Everything You Need to Know About Having a Tented Wedding—Straight from the Experts
Because not all tent weddings are created equal.
An outdoor wedding is often not complete without at least the option of a tent. For many garden affairs, the tent is the focal point of the ceremony, reception, or both. Tents can come in all shapes and sizes, and your event's style, environment, and guest count will determine the type of wedding tent needed. Your wedding planner and/or event designer will help make the right call and weigh your options, from sailcloth to ClearSpan to glass. The season plays a major role in identifying the tent for you as well; a clear-top tent in high summer won't keep your flowers fresh, and an open-air tent in the winter can be a challenge to heat.
With post-lockdown events ushering in the rise of all-outdoor celebrations, we've tapped some of the top names in planning and design for all the information, ideas, and inspiration you'll need when planning a tented ceremony, reception, or after-party.
Consider the Non-Negotiables
Just like when building a home, flooring is an absolute must when planning a tented, outdoor affair. It might be tempting to exclude the foundation of your tent in favor of the grass beneath it to manage your budget, but cutting that cost will likely cause countless last-minute expenses and additions. "I won't work in an unfloored tent. I used to many years ago—and [I] learned my lesson. People worry about rain but neglect to think about mud and mess from the ground, which can be disastrous [for you and your guests]," BAZAAR top wedding planner Marcy Blum says.
Hosting an event in a tent is essentially building a space from scratch. "Lighting, ceiling, and sidewall treatments are all more important than usual when you are hosting a wedding in a tent," Blum explains. "[It's] particularly important if [you're having] an evening event, because it will be dark outside with no scenery visible—even with the sides open. If the sides are down without any draping or decor, the ambiance is akin to being in a plastic bag." Consider this when making venue decisions; renting a plot of land to install a tent requires ample time to construct and decorate, as well as break down after the fact. You'll also want to preserve significant budget and energy for the decor; when designing a tent wedding, you'll be selecting the floors, walls, and more—in addition to your flowers and tabletops.
The Tent Essentials
It may seem simple to put up a tent, but there are many types of structures to choose from, both domestically and abroad. "Clear top, where the sky can be seen through the ceiling; white top, where the ceiling is opaque; sailcloth, where poles come to a point in the ceiling for a more dramatic look; and greenhouse, which feels more like a residential structure, are tent styles we use the most—but we don't play favorites when it comes to the type of tent," Lynn Easton of Easton Events says. Every tent has a vibe, and the look you're going for should play a large role in choosing which style you'll tap for your event.
"Tents are often considered 'backup plans' for inclement weather, but, funnily enough, that is not our approach," Easton says. "We love the way a tent defines the space and helps create a sense of place; it provides the bones to create an extraordinary event."
Easton encourages that couples approach tents as an interior designer would: building them from the ground and designing with a residential eye. At a tent wedding, "use color, different table types, dramatic band backdrops, and never forget to make a statement with the stage fascia and the dance floor!" No matter how many fabulous custom pieces you have in your tent, lighting is the most important element to truly make everything cohesive and gorgeous.
Bring the Outside In: ClearSpan Tents
At its core, a tent is simply a wide-open space; when planning to wed in one, aim to create the same warmth and ambiance outside as you would indoors. "I always feel that a party should feel intimate, where there is enough space but never too much," Rishi Patel of HMR Designs, a BAZAAR top designer, says. "Of course COVID changed all of that for us over the last year and a half. It's important to think about how to make a tent that's socially distanced and safe feel like a timeless and well laid-out wedding."
As for how to create that ambiance, Patel considers the tent type before the design, capping off the look with installations (like the orchid chandelier pictured here) and flooring that mimics interior or landscape design. "My love for a fully transformational event generally has me gravitating towards a ClearSpan tent," he says. "The great part of ClearSpan tents is that you have the ability to choose a gorgeous clear top or an opaque top if shade is necessary."
The Glass Tent
When it comes to finding a tent abroad, we're only slightly obsessed with the glass tent. These greenhouse-esque structures are currently only legal to install abroad and are ideal for a couple looking to continue the romantic architecture of a European chateau or villa in the gardens of that same space.
