Considering Costs For A Tented Wedding? Everything to Know Before You Book
- Sterling Brooks
- Apr 29
- 13 min read
Champaign's tent experts explain the details you need to know before you begin planning your outdoor wedding.
In this article:
If you're considering renting a tent for your wedding and wondering about the costs, you're in the right place.
I recently Googled "should I rent a tent for my wedding" to see what information is being presented to our local Illinois wedding couples, and I found a lot of conflicting results related to costs. Many of the articles catered to big city wedding couples with uncompromising, high-end budgets. Brides magazine goes so far as to say you can't get a basic setup for a tented wedding for less than $50,000. This doesn't even come close to describing the experience of the wedding couples I see in Central Illinois every day.
I'm Sterling Brooks, owner and operator of Herriott's Rents, Tents, & Events in Champaign, IL, and I want to clear some things up.
How Much Does a Wedding Tent Cost to Rent?
Let's start with the first thing that's probably on your mind. How much is a wedding tent going to cost me? Most online resources will tell you that a tented wedding is actually more expensive than a venue. The real answer is that it depends on 3 factors.
Are you going to need a lot of optional extras such as flooring, climate control, portable restrooms, a catering tent, and generators? Skipping the flooring will cut the cost of the tent in half (and most couples skip this option anyway), and more money can be saved if you have your own restrooms, kitchen, and power available (say, from your family home).
Does your venue price include things like table settings, linens, draping, lighting, dancefloors, decor, tables, chairs, and other venue features?
Do you need to rent land for the tent? You may be saving a lot of money if you have access to your own private land through family or friends, or access to an affordable public space option such as a state park.
If you answered "yes" to two or more of those questions, a tented wedding is likely to be more expensive than a venue. And maybe you're okay with that because you've got a particular vision! But if, like many of the couples I work with, you answered "no" to two or more of these questions, you're likely to save money or at least match the venue cost by having a tented wedding.
So what are the costs? The unadorned tent itself is going to cost you around $0.80-$1.20/square foot depending on the type of tent (we'll cover this later), and you will need approximately 15 sq ft per person. For a 160 guest wedding, you would therefore need about 2,400 sq ft at a cost of ~$2,400. From there, you need to factor in the costs of all the rental essentials (tables, linens, and chairs), the extras you probably shouldn't skip out on (dance floor, lighting, draping, centerpieces), the table settings you'll need if they aren't provided by your caterer (plates, napkins, flatware, and glassware), and any of the other optional extras you may want (climate control, flooring, hanging decor). The costs of each of these things can vary dramatically based on size, quantity, quality, and style. For example, you could have simple folding banquet tables (~$10/ea) that are covered in linens (~$20/ea), or you could have wooden farm tables that run ~$100/ea.
To be clear, it is your guest count that determines the quantity of each item needed as well as your tent size. So every guest means another chair, plate, set of flatware, set of glassware, napkin, serving of food, dance floor space, tent space, and possibly another table altogether. Another table means more linens, more centerpieces, and more floorspace. I understand, who can put a price on the loved ones you invite to your wedding? But since you're asking, I'd say the price is no less than $50 per guest (inclusive of the tent space and decor) excluding their food and drink. You then need to budget in the same expenses you would at a venue including the catering, bar service, DJ, florist, photographer, etc.
Summary of Tented Wedding Costs:
Base Tent Cost: $0.80-$1.20/Sq Ft
Space Needed Per Guest: 15 Sq Ft
Tables, Chairs, Linens: ~$15-$25/Guest
Dance Floor, Lighting, Draping: ~$3000+
Table Settings: ~$10-$20/Guest (if not already included in your catering package)
Example 160 Guest Wedding: ~$9,400 + other vendor costs (florist, DJ, etc.)
The numbers above are estimates to get you in the ballpark, but the best advice I can offer you is to reach out to a few local tent/event rental companies and get a free, no-obligation quote. You'll want to know your guest count, wedding date, wedding location, colors, and ideally have a little inspiration already in mind when you contact the rental company. Many event rental companies will also have 3D rendering software, giving you a chance to see your event brought to life before the big day. But reach out sooner than later! Event rental companies have limited capacity just like venues, and dates fill up fast.
Essential vs. Non-Essential Add-Ons
Non-Essential Add-Ons
Many online resources will lead you to believe that, in addition to your tent, you need tent flooring, climate control, portable restroom trailers, generators, extensive draping, multiple tents, and covered walking paths between the tents. While all of these add-ons are certainly an option and would make for an extremely comfortable wedding, I want to assure you that practically none of these things are necessary in many instances.
Tent flooring is often more expensive than the tent itself, and wholly unnecessary unless you are trying to achieve a particular look, place your tent over a pool, or are placing your tent on a hillside in need of leveling. The grass will remain dry under your tent if rain does make an appearance on your wedding day (especially if you set the tent up early) and you'll have the added perk of saving your grass from dying underneath the flooring. Be sure to mow before your tent is installed, and advise your guests that they will be walking on grass and should plan their footwear accordingly.
