What size marquee do I need? Guest guide for Sydney parties
The quickest way to choose a marquee size is to start with your guest count and how they'll be sitting, then check it fits your yard. Here's how we work it out when you call.
1. Floor area per guest
Event hire companies use simple rules of thumb for floor space. They're a guide, not a guarantee, but they get you close:
- Standing or cocktail style: about 0.75 m² a person.
- Seated in rows (speeches, a ceremony): about 0.9 m² a person.
- Seated at long tables (dinner, lunch): about 1.2 m² a person.
Multiply your guest count by the right number and you have the floor area you need. For example, 40 guests at long tables need about 40 × 1.2 = 48 m².
2. Size table for 20 to 150 guests
The smallest marquee in our range that fits each guest count, in the 6 m wide and 8 m wide ranges:
| Guests | Rows: area | Rows: 6 m / 8 m | Tables: area | Tables: 6 m / 8 m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 18 m² | 6x3 / 8x4 | 24 m² | 6x6 / 8x4 |
| 30 | 27 m² | 6x6 / 8x4 | 36 m² | 6x6 / 8x8 |
| 40 | 36 m² | 6x6 / 8x8 | 48 m² | 6x9 / 8x8 |
| 50 | 45 m² | 6x9 / 8x8 | 60 m² | 6x12 / 8x8 |
| 60 | 54 m² | 6x9 / 8x8 | 72 m² | 6x12 / 8x12 |
| 80 | 72 m² | 6x12 / 8x12 | 96 m² | 6x18 / 8x12 |
| 100 | 90 m² | 6x15 / 8x12 | 120 m² | 6x21 / 8x16 |
| 120 | 108 m² | 6x18 / 8x16 | 144 m² | 6x24 / 8x20 |
| 150 | 135 m² | 6x24 / 8x20 | 180 m² | 6x30 / 8x24 |
Sizes in metres, from our pop-up range (largest 6x30 and 8x24). For a crowd bigger than the largest size, we can set up more than one marquee. Ask us.
3. Leave room for the bar, buffet and dance floor
The numbers above are for people only. If you're putting food, drinks or a dance floor under cover, mark out its footprint, add about a metre in front for people to stand or queue, and add that to your total. A 6ft trestle table is about 1.8 m long, so a two-table buffet is roughly 3.6 m of frontage. If you're between two sizes, go up one.
4. Measure your backyard
- Measure the clear, flat area in metres, length and width. Our sizes are measured leg to leg.
- Allow room to walk around the outside, and keep clear of pools, garden beds and clotheslines.
- Check the path in: our crew carries the frames down the side of the house, so measure narrow gates and note any steps.
- Tell us about pipes, cables or sprinklers under the ground where the marquee will go.
A long, narrow yard can still take a big marquee. Sections join side by side, so a 6x12 is just four 6x3s in a row.
5. Look up: trees, eaves and the 3.9 m peak
Every marquee in our range peaks at 3.9 m, with a 2.4 m eave and 2.1 m walk-under clearance at the edge. Check for low branches, eaves, gutters, awnings and overhead wires before you settle on a spot. If a tree hangs over part of the yard, the marquee may need to move or a smaller size may fit better.
Quick picks
- Small backyard party, food and drinks cover: 6x3 marquee (18 m²).
- About 30 to 35 in rows, or a long table: 8x4 marquee (32 m²) or a 6x6 (36 m²).
- Everything else, from 3x3 to 8x24: the full size guide.
Still not sure?
Send us your guest numbers, seating style and yard measurements, ideally with a photo, and we'll recommend a size and give you a price.