Read DIY Marquees advice if you want to start your own business
I meet a lot of people looking to start up a marquee hire business, it is one of the best parts of my job. A lot of people who come in to see me have never worked for themselves and see it as quite an aspiration position. Often the decision has been made to work for themselves long before the idea of marquees came around. And to be honest working for yourself is great, you do have to go in to it with your eyes wide open though and this is something else I often find myself discussing with potential marquee customers.
The first, most important point when starting a new business is having your close family on-board. Getting a business off the ground takes a lot of time, energy and work which would only be rewarded in the medium-long term. It is very difficult to do without the support of those around you. The last thing you want is for your start-up business to seriously affect your relationship (especially if you've married in to a family of solicitors and QC’s!).
The pro’s and cons of starting up your own marquee DIY Party Tents for sale or Pop up Marquees for sale for example (or other) business:
Pros:
- Greater flexibility
- Greater job-satisfaction. Not just because the work you’re doing is for yourself rather than some else or an organisation but because most marquee work is making people happy
- Potentially greater financial reward (it depends on what job you’re giving up of course)
- Greater involvement in all parts of the business. You may have had a job in marketing but in a start-up you’ll be involved/responsible for every different part of the business.
Cons:
- Greater responsibility
- Less financial security (the rewards are potentially greater but there is always the risk of the business not taking off).
And in-between both is a certain blurring of your work/life hours. You can often do non-work things during work time but then you’ll often have to do work related out of hours.
Working for yourself or working in a small business can be a culture shock but ultimately a move most people view well worth it.
A good friend of mine went from working in a huge multinational to a small start-up business. On the second day he was shocked to be told to drop everything as a photocopier had arrived downstairs (they were on the 5th floor) and everyone had to go down and lift it up the stairs. But this is what happens in a small business, everyone has to be prepared to be involved in any part of the business (manual handling or otherwise).
We are always happy to discuss any ideas you may have in starting up your own marquee hire business (or even helping an existing one), we have a lot of experience both in having done it ourselves and in helping many many others over the years.
DIY Marquees have a large selection of marquees for sale
Summer is here and the perfect time of the year to host a fabulous party, whether it’s a wedding, work function or a 21st party DIY Marquees for sale has a marquee for every occasion.
I came across some useful information on DIY Marquees site and thought it relevant to share one particular article as this is useful for any party you wish to host.
Tips for Daytime Party Marquees:
Furniture:
Unlike marquees furniture is often too expensive to buy so hiring is usually the best solution
For a formal atmosphere use larger round tables (5ft for seating 8/9, 5ft6in for seating 10)
Use a mixture of smaller tables to create an informal atmosphere.
You can get away with fitting more people in a marquee for a party than for a wedding, a wedding
Requires more space but you can squeeze people up a bit at parties.
A marquee can hold more people standing than seated (generally around 1.5 times the number seated)
but it's always worth having some seats in rows against the sides of a marquee even if you are
leaving the middle completely clear for standing (or using it as a dance floor area)
For formal seating remember an easel for table plans (or two for larger functions)
Furniture is often scattered around outside the marquee so a weatherproof chair option is popular
(white plastic bistro chairs for example)
Ideally have a marquee just large enough to house everyone (even if it very cramped) in case of
Sudden downpours.
Dance Floors:
Dance floors are only usually required at evening functions
Other:
With our DIY Party Tent if it is light outside it will be light inside so for a daytime only function
lighting is not usually required. In October to April you will need to heat the marquee have
the heating on for an hour before people arrive to ensure they walk in to a wall of warmth
In May to September you might need a heater just to take the chill off in the seating area later
in the evening, think of how your guests will arrive - a simple path of carpet with flower pots
makes an attractive and inviting entrance to the marquee.
You would normally allow one toilet per 40-60 guests. If you don't have enough
available then consider hiring in a luxury toilet unit In general there is less drinking
and therefore you require less toilet facilities for daytime only parties.
UK largest selection of marquees for sale
Do you want to purchase a marquee for your company? Have a look at DIY MARQUEES website and you will find hundreds of marquees for sale and all the information required in making the right decision. From advice on Marquee Flooring to an interactive planner you will find all the advice and answers you are requiring, if not you can contact their friendly team members and they will advise appropriately.
I found this article interesting especially if you are considering a marquee wedding and the advice professional which I decided to share with you:
TIPS FOR WEDDING MARQUEES:
Furniture:
- Unlike marquees furniture is usually too expensive to buy so hiring is the usual solution
- Use 5ft 6inch round tables to seat 10 people not 5ft ones (which can be cramped with 10 guests)
- Use a mixture of smaller tables to create an informal
- Use a long top table for a traditional feel. It would normally be positioned against one side of the marquee.
- Use a round top table for a more social and informal atmosphere. It would normally be positioned in the middle of the marquees with other guests all around.
- Use an oval top table for a more sociable option to a long top table. It would normally be positioned against one side of the marquee with seating on three sides leaving the front clear for guests to see the happy couple.
- Remember an easel for table plans (or two for larger functions)
- Allow somewhere for ladies to put their hats, either a table or clips around the side of the marquee
- Allow somewhere to put wedding presents (a table in the marquee or in the house)
Dance Floors:
- Like furniture dance floors can be prohibitively expensive to purchase to hiring or making yourself (18mm plywood screwed to battens and stained) are the most common solutions
- Alternatively if your marquee is to cover part of a patio or decking area that can be used as a dance floor
- Do you want dancing to be the centre of attention after the meal (in which case have it in the middle of the marquee) or do you want to have an area for people to sit away from the dancing? (in which case have the dance floor at one end)
- If the dance floor is in the middle it is often sensible to position the top table on the dance floor and then clear after using (top tables are rarely used after the meal as everyone is circulating)
- A dance floor (without top table on) makes an ideal emergency greeting area in poor weather
Other:
- Set the marquee up several days in advance and test the lighting and heating (if applicable) at the time of your function just to make sure both are sufficient.
- People (mainly blokes) will always congregate around the bar. For this reason always position it near the evening’s entertainment to avoid having two parties. Always aim to keep everyone in one place to maintain the atmosphere so avoid putting the bar in the house or a separate marquee
- Always have lighting on a dimmer, this gives you the flexibility to supply lighting to eat by and mood lighting to dance by
- In October to April you will need to heat the marquee (see this article on heating your marquee)- have the heating on for an hour before people arrive to ensure they walk in to a wall of warmth
- In May to September you might need a heater just to take the chill off in the seating area later in the evening
- Think of how your guests will arrive - a simple path of carpet with flower pots makes an attractive and inviting entrance to the marquee
- Think of how your guests will leave - it's likely to be dark so some form of lighting will be needed to guide people back to their cars
- You would normally allow one toilet per 40-50 guests. If you don't have enough available then consider hiring in a luxury toilet unit
- Give neighbours plenty of notice especially if you plan on partying until the early hours
- Notify the police, it may sound extreme but it allows them to give informed responses (such as finishing time) to any complaint rather than come knocking on your door.
We are always happy to offer more customised advice for your event, please contact us giving a few details of the event you are planning (type of event, space available, number of guests and diagrams/photographs of the site if possible) and we will be more than happy to advice on your options.
Do you want to buy a party tent and not sure who to contact?
