Can a Marquee be used in Winter?
Our blog explores how you can use a marquee for your winter wedding or event.
Well, the short answer is, yes. In the right conditions, a well-constructed marquee can be used in the winter for a wedding or event. If you’re considering using a marquee for your outdoor winter event there are a few things, you’ll want to consider when making arrangements.
Choose the right location
The location of your marquee is always a consideration, but in the winter, the type of ground and access become particularly important. During a British summer, wedding and event organisers may need to contend with rain. Winter events will also need to plan for ice and, potentially, snow. In these instances, the ground may become hard or difficult to access during the marquee build. If your event is on hard standing, then building the marquee will be fairly straight forward. In either case, provisions will need to be made for guests to get to the site safely, so exterior weather-proof flooring and lighting may be needed.
A good marquee hire team will be able assess the site and plan for these issues early in the booking stages.
Heating a Marquee in the Winter
In cold weather, organisers need to consider how to heat the marquee.In our experience, the best way to heat a marquee is to use an indirect heater to pump hot air into the space. An indirect heater, sometimes called a ‘marquee heater’, is a self-contained and maintenance free machine that looks a bit like a generator. During an event,the heater can be placed outside the marquee and the temperature can be adjustedusing a thermostat on the inside. The heat it creates is warm, clean, and dry, tokeep guests comfortable without raising humidity.
Indirect heaters are something that we provide for our clients.
How to light your marquee
Because the nights are longer in winter, interior and exterior lighting can drastically change the mood and ambiance of an evening.
Within a marquee, there are many options for lighting, including chandeliers, fairy lights or lanterns from the ceiling. There are also options to light the space using ground based light boxes to add colour and depth to walls.
On the outside of the marquee, making sure that guests have good visibility on walk ways, entrances and exits will especially important during winter evenings.
Marquee Flooring
Marquee flooring in the winter can vary depending upon your event requirements. For a more formal event, a hard floor with a carpet overlay is a low maintenance way to keep the space looking its best whatever the weather. For a more casual affair, like a holiday market, using coir matting is a flexible, non-slip solution with a rustic feel.
Are you planning an event this winter? Get in touch with the experts at Marldon Marquees for more information on how to make your event a success.