Climate control for a tent is more season-dependent. If your wedding is in July or August, I would recommend at least adding tent fans and avoiding clear top tents (which tend to add a greenhouse effect inside your tent), and late fall weddings could certainly benefit from tent heaters. Tent heaters will be mandatory for any winter weddings. The bigger your tent, the more fans/heaters you will need. But the majority of weddings, which take place April-June and September-October, can skip budgeting for climate control.
Draping happens to be especially trendy for weddings at the time this article is written (2025), and for good reason. A tent fully decked out in draping is truly stunning and will have your guests wide-eyed as they enter the tent. Checkout Lopez's Events & Rentals Instagram to get a good idea of what this can look like. That being said, draping will add thousands of dollars to the budget. Unless you're going with a sailcloth tent, which is beautiful by itself, be warned that a tent without any decorations or finishings such as lighting, draping, and florals makes for a bland atmosphere. It is a blank space that requires some love. But you don't have to cover the entirety of the tent with drapes, flowers, and lighting to have a dramatic effect. See the image below to see how even minimal draping, lighting, and florals can have a dramatic effect. The tent below features center pole wrapped in drapes and green ivy, with globe string lights lightly strung throughout the tent. The bride also added tent leg draping on the entrance side of the tent. Simple, yet stunning!
Portable restrooms are only necessary if you either do not want guests entering your residence (assuming a backyard wedding), or you are at a location without any restrooms. A majority of tented weddings take place on family's or friend's property, so this budget item is dependent on your tent location. The same is true for generators. A majority of tented weddings will be able to pull power from a nearby home, but if this is not the case for you, then there is always the option to borrow a generator from a family or friend. Just remember to keep some distance between the generator and your tent to avoid noise pollution in your event space.
As for additional tents, you will need to speak with your caterer (if you have one) to determine their needs. There are few other instances when you would need additional tents. If your caterer does require their own tent, it will likely be a rather small tent such as a 20'x20' which doesn't add too much to the budget. Covered walkways such as a line of marquee tents from a nearby building to the tent are nice additions for convenience in case of rain and add a beautiful element to a wedding, but are largely unnecessary and rarely done. You can always remind your guests to bring an umbrella in case of rain.
Essential Add-Ons
While that covers the add-ons that I believe are optional and even unnecessary for your tented event, there are several things you likely will not want to skip out on. These include lighting, minimal draping, and linens.
Lighting for your tent is critical for two reasons. One, your event is likely going into the evening. When the sun sets, you'll be left in the dark. And two, a tent without lighting lacks the warm atmosphere so well associated with tented weddings. By skipping on this one thing, you're losing one of the inherent draws to what makes a tented wedding so special in the first place. There are many options for lighting including up-lights, string lights in various patterns (I'm a particular fan of the "sea of lights" look), and chandeliers in whatever style you wish. Most well-established event rental companies will carry an assortment of chandeliers for you to choose from.
Alright, I know I said draping was a non-essential add-on, but I was referring to draping an entire tent. Draping doesn't have to be extensive to add texture and warmth to the tent. Simply adding some leg drapes near the entrance and/or center pole drapes on a pole tent will have a dramatic effect. You can swap this out with a hefty florist budget, but you need to ensure your tent isn't blank and bland. Draping is a simple way of ensuring this.
Linens are often one of the first things people like to cut when their budget is stretched, but that is a mistake. When you walk into a venue or a tent, the thing your eye will see the most of are the linens. They bring your color pallet to life and liven the space. The one exception to this is if you are renting specialty tables such as farm tables or clear acrylic/glass ghost tables.
Tent Types and Their Cost
Wedding tents largely come in two broad categories: pole tents and frame tents. If you're unsure what type of tent you want, your tent rental company can help guide you in this decision, but here are a few considerations to keep in mind for each tent type.
Pole Tents | Frame Tents |
Less expensive | More expensive |
Classic look | Modern look |
Center poles block sight lines | Open lines of sight |
Limited hanging decor options | Lots of hanging decor options |
White vinyl or sailcloth tent tops | White vinyl or clear tent tops |
Require staking into ground | Require staking into ground or ballasting |
Limited variety in appearance other than type of vinyl. Sailcloth tents are the high-end option | Comes in various styles including high peak, keder frame, engineered structure, and greenhouse/garden tent (prices vary dramatically) |
Sailcloth tents, specialty frame tents like the Garden Tent above, and clear top tents are going to be additional cost over the base products. If this topic interests you, you can learn more in our post about Choosing the Right Tent for Your Event.
Whatever style of tent you decide to go with, ensure you hire trusted and experienced professionals with a history of success. Every year we see it - a couple calls us because the tent company they booked didn't show up, cancelled on them, or worse, never really existed in the first place. Do your research and don't cut corners here. This blog was worth writing if it saves even a single couple from this heartache.
Tips for Saving Costs
We've learned some tricks over the years helping couples plan their wedding day. Here are a few tricks that we think you may find particularly useful.
Splurge on the head table, save on the rest - Your head table (where you and your wedding party sit during reception) is the place to splurge on the high-end rentals. Pick out the fanciest plates, chargers, flatware, glassware, chairs, etc. on this table. Then get the basics for everyone else.
