How to Plan a Marquee Event in Brisbane

Step-by-step, from first decision to event day. What actually happens, what you need to do, and what the crew handles.

Choose Your Size

The first decision is how big a marquee you need. Start with your guest count and layout preference — seated dinner, cocktail style, or mixed. Then factor in anything extra: a dance floor, staging, a DJ booth, a catering station, or a bar setup all take up floor space.

As a working guide: a 8m × 12m seats 80–100 for dinner. A 8m × 15m seats 100–120 with room for a modest dance floor. A 8m × 18m handles 120–150 guests comfortably with a dance floor and bar area.

Use our Size Finder tool to get a size recommendation with live pricing, or read the full capacity guide before deciding.

Choose Your Location and Confirm the Surface

Where will the marquee go? Backyard, front yard, rural property, or a specific event site? The key factors: is the surface level enough (slight slope is fine; steep incline is not), what's the ground type (grass, concrete, pavers), and is there truck access within 30–50m of the setup area?

Measure the available space — the marquee needs 1.5–2m clearance on all sides for pegs, ropes, and ballast blocks. Use our Will-It-Fit tool to confirm the dimensions work before you proceed.

If access is tight or unusual, send us a photo with your enquiry. Surprises on delivery day add stress that's easily avoided.

Get Your Quote

Contact Joe — via the quote form, phone call, or text — with your event date, postcode, marquee size preference, and rough guest count. He'll come back with a quote covering marquee hire plus separately-charged delivery, setup and pack-down. All prices include GST.

The quote will typically arrive same-day or next business day. If you're comparing quotes from multiple suppliers, make sure you're comparing equivalent inclusions — some operators quote the marquee structure only and leave delivery and setup as separate line items.

A 40% deposit confirms the booking and locks the date. Without a deposit, the date remains available to other bookings.

Confirm Inclusions — Flooring, Walls, Lighting

Once you've booked, confirm your inclusions. The base hire covers the marquee structure (frame, roof, walls). Everything else is an add-on:

• Flooring: Timber flooring transforms the look. Essential for weddings and formal events. Hire rates are per square metre. Ask about parquetry, standard timber, and dancefloor panels.
• Walls: Solid PVC, clear PVC, or open sides. Mix and match per wall. Most events use solid on prevailing wind sides, clear on the view or entry side.
• Festoon lighting: The most popular add-on. Warm festoon lights strung across the interior ceiling change the feel of the space completely, especially at dusk.
• LED uplights: Colour-programmable floor uplights positioned around the interior walls. Good for weddings and corporate events wanting a polished look.
• Generator: If you're on a rural property or the power source is more than 40m from the marquee, ask about our silent diesel generator hire.

Our 3-tier Pack system bundles the most popular inclusions at a packaged rate — ask Joe for details when getting your quote.

Delivery and Setup Timing

The crew typically arrives the day before your event — morning, usually between 7am and 11am depending on the job schedule. A standard 6m × 9m takes 2–3 hours. An 8m × 15m with flooring and lighting takes 5–7 hours. The larger the setup, the earlier in the day we aim to start.

You need to have the setup area clear before the crew arrives — no vehicles, garden furniture, or obstacles in the marquee footprint or the path from the street. If you need to reposition existing furniture, do it the night before.

Someone needs to be available on-site or reachable by phone during setup. The crew will check layout orientation with you before anchoring — a 30-second conversation that avoids costly repositioning.

Day-Of Tips: Access, Power, and What to Expect

After setup, you have until the end of your event to use the marquee however you need. Some practical tips for event day:

• Power run: If we've connected festoon lights or LED uplights to your mains power, we'll show you which socket they're plugged into and what the load is. Don't plug heavy appliances (e.g., commercial catering equipment) into the same circuit without checking the amperage.
• Wall adjustments: Walls can be rolled up or removed by the host if conditions change during the event (a warm night, a cool breeze). The crew will show you how before they leave.
• Caterer access: Brief your caterer on the setup before the day. They need to know where the marquee entrance is, where they're staging food, and what power is available.
• If something needs adjusting: Call Joe. Most issues (a wall buckling in wind, a peg coming loose) are minor and quickly resolved with a phone call or a short visit from the crew.
• Weather check: Queensland storms move fast. If severe weather is forecast for your event day, we'll contact you in advance with advice. Our marquees handle standard Queensland summer rain. Extreme wind events (70km/h+) require the walls to be fully closed.

Pack-Down: What to Do and What to Leave

The crew returns to pack down the marquee — typically the morning after the event, or the next business day for weekend events. What you need to do before they arrive:

• Remove all decorations, personal items, and hired furniture from the marquee.
• Disconnect any power leads running from the house to the marquee.
• Ensure truck access is available from the street — same requirements as delivery.
• Let the crew know if anything unusual happened during the event (a wall came loose, a floor panel got wet) so they can check it before pack-down.

The crew handles disassembly, packing, and loading. Pack-down typically takes 2–4 hours depending on size. You don't need to be present — just have the area accessible.