Everything you need to know about hiring a Sailcloth Tent.

We’ve answered some of the most common things clients ask us below about hiring a sailcloth tent — from setup timing to weather worries. If there’s something else you’re unsure about, we’re just a message away.​

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Booking and Availability

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How far in advance should I book my sailcloth tent?

We'd love to chat as soon as you have a date in mind — especially for spring and autumn celebrations when we tend to book up quickly. If you're still deciding between a few dates, we're happy to let you know what's available to help with your planning. And if your wedding or event is just around the corner, feel free to reach out about last-minute availability — if we can make it happen, we will!

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Locations and Setup

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What areas do you service?

We offer luxury sailcloth marquee hire across the Scenic Rim, Gold Coast and surrounds. Planning something further afield? We love an adventure — just get in touch for a travel quote.

 

Do you handle setup and takedown?

Absolutely! Our friendly and experienced crew takes care of the full setup and pack-down of your marquee, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

 

How long does setup take?

It depends on your tent size. Our smaller tents can be set up in around 3–4 hours, while larger ones may take most of the day. We’ll confirm all the timings with you in advance so everything runs smoothly — and if you’re working to a tight schedule, just let us know. We’re always happy to help make it work.

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How long is the hire period?

Our hire period is designed to give you the whole weekend to enjoy your tent — with no extra cost for that added breathing room. It means more time to soak it all in, more space for the magic to unfold, and less pressure on the day itself. Just how it should be.

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We generally install 1–2 days before your event, so everything is ready before your stylist or other suppliers arrive. Pack-down is typically scheduled for the following weekday — often Monday for a Saturday wedding. (NB. Final timings will be confirmed closer to your date).

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Can you do a site inspection?

Yes, we can. However, the quickest and easiest way to get started is to send through a few photos of your site or venue so we can carry out an initial assessment. Once we’ve reviewed these, we’ll let you know if a site visit is needed.

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Sailcloth Wedding Tent Details

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What size marquee do I need?

Choosing the right marquee size depends on more than just your guest numbers. Your layout, seating style, and whether you’d like space for a dance floor, bar or entertainment will all influence the ideal size for your celebration.

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Rather than guessing, we’ve created a detailed Wedding Marquee Size Guide to help you visualise what will work best — including real layout examples and guest capacities for each of our sailcloth tents.​​​​

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NB. If you’re still unsure, we’re always happy to guide you — simply reach out and we’ll help you find the perfect fit.

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Wedding Marquee Size Questions

 

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What size marquee do I need for 60 guests?

For 60 guests, the ideal marquee size will depend on whether your wedding is seated or cocktail-style.

 

Seated wedding for 60 guests:
For a fully seated layout with dining tables, a dance floor and a bar, a 10m x 16m sailcloth marquee will be the perfect fit. This size comfortably accommodates 60 guests with space to dine and dance.

 

Cocktail-style wedding for 60 guests:

For a cocktail-style celebration, a 10m round sailcloth marquee can comfortably accommodate 60 guests, making it a beautiful option for a relaxed, social layout with space to mingle and move freely.

 

If you’re planning to include additional elements such as a larger dance floor, band or lounge areas, stepping up to a 10m x 16m marquee will provide a more spacious feel - and more room to accommodate a wet weather ceremony if required.

 

For layout examples and tailored recommendations, view our Wedding Marquee Size Guide.​

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What size marquee do I need for 80 guests?

For 80 guests, the ideal marquee size depends on your layout and how you’d like the space to function.

 

Seated wedding for 80 guests:

A 10m x 16m sailcloth marquee can comfortably accommodate up to around 72 guests with dining and a dance floor. For 80 guests, a popular approach is to keep dining under the tent and extend the celebration outdoors - for example, a dance floor under festoon lighting creates a relaxed flow between spaces.

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For a fully contained, weatherproof option, many couples choose to step up to a 10m x 22m sailcloth marquee, allowing space for dining, dancing and clear movement throughout - and more room to accommodate a wet weather ceremony if required.

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Cocktail-style wedding for 80 guests:
For a cocktail-style celebration, a 10m x 16m marquee works beautifully for 80 guests, providing space for a bar, dance floor and a mix of standing and casual seating areas.

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For layout examples and tailored recommendations, view our Wedding Marquee Size Guide.

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What size marquee do I need for 100 guests?

For 100 guests, you’re typically moving into a larger marquee, particularly for a fully seated wedding.

 

Seated wedding for 100 guests:
A 10m x 22m sailcloth marquee is often the best fit for 100 guests, allowing space for dining, a dance floor, bar and comfortable movement throughout the tent. It also provides the flexibility to keep your entire celebration under cover if needed — including more room to hold your ceremony within the marquee in the event of wet weather.

 

A 10m x 16m marquee can work if the layout is more focused on dining, with dancing or bar areas positioned outside the tent, creating a natural indoor–outdoor flow.

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Cocktail-style wedding for 100 guests:
For a cocktail-style celebration, a 10m x 16m marquee can comfortably accommodate 100 guests, with space for a bar, dance floor and social areas.

 

Stepping up to a 10m x 22m marquee will create a more open, spacious feel — particularly if you’re including a larger dance floor and band.

 

For layout examples and tailored recommendations, view our Wedding Marquee Size Guide.

