Every outdoor wedding needs a wet weather plan, and the best plans are invisible, the day looks intentional, not rescued.
A marquee is the most flexible answer, a blank, weatherproof room you can place almost anywhere and dress to any style.
The honest truth is that good marquees and contingencies cost real money and are easy to underestimate. Budget for them from the start, not as an afterthought when rain appears in the forecast.
A wedding marquee gives you a weatherproof, blank space you can place in a garden, a field or an estate and style however you like, and it doubles as the wet weather plan for an outdoor day. Costs for the structure, flooring, lighting, heating and furniture commonly run from about £6,000 to £30,000 depending on size and finish.
Whether or not you use a marquee, every outdoor ceremony, drinks reception or dinner needs a credible plan B that you would actually be happy with. Decide it early, price it in, and brief your suppliers so the switch is seamless on the day.
Choosing the right marquee
There are four main types. A traditional frame or clearspan marquee is the workhorse, fully weatherproof, with no internal poles, and it suits almost any site and guest count. A pole or sailcloth marquee is more romantic, with sweeping canvas peaks, but needs guy ropes and firm ground. A stretch tent is contemporary and sculptural, brilliant for drinks and milder months, but offers less protection in serious wind and rain. Tipis bring a relaxed, festival feel and link together for larger numbers.
Match the structure to the season. For a summer drinks reception a stretch tent looks wonderful, while for a full sit down dinner with a real chance of weather, a frame marquee with solid sides is the safer choice. Always size up: a marquee that fits your guests for dinner can feel cramped once you add a dance floor, a bar and a band.
The things couples underestimate
The structure is only the start. Flooring matters more than people expect, since grass turns to mud and an uneven surface ruins a dance floor, so budget for a proper subfloor on any natural ground. Lighting transforms a marquee from a tent into a room, and it is worth doing well.
Heating and power are the quiet essentials. Even a summer evening in northern Europe turns cold once the sun drops, and a marquee needs heaters and a generator with enough capacity for catering, lighting and the band. Toilets, a catering tent and parking on soft ground all add cost and need planning.
Access and ground conditions decide what is possible. A marquee company needs vehicle access to build, firm or prepared ground, and time, often two to three days to install and a day to strike, which affects your hire dates and budget.
Building a wet weather plan that works
A good plan B is one you would happily have as plan A. If your only fallback is cramming everyone into a corridor, you do not have a plan, you have a problem. The marquee itself, an orangery, a great hall or a lined barn are all credible answers.
Decide the trigger and the timing. Agree with your planner and venue how late the call can be made to move a ceremony indoors, and who makes it. Many couples set a cut off the morning of the wedding, watching a reliable forecast, so suppliers can commit to a single setup rather than building two.
Brief everyone. The photographer should know the indoor light, the florist where arrangements move to, and the band where they will play. Umbrellas in your colours, a stash of wellington boots for photographs and a covered walkway between spaces all turn a wet day into a characterful one rather than a ruined one.
Season by season
In high summer the risk is heat and the occasional storm, so prioritise shade, sides that can be rolled up and a structure that can be closed quickly. In spring and autumn, plan for cold evenings and shortening light, with heating and good lighting essential.
Winter weddings can be glorious under canvas with the right kit, full sides, generous heating and warm lighting, but they are not the place to economise on the structure. Wherever you marry, treat the forecast as a planning input from the day you book, not a worry you pick up the week before.
What every marquee plan needs.
Structure and sides
Choose the type for your season and guest count, and confirm solid, weatherproof sides are available even if you hope to keep them open.
Flooring and power
Budget for a proper subfloor on natural ground, plus a generator sized for catering, lighting, heating and the band.
Heating and lighting
Plan heating for the evening in any season, and treat lighting as a design choice that turns a tent into a room.
The trigger and the brief
Agree who calls the weather decision and by when, and brief every supplier so moving indoors is seamless rather than chaotic.
Answered.
How much does a wedding marquee cost?
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Indicatively £6,000 to £30,000 in 2026 for the structure, flooring, lighting, heating and furniture, depending on size, type and finish. A simple stretch tent for drinks costs far less than a fully kitted frame marquee for a seated dinner and dancing.
Which marquee is best for unpredictable weather?
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A frame or clearspan marquee with solid, weatherproof sides is the safest for a full day with a real chance of rain. Stretch tents and open sided structures look beautiful but offer less protection in wind and heavy rain.
Do I need a wet weather plan if I have a marquee?
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The marquee usually is the wet weather plan, but you still need a contingency for any element outside it, such as an outdoor ceremony or drinks on the lawn, so plan where each moves to if it rains.
When should I book a marquee?
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Six to twelve months ahead for peak summer dates, as good marquee companies book out early. The earlier you book, the more choice you have over type, flooring and finish.
How late can we decide to move indoors?
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Often the morning of the wedding, watching a reliable forecast, but agree the cut off and who makes the call with your planner and suppliers in advance, so they can commit to one setup rather than building two.
What do couples most often forget?
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Flooring, heating, power and access. The structure is the easy part, while a proper subfloor, generators, evening heating and vehicle access to build are the things that quietly decide whether the day works.
Where to go next.
The Destination Wedding Budget Planner
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