Disadvantages of a tent

It may seem like a no-brainer but there are a lot of hidden costs when it comes to getting a tent and erecting for your big event.

Options galore: For example, there are many tenting options … staked pole tents, frame tents and all the little things you must not forget that are almost never included in the rental price.

Guttering: Guttering, you say what? Whether you have a big or small staff, you likely have smaller adjoining tents for service staff. These are often set up for the caterer, etc. Guttering is an added expense but needed to stop water from gushing on your guests or pouring in on your service staff. If we are talking about gushing water, it must be raining, and then all those wonderful plans get soggy.

Tent walls: Sure, no one wants a tent wall, but they have those pretty arched windows just in case you may actually need one. Don’t forget to have the rental company prepare the side walls by securing the bottom of the wall with a wire in case of gentle breezes give way to a thunderstorm. These tent walls will flap in the wind and easily turn over chairs and tables or bounce off your unsuspecting guests.

Air flow: An afternoon thunderstorm may only last 20 minutes to an hour, but the humidity, oh, the humidity. Tents capture all the heat of the day, much the same as a hot air balloon. So don’t forget to get a big fan or two to maintain good air flow. No, you say, we don’t need a fan, we take the tent walls off again. Yes, you are correct, the air will move once again, but the big top will still maintain that hot air. After a big rain the ground is wet, people will have grass clippings clinging on them, and it is a fact of being a child that the ring bearer and flower girl will find the puddles unless the puddles find your guests first. Low spots, high spots and the path to the restrooms, wet.

An interesting fact that you may not know about tents … Under that beautiful layer of white sandwiched between the top and bottom is a layer of black. Why is this? It stops that scorching sun from penetrating to the space below.

So why all this talk about tents and what could happen? It happened to me, and more than once.
Working as a caterer for 15 years, I can tell you we got wet, we got muddy, we got frozen, and we got sunburned. While we smiled every step of the way, we certainly learned from these experiences and wanted to share them with you.

Not every wedding under a tent has had bad weather, but these days no one knows what the weather will do, so why worry if you can find a great venue for less than the cost of a tent package?

Looking for a venue for your wedding? Learn more about Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables at www.HermitageHillFarm.com.