A marquee can be turned from a simple tent-like structure into an eye-catching, welcoming space ready for all your guests to enjoy, and you don’t even need an over-the-top budget to manage it. In this guide, you will learn how to decorate a marquee on a budget. Discover tips on colour schemes, flooring, layout planning, lighting, furniture, and more!
How to Decorate a Marquee for a Party
How your party marquee looks truly sets the scene, so you need to know all the decorating tips – such as the right lighting and furniture to use – to ensure your event is perfect. This blank-canvas venue can even be decorated on a budget. Budget decorating means you can have affordable ideas, so you can allocate the spending to the right places to maximise how far your money goes.
Pick a Simple Theme and Palette First
If you are looking for budget marquee décor, before diving into the more specific marquee decoration ideas, break out a mood board and start thinking about a simple theme and colour palette to make a cohesive style. Certain colour palettes work better for particular themes. Here are some popular choices.
- Boho: Boho is a theme focused on free spiritedness and natural aesthetics, with colours like sage green, browns, and other early tones working well.
- Rustic: A marquee works well with a rustic theme, as it focuses on a natural and earthy atmosphere. You could add greenery and raw materials to the marquee to achieve this.
- Elegant White: An elegant white marquee works perfectly for more formal events, especially weddings.
- Tropical: Tropical means all sorts of colours, including bright oranges, reds, and greens. This will become an eye-catching marquee, with this theme working particularly well in the summer time.
Apart from the exact theme, you must also decide on the type of marquee tent you want – you may even find something smaller that suits your event. Check out our guide on choosing between a marquee or gazebo for your décor.
Plan Your Layout to Save Money
A marquee allows you to have the capacity for specific zones within the structure. When you are considering the seating plan, and dance floor ideas, you also need to make sure you take into account:
• Entrance
• Bar Zone
• Lounge Area
• Dining Area
A smart marquee layout can prevent you from overbuying décor. Figure out the size of the marquee you plan on getting, and then divide the space into the most functional zones, using lighter colours to make the area seem even larger. Don’t forget to consider guest flow – create a natural walk-through space including exits and entrances.
Flooring: When to Spend vs Save
It’s best to invest in flooring for a marquee, as this provides a more stable ground protection for your guests. It will stay level and dry throughout the entire event, making it a good and safe weatherproofing option if the ground becomes wet and muddy.
You can choose from several marquee flooring options depending on your chosen décor aesthetic and budget, including:
- Matted Flooring: A coconut matting marquee floor offers a smooth protective covering. The benefits include a natural look, affordability, and moisture-resilience. However, some matting options may absorb water and become heavy.
- Boarded Flooring: A boarded floor provides a bit more stability and structure. It is waterproof, levels uneven ground, and is load-bearing. However, it may damage the grass underneath the marquee and is a more expensive option compared to matted marquee flooring.
- Carpet Flooring: This involves installing carpet onto a subfloor (often a boarded floor). This creates a cosy, comfy, and warm feel inside the marquee – plus, you have plenty of options regarding patterns and colours. On the downside, it is a more expensive option, and the carpet itself may get quite dirty during the event.
Lighting that Does the Heavy Lifting (on a Budget)
The good news is that cheap marquee lighting can still look fabulous, with many of the best marquee lighting ideas not costing too much!
For lighting that does the heavy lifting without going over budget, prioritise fairy lights or festoon lights that can sit high up and provide a warm, twinkling glow. You can pair this with some other lightweight lighting, such as paper lanterns, which work particularly well with a rustic or boho theme.
For added ambience, aim to layer your uplighting with LED chandeliers, as this creates a more visually pleasing atmosphere. To do this, blend ambient lighting with task and accent lighting. To go a step further, use specific lighting to highlight certain standout features, whether that’s a bar, a stage, a piece of artwork, or a table centrepiece. Doing this will look wonderfully luxurious without you needing to blow the budget.
Fabric, Draping & Linings for Instant Polish
When it comes to polishing your marquee to make it look extra luxurious, marquee drapings and marquee linings are perfect. These can transform the most basic marquee into something that truly stands out.
For a tight budget, low-cost roof overlays, blackout lining, ceiling drapes and wall drapes work well, as these can add an extra shot of colour while also helping to insulate the marquee, keeping it warmer in the colder months. Bunting also works well, as this adds texture to the space – plus, there are so many options regarding style, colour, and the way it hangs, so you can choose bunting that perfectly fits your theme’s aesthetic.
To really add extra depth, texture, and beauty, try hanging foliage, lanterns, and bunting onto your drapes. For a wedding, having foliage lining the ceiling and walls can create an incredible wow factor while being budget-friendly.
Furniture & Focal Points that Work Hard
Never underestimate how much difference single centrepieces, furniture, or focal point can make.