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What size marquee do I need for 120 guests?

For 120 guests, a larger marquee is typically required to ensure the space feels comfortable, balanced, and easy to move through.

 

Seated wedding for 120 guests:
A 10m x 22m sailcloth marquee is a good fit for 120 guests, allowing for dining and a dance floor within the tent while maintaining clear pathways and flow. Many couples choose to position the bar just outside the marquee, which works beautifully — creating a natural indoor–outdoor flow and keeping the interior space open and uncluttered.

 

If you’d prefer to include all elements within the marquee, or would like a more spacious, fully contained setup, stepping up to a 14m x 20m sailcloth marquee provides additional room - with the flexibility to keep your entire celebration under cover, including more room to accommodate a wet weather ceremony if required.

 

Cocktail-style wedding for 120 guests:
For a cocktail-style layout, a 10m x 22m marquee is a lovely option for 120 guests, offering a relaxed, open space for mingling, dancing and social areas.

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For a more generous, fully contained layout — particularly if you’re including lounge areas or larger entertainment — a 14m x 20m marquee offers additional flexibility and space.

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For layout examples and tailored recommendations, view our Wedding Marquee Size Guide.

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Still not sure what size tent you need?

Every wedding is a little different — we're here to help you find the right fit.

• View our Wedding Marquee Size Guide → Guide

• Or get in touch for tailored advice → Contact Us

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Space and Site Details

 

How much space do you need?

We’ll need enough room for the tent itself, plus around 2 metres on each side for guy ropes and anchoring.
If space is a little tight, don’t worry — we’re very experienced at working within different site conditions and will always look for a solution where we can.

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Can you set up on a slope?

Our sailcloth tents need relatively level ground to ensure they’re safe and properly tensioned.
Gentle slopes are usually fine, but steeper gradients can be more challenging. If you’re unsure, feel free to send through a few photos — we’ll happily assess the site and let you know what’s possible.​

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What if the ground isn’t perfectly flat?

Small undulations are absolutely fine. If the ground is more uneven, we may just need to take a closer look to make sure everything can be set up safely.

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How do you get the tents onto the site?

We deliver your tent using a 4WD vehicle and trailer, so we’ll need clear vehicle access to the setup area.
These structures are substantial in both size and weight, so good access is an important part of ensuring a smooth installation.​

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What do you use to anchor the tent?

Our tents are secured using heavy-duty steel pegs (up to 1 metre deep) and high-strength guy ropes — the classic peg-and-pole method. It’s incredibly strong and allows the tent to hold its beautiful shape. This means we do require soft ground such as grass or earth for installation. Surfaces like concrete, asphalt, or rock aren’t suitable.

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Before installation, we also ask that you check for, and mark out, any underground services (such as power, water, gas, or data lines) in the area, as this helps us keep everyone safe.

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Do you need power?

Yes please — we’ll need access to one (or at most two) standard power points. This allows us to run our tools during installation and power the lighting during your event.

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Weather

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Are your sailcloth tents rainproof?

Yes, our tents are rainproof. They also have special WeatherShield side walls that seal to the roofline, so no sneaky drips or gusts can creep in. We’ll install the walls rolled up, and they can be lowered as needed to suit the weather on the day.

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What about wind and weather?

Our sailcloth tents are designed to handle a wide range of weather conditions and are securely anchored using 1 metre deep, heavy-duty steel pegs. When installed correctly, they’re incredibly strong and stable.

 

That said, like any outdoor structure, marquees aren’t intended to be used as shelter in extreme weather events. In the rare case that severe conditions are forecast, we’ll work closely with you (and your planner or venue) to ensure the safest and best possible approach for your day.

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For the vast majority of weddings, your tent will provide a beautiful, comfortable space to celebrate — whatever the weather brings.

 

Lighting and Styling

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What’s included when I hire a tent?

When you hire one of our sailcloth tents, you’ll receive:

• Your stunning tent.

• Clear WeatherShield side walls — installed rolled up and ready to be lowered if needed.

• A beautiful fairy lighting package for inside your tent — warm white commercial fairy lights strung from the main centre poles out to the perimeter poles.

• A festoon lighting package for outside your tent — runs of warm white festoons installed on tall poles.

✨ Pure magic, day or night ✨

Need woven flooring or dance floor? We’ve got those too — please just let us know.

 

Will I need to organise additional lighting?

Not at all! Our fairy lights create a beautiful warm glow inside the tent that's perfect for ambience, plus we include festoon lighting on tall poles outside to illuminate the surrounding area. However, if you'd like to add your own decorative lighting — for example, pendant lights or chandeliers — please just give us a heads up during planning. We can install the extra rigging needed before the tent goes up.

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Do you provide furniture or décor?

We focus on what we do best — beautiful tents. But we’ve worked with some amazing hire companies and stylists, and we’re more than happy to connect you with them for furniture, tableware, and all the pretty extras.

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Are your tents similar to Sperry tents?​

Yes — our tents are premium timber pole sailcloth structures, the same category popularised by Sperry tents around the world. Think sweeping sailcloth canopies, solid timber poles, and that signature open, light-filled feel — a timeless aesthetic that has become the gold standard for outdoor weddings.​

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Our tents are carefully selected for the same level of craftsmanship, quality and visual impact, and are designed to perform beautifully in Australian conditions.