If you are having an event and looking for wedding tent rental packages, you should know that the number they give you over the phone is for a roof, and not much else.

Over the years we have helped thousands of clients put up wedding tents.

In all of these, the ones that usually go sideways often never fail because of the tent. They fail because of the things that weren’t in the package and the clients never thought to ask about.

So let’s walk through what you’re paying for, what you’re not, and what you should add for your event to be a success.

What “full service” usually covers

Most reputable companies including us include four things in the base price. The tent top, the frame or poles, delivery to your address, and the installation and strike labor cost.

That’s it. That’s the package.

Your quote might also include basic staking into the grass, but the moment your surface isn’t grass, the price changes.

Sidewalls are often never in the base price

Sidewalls are often rented per panel. A 40 by 60 tent has roughly sixteen panels around the perimeter, and each one is its own line item.

For peace of mind, order every panel, even if you plan to leave the tent open on all four sides.

Panels sit in a crate at the tent leg. They cost you a fraction of the tent, and they take twenty minutes to hang.

What happens when you skip them? A strong side wind pushes rain into the open tent ruining everything for everyone. And this might be the only thing that the guests remember.

Add barrels if installing a tent on the driveway

You cannot stake your tent into concrete, asphalt, pavers, or a deck. When you can’t stake, the tent is held down by ballast, which means you need to get big weighted barrels or concrete blocks and place them at every leg.

This is an additional cost that you need to consider.

So if your tent is going over the driveway, ask two questions. What does ballast add to the price, and can the rental company cover the barrels?

Thankfully, most companies rent barrel covers for very little. A dozen white sleeves turn a row of industrial drums into something beautiful, and this is what you want.

“Lighting included” is often not enough

Some packages include lighting. In most cases this means a few strands of bistro bulbs, which is mood lighting, not proper light.

Bistro strands are gorgeous, unfortunately they are dim. At 9pm your guests can’t read a menu, your caterer can’t see the chafing dishes, and your photographer has to switch to flash.

The fix is layering. Keep the bistro strands for the mood and beauty then add additional lights.

Ask the rental company the additional lights that they have and the rental costs. In most cases, if you are renting the tent and other supplies from the same company, you will get the additional lights at a small extra cost.

Flooring is never included

When you ask about flooring, you’ll get quoted a dance floor. That’s not the same as a subfloor.

A dance floor is a raised platform, usually 15 by 15 or larger, that sits in one spot. A subfloor is a level deck under the entire tent.

You need a subfloor if your yard has any slope, if the ground is soft, or if you are expecting it to rain. Without it, table legs sink, chairs tip, and every woman in heels spends the night walking on her toes like she’s crossing a creek.

Subfloor is expensive, and it’s the single biggest upgrade in comfort you can rent. If the budget forces you to make a choice between a bigger tent and a level floor, take the floor.

Heaters are always an add on

Shoulder season weddings need heat, and heaters are almost always an add on. Most people rent the heaters but forget about the fuel part.

Some companies rent the heater and include one tank. Others rent the heater and you buy propane. Nobody tells you a patio style heater burns a twenty-pound tank in about ten hours on high.

Ask three things when you are renting the heater for your tent. Is fuel included? Who swaps the propane tank? and how much clearance does the unit need from a sidewall?

You should get a heater of the right size and ensure that you get the right amount of fuel that will keep the guests warm throughout the event.

Rent a tent of the right size

Every tent company publishes a chart that says a 30 by 60 seats 180 guests. That number assumes 180 guests sitting in chairs and nothing else inside.

Chances are that your tent also has to hold a bar, a buffet or plated service aisles, a dance floor, a band or DJ, a cake table, a gift table, and a sweetheart table.

Add roughly 100 square feet for the bar, 100 for the DJ, 200 for the buffet line, and 2 to 3 square feet per guest for the dance floor. That’s before anyone stands up.

To ensure that you rent the right tent for your event, we recommend that you take the seated capacity on the chart and subtract thirty percent. That’s your real guest count.

Be cautious when getting clear top tents

You get elegant photos in a clear top. Unfortunately, they behave like greenhouses.

A clear top in July at 2pm will run ten to fifteen degrees warmer than the yard around it. If your event is in daylight under clear vinyl, plan on fans or plan on a quick ceremony.

The second thing is condensation. On a cool night after a warm day, moisture forms on the inside of the vinyl and drips, and this can make the guests uncomfortable.

If you want the clear top, book it for an evening event and ensure that you get a liner. If you want it during the day, also get fans that will keep the guests comfortable.

Parting shot

If you didn’t know what is included in the wedding rental packages Northern VA, now you know.

The key to avoiding confusion is to ask the rental company as many questions as possible. As a rule of thumb, ensure that you rent only what you need to make your event comfortable and a success.

Some companies might try to rent you extra supplies than you need. Be cautious of such companies as they are simply interested in your money.