Some of the most common questions we receive are regarding tents – we are always here to answer any questions you might have!

What size tent do I need for my number of guests?

If only the answer were as simple as the question of course. Every event is different so it is really dependent on what you are putting underneath the tent. A tent is a structure just like a house, so the more items you put underneath the larger the roof (or tent top) you are going to need. Typically your guest seating tables are going to require approximately 100 – 125 square feet per table so that there is enough room for chairs to be pushed out and guests to walk in between tables. You will also need to consider any other tables you may be placing under the tent such as tables for food, beverages, bars, sweetheart / head table, DJ, gifts, guest signing, etc.. Browse our tent options here.

Typically the last thing you will need to make sure to have enough room for is a dancefloor or dancing area or a stage if you are having a live band. For dancefloor, we recommend a floor at least big enough for 25% of your guests, if you know you will have a larger amount dancing than that go with a larger floor and vice versa if you do not have many dancers in your guest list. If you’re trying to figure out a good size dancefloor: multiply your guest list by 0.25 (this will give you 25% of your guests) then multiply that number by 5 which will give you the minimum square footage you should allot for a dancefloor.

Ex: 200 Guests * 0.25 = 50 Guests * 5 = 250 Square feet

So you would be looking at a 15′ x 16′ Dancefloor (240 square feet) or larger for your guests!

What are the differences between all of your tent styles?

Canopies

   

Canopies are our most cost effective tenting option. They range in sizes from 10′ x 10′ to 20′ x 40′ and are designed for client setup. This style can either be picked up from us or we can deliver it to you, however they are a DIY style, so we do not offer setup on this style of tenting. This style has much lower wind ratings than the other 2 styles we carry, which is why they must also be setup and taken down the same day of use (they cannot be left up overnight unattended).

Most canopies MUST be staked into the ground (they cannot be weighted or sandbagged), the only exception to this rule is a 10′ x 10′ or 10′ x 20′ Pop-up Canopy. Pop-ups similar to what you would see at a festival and this style can be sandbagged. We do rent sandbags for the pop-ups and we carry walls for all canopy styles as well – the walls are very simple as they just velcro around the legs of the canopy.

Frame Tents

    

Frame tents are our most versatile tenting option out of everything we carry and their look is very reminiscent of the peaks at Denver International Airport. They range in sizes from 10′ x 10′ to 40′ x 140′ so they can be very small, very large, or somewhere in between. We also carry this style of tent in a hexagon shape, which can bring something new and different to your event. These tents are very versatile in that they can be setup in different shapes other than just a rectangle – some examples we have setup previously are L-Shapes, U-Shapes, Dog-bone shapes (2 hexagons with a rectangle connecting them in the middle), etc. This style of tent can be left up overnight as it has higher wind ratings and it includes setup in the price of the tent (delivery / pickup is additional and depends on where we would need to deliver to).

The most versatile option that sets the frame tents apart is the fact that they can either be staked into the ground OR they can be weighted down with concrete blocks. This means that this style can be setup in soft ground like grass or it can be setup on a hard surface like an asphalt parking lot. The weights are an additional fee but can prove very useful if staking is not an option for you. Sidewalls are also an option with this style of tent, and are extremely convenient because they can be pushed open and closed just like a shower curtain if you are wanting to open the walls part of the day and close them later on. There are 3 styles of walls available for the tent style: solid sidewalls, window sidewalls, and door sidewalls.

Pole Tents

   

The last (but certainly not least) style of tenting FRER carries is the pole tent. Pole tents range in size from 40′ x 40′ to 40′ x 140′ – so they strictly only come in large sizes and are rectangular in shape. Pole tents must be staked into the ground, so there is no option to weight down this style and the stakes go approximately 4 feet deep.

Much like a frame tent, pole tents also include setup in the price (delivery / pickup is additional), and it has higher wind ratings so it can be left up overnight as well. Pole tents do also have 3 sidewall options (solid sidewalls, window sidewalls, and door sidewalls), however they do not open and close as easily as a frame tent. The sidewalls on a pole tent use a keder (or channel system), so the walls feed through a channel which is on the legs of the tent. These walls can be rolled up and down but it is a lengthy and time consuming process to do so.

Have any other tenting questions? Give us a call at (970) 221-3159 to speak with one of our knowledgeable Special Event Coordinators today!