Renting a small, white 20-foot square frame tent (for about 40 guests) costs about $350. Renting a 30-by-60 rectangular frame tent (for about 180 guests) can cost around $900. And renting an 60-by-90 foot tent (for 540 guests) can cost around $4,300. Generally, the more people you need to fit, the more the tent costs.
Propane patio heaters cost about $60 and tent heaters cost from $175 to $250 each to rent.
An oak parquet dance floor, delivered and installed, can cost anywhere from $300 for 12-foot-square to $2,000 or more for 30-foot square and larger. A mirrored disco ball costs about $45 to rent.
Most rental companies will deliver and install the tent and space heaters, along with lighting and dance floors or stages. After the event they will disassemble, remove and clean them.
Many companies include free, clear sidewalls that attach to the tent to provide added shelter from wind and rain.
Most companies allow one day for delivery, one day for use and one day for pick-up and cleaning.
Additional costs:
If items are broken, damaged or lost while in your possession, the rental company will charge a replacement or repair fee. For tents, this could cost thousands of dollars.
For evening events, it is necessary to rent lighting for inside the tent. Chandeliers cost about $50 to $85 each to rent.
Flooring for inside the tent -- from Astroturf to decking -- will cost hundreds or thousands of dollars extra, depending on the tent size.
Discounts:
Some companies offer discounts for customers who rent a certain dollar amount of equipment.
Some wedding coordinators are able to get discounts from vendors they use frequently, and most pass these discounts on to their clients.
Shopping for tent and heater rentals:
Tents and heaters should be reserved as far in advance as possible, and many companies require a non-refundable deposit of about 25 percent. Some companies allow you to reserve a tent in case of bad weather, then decide a week or so before the wedding whether you want the tent. If not, you lose your deposit but do not have to pay the balance.
RentalHQ.com offers a guide to the types of tents available, as well as seating arrangements that work well with different tent types. And All Seasons Tent Rental provides photos of different tents and structures.
If you plan to use a tent, check with the owner of the venue to make sure the area where the tent will be placed is free of underground sprinklers, cables, wires, sewer easements or any other potential dangers the rental company's staff should know about.
RentalHQ.com offers a guide to keeping guests comfortable with the type and number of space heaters or coolers.
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