The True Cost of a Luxury Marquee Wedding
Over the last few years, I’ve seen a rise in enquiries for marquee weddings at home, often spanning multiple days, with couples inspired by the beautiful images they see online. I completely understand why marquee weddings are so appealing — they’re the ultimate blank canvas, allowing you to create a celebration that feels deeply personal, set in the most meaningful of locations.
But one of the most common misconceptions I encounter is around budget. More recently, I’ve had enquiries with budgets of £20,000–£80,000 for multi-day marquee weddings with over 100 guests, floral-heavy designs, beautiful structures, and a high level of catering. And here’s the honest truth: it simply isn’t achievable.
WHAT DOES A LUXURY MARQUEE WEDDING REALLY COST?
The marquee weddings I plan and deliver for my clients typically range from £150,000 to £500,000, with most couples investing £200,000+. This level of investment ensures the quality, detail, and guest experience that my clients are looking for.
Why? Because unlike a traditional venue, with a marquee you’re not just hiring a space - you’re building a venue from the ground up. This means:
Full infrastructure (power, water, heating or cooling, toilets, kitchen facilities).
High-level staffing for service, catering, bar, and event management.
Lighting design, from practical to atmospheric.
Beautiful flooring, linings, staging, and sound equipment.
Stunning florals, tableware, and styling to create the luxury look and feel.
A marquee wedding may feel like a “blank canvas” in terms of creativity, but it is never a cheaper option than a venue. The additional labour and logistics required to bring it all together are what make marquee weddings so extraordinary — but also more costly.
PLANNING LEVEL AT EVERY LEVEL
That isn’t to say marquee weddings are impossible for lower budgets. It absolutely is possible to host a beautiful celebration with less investment, but it’s important to manage expectations and scale the vision to match.
If your budget sits closer to £40,000–£80,000, you may want to consider:
Hosting a one-day celebration rather than a full weekend.
Simplifying your floral and design choices.
Working with a professional planner for partial or final weeks of coordination (starting from around £1,500), rather than a full bespoke planning service which, at entry level, would typically be £5,000–£8,000+.
This way, you can still benefit from professional expertise without stretching your investment too thin.
FOR COUPLES SEEKING TRUE LUXURY
For those with £150,000+ to invest and ideally £200,000+ a marquee wedding at home becomes not only possible, but extraordinary. You’ll have the opportunity to design a celebration that is completely unique, to create a magical space that reflects your personalities, and to host your guests in total privacy, with no restrictions from a traditional venue.
A marquee wedding is an investment in experience, in atmosphere, and in memories. It’s about bringing the best of the industry with some of the most talented florists, caterers, production teams, and designers together to create something unforgettable.
A FINAL WORD
I share all of this not to discourage couples with smaller budgets, but to be open and transparent about what’s possible. My role as a planner is to guide my clients honestly, so they can make the best decisions for their celebrations.
If you’re dreaming of a luxury marquee wedding at home and want to explore what’s possible for your investment, I’d love to have that conversation. With the right team and budget in place, marquee weddings are not only achievable, they’re some of the most magical and memorable events I’ve ever had the privilege to plan.