private event hire in the UK. With so many options now available, it can be harder than ever to decide which one is best suited to you and your event. So, acting as a bit of a follow-up to our original post comparing Tipis and Marquees, instead, we’ve pitted the Marquee against the Stretch Tent, which differs greatly from the Tipi both structurally and aesthetically, so bring on the Marquee VS Stretch Tent show match! If you want to know a little bit more about Stretch Tents, their origin, or what available ones we have for hire, keep an eye out for a blog post in the coming months covering that.

Aesthetically, both tents couldn’t be further apart from each other, leaning heavily on different structural designs, making the Marquee generally closed off, whilst a Stretch is more open - depending on the configuration. Interestingly enough, this then makes the presentation of both tents reflect the level of formality you may or may not be going for at your wedding, with the Stretch Tent being more akin to a picturesque beer garden, whilst a Marquee is more along the lines of a silver-spoon restaurant or formal venue space. 

In terms of practicality, both tents are fairly matched - either tent performs well in weatherproofing, with a decent ability to house a respectable number of guests, as well as a variety of shapes and sizes to fit your Wedding needs. However, where the Stretch Tent shines over the Marquee is its flexibility of layouts and its ability to largely ignore uneven terrain. Whereas a Marquee generally is a lot more rigid by design, making it harder to slot into snug event spaces or awkwardly shaped gardens. This means if your wedding or private event were to be hosted in your back garden or a more confined venue, it may not always be the ideal option. 

UK Wedding Marquee set up

There is a slight double-edged sword I should mention about the weatherproofing that both structures bring to an event. Due to the Stretch Tent’s open sides compared to the mainly closed sides of a Marquee, the Stretch Tent tends to have more airflow on hot summer days, this isn’t to say it’s not going to be roasting under it, because it absolutely still can be, but compared to the lack of airflow a Marquee brings, it may make more sense to hire the first than the latter during warmer periods. However, this therefore means the Marquee has better resistance against rain and wind, which, knowing English weather, is a very valuable thing. But that’s not to say the Stretch Tent isn’t waterproof, but having open sides means rain and wind can still get through, depending on your Stretch Tent configuration and setup.

Now, if you’re still on the fence and struggling to decide, what it all realistically boils down to at the end of the day is pricing. Generally speaking, UK Stretch Tent prices tend to be cheaper (excluding the extras, like décor, lighting, etc) when compared to Wedding or private hire Marquees. Some companies may have better competitive prices on either side of the fence, and sometimes the difference might not be huge, depending on the size and package you choose, but that is generally the consensus across the UK event hire market.

With all that said and done, if you’re still not sure what to pick, I guess I can give you my two cents to help you on your way. When it comes to weatherproofing, I feel the difference is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things, as neither one clearly wins, and the same goes for the flexibility of tackling event field space, as realistically you wouldn’t hire a Marquee bigger than the allotted space you have. What I believe is that your choice should heavily depend on what kind of atmosphere you’re looking for in a wedding, as I personally think it feels more formal to have a Marquee compared to the more relaxed and social space under a Stretch Tent. However, that may not necessarily be true for you, but for me, that’s the biggest deciding factor between the two. 

So there you have it, whilst there may not be a completely clear-cut winner, I hope that helps with your further endeavours in planning the big day. Whether you prefer the formal elegance of a Marquee or the relaxed atmosphere of a Stretch Tent, both are fantastic options within the UK Wedding and event hire space. If you would like us to compare Stretch Tents, Marquees and Tipis through a more general lens across the wider UK event hire industry, including Festivals, private events and the rest, let us know!