When it comes to party marquee furniture, rather than lots of smaller purchases – which can quickly add up and end up blowing the budget – instead focus on a few bigger purchases that truly catch the eye. For example, lounge seating and trestle tables, or poseur tables, which themselves act like décor.
A single, stand-out area also works well, such as a neon bar or eye-catching backdrop, as this draws attention and lifts up the atmosphere for the entire space. You can even choose budget centrepieces like flower bouquets or candelabras. Don’t forget to add small décor extras to your furniture and focal points, too, such as accent lighting, greenery, and table runners. Here are some ideas for your show-stopping focal point:
- Long Wooden Tables
- A Suspended Chandelier
- A Large Floral Wall
- Candelabras on Tables
- A Photo Booth Area
- A Balloon Arched Entrance
- Bar Hire
Greenery & Flowers (Maximum Effect, Minimum Spend)
When it comes to maximising your budget, adding greenery and flowers is essential, and there are plenty of marquee greenery ideas and cheap floral décor to manage this. They provide a calming, inviting atmosphere, and you can choose specific flowers and plants based on the season and theme. For example, if you’re hosting a spring wedding in a marquee, fill the space with seasonal flowers such as hydrangeas and peonies!
You can use vases, potted plants, floral hoops, and hanging foliage to give the green effect all over your marquee environment, adding plenty of colour and texture. Specifically focus on spaces such as pole dressing, an entrance arch, and overheads, as these are areas that will draw the eye.
For an added effect, consider adding sensory plants, such as lavender or rosemary. This will create a more pleasant experience, enhancing the calm atmosphere as well as the memorability of your event!
DIY Details & Personal Touches Guests Remember
DIY marquee décor takes an ordinary marquee environment and gives it that finishing touch that makes the event feel extra special. It’s all about the attention to detail!
For budget party ideas that you can either make yourself or buy cheaply, consider:
- Custom Signage
- Table Numbers
- Jam Jar Candles
- Unique Garlands
- Origami Shapes
- Homemade Centrepieces
- A Balloon Arch
- Chalkboard Sign
- A Photo Wall
- A Photo Booth Backdrop (including props!)
- Coloured or Custom Napkins
- Knitted Bunting
- Balloon Trails
Weather-Proofing and Comfort (Without Blowing the Budget)
Décor is a big deal when it comes to hosting a memorable marquee-located event, but of course, you must also think about comfort and practicalities – specifically, a weatherproof marquee space. Here’s how to ensure your guests’ comfort, including seasonal tips for summer or winter.
Heating: If you’re hosting an event during the colder months, marquee heating is essential. Indirect heaters can keep the entire space warm and cosy no matter the temperature outside.
Airflow: In the summer, you need ample airflow to keep it airy, and that involves planning a marquee layout that has open sides for natural ventilation. Open pathways can also help with this. In some cases, it will mean you don’t have to spend money on fans or cooling systems, which can be costly.
Flooring: For added insulation and a general sense of comfort, add marquee matting floor, as this will add insulation and keep the space dry. Plus, you can add to your décor theme with the right flooring – for example, with carpet, you can add colour and patterns.
Cloak Rails/Storage: Make sure to include an area for your guests to place their belongings, so they can focus on having a great time without carrying around their coat or bag!
Cost-Saving Checklist
It may seem like saving money while planning a large event cannot go hand in hand, but the truth is that you can definitely decorate a marquee on a budget! Here’s a checklist of all the things you can do to keep costs down (while still ensuring the marquee looks fabulous).
- Prioritise Focal Points
- Zone the Areas First
- Reuse the Greenery
- Hire rather than Buy
- Layer Your Lighting
- Choose Partial Lining
- Off-Peak season Will be Cheaper
- Choose the Right Flooring for the Ground and Season
- Borrow Props
- Consider the Costs to Hire vs Buy.
- Make Your Own Décor
- Avoid Overspending on Unused Marquee Space
- Choose Affordable Materials like Paper and Ribbon
- Limit Colour Palette to 2-3 Shades
- Repurpose Ceremony Décor for Dance Floor
- Book a Package Marquee Décor Deal
- Mix and Match Furniture (with furniture you already own)
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to keep your budget tight while still creating a beautiful, atmospheric space inside a marquee! A lot of it is about being creative and not being afraid to reuse or upcycle materials. Doing some of the décor yourself can also save a lot of money.
Next Steps: Get a Tailored Plan
Are you finding the idea of decorating the marquee for a big event by yourself a little overwhelming? If so, it’s time to call in the experts.
At Dynamic Marquees, we offer a quick, budget-first décor plan along with all the hire essentials you need, including flooring, lighting, heaters, and furniture. With our marquee hire London services, which include a free quote and a bespoke plan, and equipment hire, you can put on the event you’ve been dreaming of, ensuring your guests are wowed as well as comfortable from the beginning of the event until the very end.
