Choosing The Right Tent!

Choosing your tent:

First of all measure the space you have to work with. Decide which part of the area is most level. Find out if we can stake on the property or not. There may be sprinklers, septic, or other things underneath the lawn so be sure to ask. We stake about 4'-5' in the ground. To find the maximum amount of space you need (this also depends on the type of tent) add 10' to the length and width of the tent size. Example: For a 40'x60' century tent, you will need a maximum of 50'x70' area.

A canopy is a lighter weight structure that needs to be staked into the ground. It is good for a light rain or shade, but I would recommend not using in inclement weather. The biggest size we have in a canopy is a 20’x40 foot. Because its lighter weight, the poles break down small enough to fit the entire package in the trunk of a car. They are also very easy for a customer to set up and break down themselves. These are a lot less expensive then Century, Frame and Sailcloth tents but do not have many options to personalize your event.

A traditional wedding tent, called a Century tent, is a high peaked tension tent. They are made from 100% light block vinyl. These come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They mostly come in white and have center poles that hold the tent up. Because they are tension tents, they have to be staked. We add 10’ to the length and width of your tent for total area we need so that there is enough room for staking. These tents are very clean and contemporary looking. These, personally, are my favorite to work with. The options alone are endless. They also can be draped with a flowing fabric inside the entire tent called a tent liner. The liner truly gives the tent a more regal feel.

A frame tent is a more industrial looking tent. They are free-standing so there is polling on the inside to hold up the top. They do not have high peaks but do increase the square footage of the tent due to having no center poles. Frame tents can be put just about anywhere, asphalt, decks, patios, and also over pools. If we cannot stake in the area, we use 55 gallon water drums with white vinyl covers to secure the tent down safely. If you are hanging lanterns in the tent, frame tents are easier to use because of all the polling inside. If we cannot stake in the area and you need to use a frame tent, don’t worry, they also have fabric liners we can put inside to hide the poles.

Marquee Tents are what I call “walkway tents”. These come in 6’ or 10’ widths and can be installed just about anywhere, at any length. Like frame tents, they are free standing and can be either staked or water barreled. We can also use a “gutter”, which is a long piece of vinyl to connect the marquee tents to another tent or a building. They are very nice for an entrance and when raining, guests can appreciate their dry walk from inside the house to the tent.   

We also have what is called a tidewater tent. The tidewater tent is a lighter sailcloth material which lets in more light. The upside to these is they look beautiful at night because the light can shine through. The downsides include: less square footage because of the rounded ends and on a hot sunny day, these tents do not provide adequate shade for guests and can be rather hot.

Sidewalls: 

We have clear, solid, window, and mesh wall. They come in sections so you can also use a mix of them. You may want to the view on one side of the tent with solid wall but have a waterfront view for clear or window wall on the opposite. On a hot sunny day I would suggest to not have any. All of our tents come with 90 feet of clear or solid sidewall for free. My suggestion, take it just in case. The sidewall clips on like a shower curtain and if the weather on your big day all of a sudden gets inclement, you can put up at least one or two sides of your tent with walls so that rain or wind does not come in.

Tent accessories: 

We have a variety of things to keep up with our seasons in the ocean state. There are fans, heaters, and other items to help with the climate. Anything we do not have we have great vendors we work with in the area who do.

Fire Codes:

Every city in town in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut has different fire and building codes you must abide by when setting up a tent. Be sure to call your local fire department to see what types of things you may need. All of our tents and liners are certified flame retardant to code and we can provide you certificates if needed. We also have certified safety equipment if also needed. If you are asked to pull a permit, keep in mind some cities need days and some weeks to process a tent permit. We can handle all of this for you, ask for details.

Décor:

The liners that I spoke of above are beautiful. If you want to take on the project of doing any fabric décor yourself, keep in mind all of the material you use needs to be certified flame retardant. I suggest a décor or lighting/production company to handle this for you. It can get tricky.