Your wedding day is one of the most important events in your life, and it’s only fitting that you make it truly memorable. From finding the perfect dress to selecting a beautiful venue, everything needs to be nothing short of perfect. But have you ever considered how choosing a marquee or creating an outdoor wedding can transform not only the atmosphere but also the menu selections for your big day? Choosing a marquee can make all the difference when it comes to creating an unforgettable day for you and your guests. It is your blank canvas to create the vibe you want. Choose the menu that reflects you as a couple, the theme and decor to match – everything is more flexible all you need is your vision…
Picture the scene… a glorious summer’s day, chilled champagne in coupe glasses, delightful canapes being circulated by smartly dressed waiters. Garden games on the lawn, jazz band playing, roaming photographer with dreamy floral backdrops. And there you are, stunning, in your wedding attire with your newly betrothed stood by your side laughing and joking with friends and family. The marquee in the background decorated exactly as you wanted, to match your theme and reflect you as a couple. All the little details you had carefully thought about and hand-picked being enjoyed by your closest friends and family… Welcome to your Alfresco Wedding.
The options are limitless when it comes to marquee weddings, and it really is your own blank canvas to style and create your dream day. But where do you start?
Firstly, think about the style of marquee that you want for your day… it’s more than just your average white tent style marquee with poles that you typically find at a Garden Fete. There is so much to choose from – stretch marquees, tipis, traditional marquees, sailcloth tents… We tend to work with three amazing marquee suppliers :
These marquee companies offer a range of styles for different budgets, so do get in touch if you’d like some help selecting the perfect marquee partner.
What we love (obviously) about marquee weddings is the freedom and flexibility you have for the catering. You could go for a traditional sit-down fine dining wedding breakfast, or you could go for something more relaxed such as BBQ boards – delicious BBQ food served to the table. If you have been lucky enough to fit the marquee in your garden or saved a penny or two on the venue location, you could splash out and upgrade your dining experience or add an additional canape or two?
If you have a love of seafood, you could add a Champagne and Oyster bar. For the meat lovers think Aperol and Charcuterie, balanced out with a selection of Vegan treats (we’re thinking mini Moroccan rolls, mini tacos packed with falafel, hummus, tzatziki and mini spiced potato cakes) for those who often get overlooked. The world really is your oyster when it comes to a marquee wedding and we are here to help create your vision. – creating bespoke menus, providing advice on the practical side in terms of what you need to consider when it comes to planning an outdoor wedding.
Generally, with a marquee wedding the caterer takes on more of a venue manager role ensuring your day runs how you had envisioned and we are happy to share our knowledge, experience and expertise.
Not sure what to do about the drinks? You can provide all the drinks yourself or ask your caterer (like us) to provide a bar service. Evening food you could choose your favourite street food van to provide the soak-up food – there is so much choice available you can go as quirky or as traditional as you like.
If you don’t want the celebrations to end, the joy of a marquee wedding is that you can easily extend it to a two-day celebration. How about an informal lunch the next day to reminisce abut the night before and catch up on any bits you missed!
No matter what style of marquee wedding you are planning, there is sure to be a catering option that will wow your guests. Here are some of our faves:
- Seaside Platters with refreshing cocktails – binging the beach to your wedding day!
- Bistro boards – hearty modern British classics served informally for guests to help themselves
- Traditional Fine Dining – A three course sit down meal with all the opulence and elegance your wedding day deserves
- BBQ Boards – perfect for summer weddings – cooked on the BBQ and served to the table – bringing a sense of occasion to the much-loved British BBQ!
If you’re looking for ways to take your wedding day up a notch, choosing a marquee could easily be one of them – it’s sure to transform not only your venue but also what’s being served on your big day!
Venue – Balcombe Place
Photographer – Voytek Photography
Marquee – Sail & Peg