Has anyone had/is having a tented reception??!! What worked, what didn't??

@Jamie, definitely keeping the tent. And if for some reason we decide to continue with the tent, we may put down a deposit on a venue anyways in case of weather.

A friend of mine had a backyard/tent wedding -- beyond the dance floor be aware of the ground in general! It rained for 3 days straight before hers & her family/friends ended up doing some engineering the morning of the wedding with plywood and sandbags for under the tent.

I am having a tented wedding. We found a rental company that does wedding packages based on the number of guests. It is $3500 and includes tent (with siding), tables, chairs, dance floor, linens, lighting, setup, take down. We will still need port a potties and a generator. I also am going to talk to them about pricing to have a ceremony tent for back up in case of rain. When I first spoke with my DOC, I asked if her and her assistant would be willing to move ceremony chairs to the reception during cocktail hour because there is no way I am paying for twice the amount of chairs. She agreed and was hired.

ETA: @Rachel thank you for posting on these tent/backyard threads. Your insight was very helpful when I was researching rental companies

Two words: Wedding planner.

Hi Lauren,

A tented wedding can look exceptionally well and in most cases much better than a venue, if done properly. And if you hire a reputable tent/event rental company, you won't run into any issues, but rather a collaborative approach.

In a nutshell, tenting and it's accessories can add up very quickly! I will try to keep this as simple as possible, but if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out.

1. Permitting (fire/zoning) approval. Every jurisdiction is different and you will want to consult your tent rental company for the latest municipal codes. In most instances, anything over 400 sq.ft or 20' x 20' will require some kind of permitting.

2. The type of tent. Canopy, high-peak, frame tent, tension pole, structure, saddle span and tidewater are just some of the available tents out there. Each tent offers a different advantage when compared to the next. For instance, frame tents can be installed in width of 5ft-to-40ft to where a structure-type tent has width ranging from 10ft-to-200ft and is engineered and can withstand winds up to 80 mph!

3. Type of anchoring- every tent MUST be anchored! This is most commonly done in one of two ways. Stakes-- are driven up to 48" inches into the ground per tent leg. This will ultimately be determined by the soil condition, duration of the rental and type of tent. More importantly, your tent rental company will need to make sure that there are no underground power lines, sewer pipes, etc underneath. The last thing you want is for a sewer line to be penetrated and ruin the venue. The second method is concrete. The downside to concrete is the amount required to safely anchor a tent requires a separate delivery and in some cases heavy machinery to move.

4. The size of the tent.

5. If the ground is leveled. If not, it's not a problem but it will add to your cost since you now have to sub-floor it and cover it with carpeting, hardwood floors or other method.

6. Tent accessories-- from vinyl walls to glass walls, white top to clear tops, sliding curtains to double doors, tent liners to tent pole covers, draping, HVAC units to powered heaters and fans the accessorizes available are near endless much like the cost.

6. Lighting- If your picturing EDC rave in Vegas with moving heads, LCD screens and computer controlled mood lighting, a structure type tent may be required as it has capability (pay load) of mounting truss-systems on the tent ceiling. A frame tent can only handle so much weight on its 2" aluminum frame.

7. Delivery, labor (installation and breakdown), MISC fees. Using a rental company that offers tents plus rentals will help limit these fees.

Hopefully you aren't discouraged as all of this can be seem daunting. There are many ways to go about this and consulting with both your event planner and tent rental company are the best pieces of advice I can recommend for you. At the end of the day, they will have your best interest in mind.

Here are a few final tips:

1. Don't just compare overall prices! Compare type of tent and value as not all tents are created equal. In our area, there are companies who will rent a 20'x20' for 65% less than others. When we see said tents at clients home, they're actually carports that can be bought at your local hardware or sporting good store. This may be great if you're having a backyard BBQ but not your wedding.

2. Ask how your tent will be secured. You don't want to end up on the news for having am unsecured tent that was lifted away by wind. Again, different type of tents for every occasion and region.

3. Inquire about emergency situations and evacuation plans. Evacuation? Scary right. Well, ALL tents are temporary structures and should NOT be used as shelter! Every great tent rental company will have an a detailed plan laid out with each tent rental.

4. Ask what their cancellation policy for tents is like.

Happy planning and feel free to reach out.

Wow @DavidS thanks so much! That was a lot of great tips!

You're welcome, Lauren and Pickles Glad to help. It can be done, but it can be difficult; just make sure you cover ALL aspects, and there are a lot!

I too am having a backyard wedding, so I am much appreciative of all the suggestions and tips.