Multi-purpose your chairs - Couples usually rent chairs for the ceremony, and then another set of chairs for the reception. Cut your chair rental cost in half by using your ceremony chairs for the reception. If your ceremony location is near the tent, as if often the case, have your guests carry them from the ceremony to their table.
Multi-purpose your flowers - Talk with your florist about creating arrangements that can move from the ceremony to the reception, but keep in mind this may not be possible if there is little time between ceremony and reception.
Food stations - Consider self-serve food stations instead of multi-course catered meals. Alternatively, you can save on the caterer altogether by renting catering equipment from your event rental company and bringing in your favorite dishes.
Drink stations - Rent a bar and barback from your rental company, purchase a selection of wine and beer, and pick 2-3 cocktails to serve. Have a friend attend the bar, hire a gig worker, or make it self-serve.
Limit the guest count - This one is obvious, but keeping your guest count parred down will dramatically effect your budget. Fewer guests means fewer tables, chairs, linens, table settings, decor, flowers, food, drinks, invitations, and a smaller tent.
Simplify the lighting - Lighting can be expensive, so go with simple lighting patterns for your tent. A little really does go a long way.
Skip the flooring, but not the dance floor - Your tent doesn't need flooring other than a dance floor. Mow the grass before tent install and notify your guests to wear appropriate footwear. Your guests, however, are not going to want to dance on grass. Rent a dance floor that fits ~60-75% of your guest count.
Why Have A Tented Wedding?
After so much talk of money and budgets, let's bring the result of all these expenses back into focus. Why have a tented wedding at all? Here are some quotes that define the typical wedding tent client and highlight some of the benefits:
I love the idea of being surrounded by nature but still want all the comforts of an elegant venue.
I value privacy and exclusivity, preferring to create my own space.
I dream of a fairytale setting that I can transform into something truly magical.
I hate the idea of being restricted by venues and want full creative control over everything from catering to timelines.
I want a one-of-a kind, completely custom event that feels like no other wedding I've attended.
I want to host my wedding in a meaningful location like a family estate or a childhood home.
I'm drawn to the idea of an outdoor wedding, but I worry about bad weather.
I want to wow my guests with a unique experience that feels different from a ballroom wedding or standard venue.
If these quotes sound anything like you, a wedding tent is the right choice for you. And as these quotes hint, tented weddings come with a wide range of perks found nowhere else. When you choose to bring the venue to you, you’re opening the door to a celebration that's every bit as personal, meaningful, and memorable as you’ve dreamed.
Here are just a few of the major perks to consider:
Location. Location. Location.
Some of the most unforgettable weddings happen in places that would never work for a traditional venue: a family backyard, a favorite campsite, a rolling pasture, the edge of a quiet lake. If the spot is meaningful to you, you can bring your wedding there — and the tent turns that special place into your personal venue for the day. There's a beautiful symbolism to getting married at a personally significant location such as a childhood home.
Flexibility & Freedom
A tented wedding gives you real flexibility in creating a space that feels like you. You aren’t forced into someone else’s idea of what a wedding should look like. If you’re imagining long family-style tables under strings of lights, a formal plated dinner with chandeliers overhead, or a relaxed garden party vibe, a tent gives you a blank canvas to design your dream day exactly as you imagine it. your colors, your layout, your vision, your celebration.
Also, that flexibility extends to rules and timelines. With a tented wedding, you aren’t limited by the rules and timelines of traditional venues. You get to call the shots — when the party starts, when it ends, how the space is used, and how long your vendors have to set up. There's no strict timeline for decorating the space. There’s no venue manager tapping their watch at 10 PM telling you to pack it up just when everyone’s hitting the dance floor. If you want to dance until the sun rises, you can. You won't find that freedom at a brick-and-mortar space.
The Look and the Uniqueness
There's something about a tented wedding that just feels more personal. Maybe it’s because you're closer to nature, or because everything feels a little more open and relaxed. But there's a warmth and authenticity that shines through, and your guests will absolutely feel it. Tented weddings stand out. Your guests will remember the specialness of it — the charming setting, the sense of intimacy with nature, the way the evening felt cozy, warm, and alive with energy. It’s different from the standard “venue wedding” experience and offers a once-in-a-lifetime kind of charm. Your wedding won't feel like a copy of the hundreds of others that took place at the same venue that year. It’ll be yours. And your guests will feel that magic the moment they step inside.
At the end of the day, a tented wedding isn’t just about renting a tent — it’s about creating a day that feels like you. With the right planning, the right team, and a little creativity, you can have a wedding that's beautiful, personal, and truly unforgettable. If a tented wedding is calling your name, I say trust your gut — it’s worth it.
If you’re considering a tented wedding in Central Illinois, we’d love to help you bring your vision to life. At Herriott's Rents, Tents, & Events, we are committed to expertly delivering an effortless experience. Our team is happy to provide expert advice, customized quotes, and the support needed to turn your vision into reality. Reach out to us anytime for a free quote.
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