When I was a child if my parents wanted to take an inexpensive vacation we would go camping. I learned to associate tents with inexpensive and boy was I surprised to find out the cost of event tenting when I became a wedding planner. The cost of tenting not only includes the supplies but the labor to build a structure where there was not a structure before. Everything from flooring to power has to be brought in. Below is a sample quote from a rental company for an actual wedding for 120 people:

40×100 Pole Tent                                                                                    $ 1,650.00
Full Tent Liner                                                                                         $ 2,350.00
Fabric Perimeter Pole Covers 28 @ 25.00                                         $    700.00
20×20 Tent – Caterer                                                                              $    185.00
Solid Sidewalls for 20×20 3 @ 30.00                                                  $      90.00
Dance floor Maple Parquet 21×21 49 11.00                                        $    539.00
Lighting for 20×20 (2  Tri-pod Work Lights) 20 @ 25.00              $    500.00
Crystal Chandeliers 2 @ 125.00                                                           $    250.00
Delivery & pickup in Charleston                                                          $      75.00
Damage Waiver @ 5%                                                                            $    372.70
Seating for 120 Guests Plantation Benches 210 @ 1.40                  $    294.00
Reception tables 48″ Square 15 @ 12.00                                            $    180.00
8ft Banquet tables 4 @ 7.00                                                                  $      28.00
120″ Round Ivory linen 15 @ 12.50                                                      $    187.50
132″ R Linen for Tall Cocktails – Ivory 10 @ 15.00                           $    150.00
90×156 linen for 8ft – Ivory 4 @12.50                                                  $      50.00
Tall Cocktail tables 10 @ 7.00                                                               $      70.00
Dinner Plate – White Porcelain- 120 @ 0.50                                      $      60.00
Salad Plate 120 @ 0.40                                                                           $      48.00
B&B plate 120 @  0.40                                                                            $      48.00
Dessert Plate 120 @ 0.40                                                                       $      48.00
Water Goblet 125 @ 0.40                                                                       $      50.00
Universal Wine 125 @ 0.40                                                                   $      50.00
Dinner Fork 120 @ 0.50                                                                         $      60.00
Salad Fork 120 @ 0.50                                                                            $      60.00
Dinner Knife 120 @ 0.50                                                                        $      60.00
Dessert Spoons 100 @ 0.50                                                                   $      50.00
Salad Knives 120 @ 0.50                                                                        $      50.00
6ft Farm Table                                                                                          $      60.00
Rocks Glass 50 @ 0.35                                                                           $      17.50
Champagne Flutes – Barware (Rack of 36) 180 @ 0.40                  $      72.00
Universal Wine – Barware (Rack of 25) 175 @ 0.40                         $      70.00
HiBall – Barware (Rack of 36) 180 @ 0.40                                         $      72.00
linen Camel Poly Runners 15 @7.00                                                   $    105.00
Asian Spoon – 100 @0.50                                                                       $      50.00
8ft Table – (Dessert Table)                                                                     $        7.00
90×156 Linen – Pink Ballon for Dessert Table                                    $      12.50
36″ Table                                                                                                    $        7.00
tables 8ft Banquet Table w/ riser 2 @ 12.00                                      $      24.00
linen 90×156 Ivory 2 @ 24.00                                                               $      48.00
96″ R linen Ivory                                                                                      $     12.50
8ft Banquet tables 6 @ 7.00                                                                  $     42.00
bread and Butter Knives 120 @ 0.50                                                   $     60.00
accessory Bread Basket 15 @ 2.50                                                        $     37.50
Ivory Linen Napkin for Bread Baskets 15 @ 0.40                             $       6.00
4oz White Square Ramekins 40 @ 0.75                                              $     30.00
White Ramekins for Bread & Butter 20 @ 0.50                                $     10.00
16oz Mason Jar 125 @ 0.75                                                                    $     93.75
setup Setup and Takedown of Tables 40 @ 1.00                              $     40.00
set up Setup and Takedown of Chairs & Benches 144 @ 0.50       $     72.00
chair Kids High Chair 1                                                                          $     10.00

Subtotal                                                                                                  $9,223.95
Tax                                                                                                           $   645.68
Total                                                                                                 $9,869.63

Now I hope you didn’t read all of that! It was just to make a point. To be fair, if this bride was having her wedding in a hall she would still have to pay for the dishes, tables & chairs and linens, but the tent, floors and non-optional lighting makes up just over $6000 of this total. In addition to the rentals the bride also paid:

$ 1,000 site fee
$    400 portable oven for caterer
$    700 restrooms
$    400 bug spray service
$ 2,500 Total

Site fees can range anywhere from $500 to $10,000. As it may take a few hours to put up a tent, this is usually done the day before the wedding and then taken down the night after the wedding which may or may not incurr extra site fees for the additional days.

I love tented weddings and the creative possibilities that come with a blank canvas, especially being able to choose where the structure goes and what views your guests have, however if you are looking to keep expenses down, a tented wedding may not be your best option.

www.tanisjevents.com
843-847-8478
organizeyourevent@gmail.com