Gary
With a wide variety of marquees available for hire you’d be forgiven for being bamboozled by choice as you organise your wedding, party or event. In order to help, we’ve created a brief guide to some of the most common types of marquee on the rental market.
Frame tent marquees
Ideal for: Almost any event! Particularly high end, wow factor weddings, parties and corporate events.
Pros: Modular, adaptable structures that can be built in almost any location; can be used year around; no internal poles and no guy ropes; can be used in conjunction with other marquee types, such as pagodas, to create interesting structures.
Cons: Should be lined internally to hide metal framework.
Frame Tent Marquees are extremely versatile, unlike ‘Trads’ they have no internal obstructions as they are built with an aluminium frame with
a PVC covering over the top. Frame tents can be kept simple or they can be used to create spectacular spaces.
Frame tents can be used to create house extension marquees (Which we’ll talk about later in this blog) or can be used in unusual or awkward spaces, on hard surfaces, tiered gardens, on tennis courts or even built over swimming pools or ponds. They have extendable legs, meaning that areas of the marquee could be built at different heights to accommodate steps or tiers in gardens.
Frame Tent with Pagodas
For the wow factor, frame tents can be built onto a solid, raised floor called Ringbeam. Ringbeam is ideal for very uneven surfaces, or for building over pools and ponds.
Lifestyle marquees can create frame tent marquees with clear glass or PVC wall panels, glass doors and clear PVC roof panels and are to create entirely clear marquees.
Did you know: Lifestyle marquees’s Frame Tents are rated to withstand gusts of wind of up to 80 MPH!
House extension marquees
Ideal for: Creating extra space.
Pros: Cost effective; creates the wow factor, versatile.
Cons: Looks best when lined to hide internal metal framework.
Okay, so a house extension marquee is essentially a variation of the frame tent, but it’s a very clever way to create additional event space without going the whole hog and hiring a larger, free standing marquee.
If you want to host an event at home but can’t quite accommodate all of 
the guests or activities, a marquee extension attached to your property is a great way of creating the extra space you need.
As House Extension marquees are created using a Frame Tent structure they are perfect regardless of whether you want to create an intimate dining area for 20 people or a funky nightclub that guests can discover the moment they walk through your patio doors.
Wooden floor and carpet, along with heating, lighting and electrics can 
make a House Extension Marquee really feel like a seamless extension of your home.
Tip: House extensions work perfectly when built across bi-fold doors.
Traditional pole marquees
Ideal for: Vintage, country, shabby-chic or rustic themed weddings or events.
Pros: Relaxed; traditional vibe; do not need lining or flooring; can be cheaper than other marquee types.
Cons: Poles can be seen as a feature or an obstacle; may not suit contemporary events; can’t be used on solid surfaces; they should not be used during winter months.
When people think of a marquee they probably picture a traditional pole tent. Canvas pole tents are held up by large internal wooden poles along the centre line, supported by guy ropes around the marquee exterior. Because they don’t require interior metal framework ‘Trads’ don’t need to be lined – ideal if you want a relaxed look and because they don’t need to be lines they are easy on the pocket too.
Did you know: Lifestyle marquees manufacture their own Traditional Pole Tents in house.
Chinese Hat marquees
Ideal for: Garden parties; as decorative entrances; breakout areas or reception spaces.
Pros: Beautiful, aesthetically pleasing structures; ideal for creating the wow factor.
Cons: Although they can be used to create beautiful space for small garden parties, pagodas are ideally suited for use as decorative add-ons such as reception areas or breakout spaces.
Whether added to a larger marquee or used as a standalone structure, a 
Chinese Hat marquee (also referred to as a pagoda marquee) has the ability to add elegance and personality to any event.
Chinese Hat Pagodas are ideal when used to create an entrance or reception space, their relatively small footprint makes them ideal for use as a chill out or seating area for guests.
Tip: Add a series of pagodas across the entire length of a Frame Tent Marquee to really make a statement at your event.
Stretch tents
Ideal for: Festival parties; ultra modern events , informal events; events where a simple covered space is required.
Pros: Cool and modern; fairly flexible.
Cons: Sloping sides can limit usable internal space; internal poles and external guy ropes; not ideal during the colder months as they are harder to close off to the elements.
Every Stretch tent has its own unique aesthetic as they are created by stretching fabric across a series of internal metal poles with external guy 
ropes pulling the material tight and holding the marquee in place.
Because the internal poles are placed in different locations each time, every installation is slightly different, meaning an individual look and feel is created for every client.
Stretch tents look great when used to create an open-sided canopy and they are a perfect solution when the weather is warm and dry, though perhaps not the best option during the colder winter months.