Rachel Birthistle and Taimar Birthistle-Cooke of The Lake Como Wedding Planner tapped this marquee for Chris Hessney and Simon Miall's Lake Como wedding, pictured here. "What I thought was amazing was that it was just so decadent to use this amazing tent—a glass structure that's probably as robust as a house that took days to put up—and have it fully decorated just for dinner," Miall says of the couple's reception tent.
"Most wedding tents are used for cocktails, dessert, and dancing afterward, but ours was more about creating this one experience where you come in, eat, leave, and then never see it again, which felt really cool and over-the-top," Hessney, founder and creative director of Hessney & Co., says.
Building Something from Nothing
Rather than walking into a rented space and working with its preexisting architecture and design, "a tent is a blank canvas that sets the stage for the imagination to run wild," Steve Moore of Sinclair and Moore says. "You can create any world that you want within the walls of a tent. From adding chandeliers, hanging installations, walls, windows, doors, and floors that fit the aesthetic of the event to all of the tabletop textures, soft seating lounges, bars, and more."
"A tent eliminates the need to compete with challenging patterned carpet and off-colored walls of standard ballrooms, or any preexisting light fixtures, art, and structural components that can be difficult to design around. A tent also defines the perimeter of the space and creates boundaries that pulls guests into the celebration," Moore adds.
"If a client is looking for something timeless, classic, and formal, I might work with them on a tent that has a billowy liner on the ceiling that hides structural components," Moore says. "I might choose a clear-top tent if my client is drawn to a more modern look or if we want to showcase how beautiful the view around the property is. A sailcloth tent might be used for something that feels more organic and natural. I compare choosing a tent to choosing the kind of home you would consider purchasing. The tent style sets the tone for the decor design details to follow."
Get the Weather Report
For Ashley Mason of Saunter Weddings, there are three things to keep in mind when considering a tented event: the season, the environment, and, of course, your style. "Anytime the location boasts stunning views of nature, opt for a tent that lets everyone take it in. Translucent ceilings with open walls welcome the beauty of the outdoors inside. However, full clear tents on hot summer days can feel like you’re sitting in a humid greenhouse. But if your event is planned for the cool of evening, it’s the perfect setting to take in the stars.
"For those who love full drapery or grand ceiling installations, structured tents are best. They can hold the weight of a design installation and provide insulation in colder seasons. Sailcloth tents are light, airy, and lean in to the breezy weather of coastal and garden weddings. They're great for letting in lots of natural rays to brighten up your space too. Seasonality is key; you'll rarely see a sailcloth tent in the middle of winter. The tent should be consistent with the theme, suit the setting and the weather, and add to the design storyline."
The Tent Alternatives
Joy Proctor suggests designing beautiful outdoor events—without actually using a tent at all. "Tents have traditionally been used for protection from the weather, but they also offer the opportunity to add design elements at a higher focal point than otherwise possible. To keep the 'alfresco' outdoorsy vibe, I often [opt] for elegant wooden structures instead, often draped in fabric and adorned with flowers.
"To create a truly bespoke feel, use the wooden structure as a decor feature, rather than just a structural element. Match the color of the wood to your venue, like the event pictured here. For this reception, we hung four floral chandeliers covered in David Austin Roses from the beams and draped the entire ceiling to provide a respite from the heat for guests." This has the look and feel of a tent—without the predictable structure of one.
Heather Hall is a weddings, fashion, and lifestyle writer and editor. Her career in weddings began at The Knot, where she worked as a bridal fashion editor. She then worked as a PR Manager at Amsale, a bridal design house, before starting her own events and digital marketing business. She has been featured on Today.com, MSN.com, Yahoo.com, Racked.com, Huffington Post, Verily Magazine, and Style Me Pretty. Heather loves music, travel, and practicing yoga. In her spare time she's typically researching the next fun workout class to try, or finding a new concert to attend. Her latest goal: become a DJ.
Carrie Goldberg is HarpersBAZAAR.com’s Weddings & Travel Director. She oversees the site’s BAZAAR Bride channel, travel & dining content, and styles fashion and bridal editorials for BAZAAR.com. When she’s not traveling, she spends her free time in her hometown–New York City–where there is no shortage of new places to shop, eat, drink, see and explore.
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