What Happens on Build Day?
Just as Alexander Graham Bell once wisely said, ‘Preparation is the key to success,’ and this couldn’t ring truer than when it comes preparing for the arrival of our exquisite marquees. We take huge pride, in both our work and your celebration, we like to think we don’t just supply you with a marquee but enjoy the journey with you. Entrusting your wedding to us, means sharing the burden of, what can sometimes be, a stressful planning process. Our team is made of experienced professionals who meticulously check every aspect down to the finer detail. Zoom and phone calls, site visits, personalised aerial site plans; are all just snapshots of the planning journey we will take you on but to ensure a seamless build and perfect conditions for your marquee.
Preparations for Perfection
One of the first elements to the planning process with Original Marquees, is a site visit, a chance for us to ensure the area planned for the marquee is suitable, clear and level. We’ll look at any potential obstacles, either for delivery or the marquee site, as well as any potential safety issues; overhead cables, underground pipes and propose solutions for how to overcome them. Following this, we will produce a personalised aerial site plan to help you and your planner, caterers and suppliers plan for the big day.
The Perfect Site
Before the build day there are a few things we ask; that any discussed obstacles are removed and the access routes are clear, eliminating any potential delays or problems. As part of our commitment to detail and your satisfaction, we also ask that there be no fires in the vicinity for at least two months prior to the setup. This allows ample time for the lush grass to regenerate, creating a picturesque backdrop for your special day.
Cutting the Grass
And finally, one seemingly small, yet crucial, request: please trim the grass on the site short and gather the cuttings. This seemingly simple act holds substantial importance, as it contributes to an elevated overall experience. A neatly trimmed grass surface not only ensures a smooth and level foundation for the marquee floor which will follow the contours of the ground, but also enhances the aesthetics, providing an impeccable backdrop for those cherished photographs. Trust us, this minor preparation can make a world of difference in the final presentation of your magical space.
Original Marquees provided an incredible marquee and stretch tent for our wedding. They came highly recommended, and we were thrilled with the service all the way through – from initial consultation and site visit, through to set up and clear down. Harry and the team were also able to provide lots of useful advice and ideas on layout/ set up.
On Arrival
On the much-anticipated delivery day, our dedicated team will arrive on site soon after 8am, ready to weave the magic of Original Marquees into your event space. Ideally, we’d love to have you, a parent, or a planner on-site for our arrival. Your presence ensures the final site position is spot-on, and it gives us the chance to discuss the intricacies of the build process. In the event that you can’t be there, worry not – we’ll position the marquee according to the thoroughly crafted pre-discussed plan.
The King Poles
The first stage in erecting your marquee is the erection of the king poles. Dependant on the size of the marquee chosen, will depend on how many king poles we need to position. The wooden, hand varnished, king poles are the main structure in the sailcloth marquee, the central peaks of our ‘floating canopy.’ Our expert team starts by strategically placing stakes around the marquee’s perimeter, laying the groundwork for the ropes that will later secure the king poles firmly to the ground. Then, up go the king poles, and connecting signature flying festoon lights, to an upright position.
The Canvas
Moving seamlessly to the following stage, we carefully lace together the sailcloth canvas sections, that will form the exquisite canopy that graces the pinnacle of our marquee – the distinctive and graceful swooping roof lines that define the iconic Wills Marquee. These canvas sections connect to the central ring on the king pole but prior to pulling into its designated position, we introduce the wooden wall poles. Mirroring the process with the king pole, these wall poles are secured to the surrounding ground stakes by guide ropes, ensuring a safe secure structure. Once all the poles are in place and secured, the sailcloth canvas top can be raised into position and the canvas walls hung and laced in position. This step holds a special charm for us, as it’s when the marquee truly comes to life.
Infrastructure
After the main structure has been built, we begin the interior set-up – flooring, lighting, bars etc, all the details that can transform your big day into a truly extraordinary experience. It’s our goal to have the marquee structure up and the floor down by early afternoon, with additional elements like furniture, loos, and generators arriving mid-afternoon, completing late afternoon. We purposefully refrain from offering precise timings, adapting to the unique requirements of your special day, maintaining our commitment to attention to detail to deliver a flawless experience.
The Hand Over
Set-up day isn’t just about constructing a structure; it’s about laying the foundation for a day that will be etched in your memory forever. Our journey doesn’t end with the last stake in the ground; it continues as we eagerly await the moment you step into the transformed space, where dreams become reality. Crucially, we urge you to be on-site late afternoon (exact time to be confirmed on the morning with our team) for the pivotal handover. This is when we guide you through turning the generator on and off, the art of opening doors and walls, and lifting and lowering flower rings. While our aim is to complete everything on the day, if needed, or should the job be bigger than average, we’ll happily return the next day, ensuring your absolute satisfaction with the setup.
The De-Rig
On take down day we typically return between 8 and 10 am on the prearranged day, so it’s imperative to have a cleaning process in place, some suppliers may return earlier to remove furniture, staging etc. So, it’s important that any remnants of the celebration have been removed – crockery, bottles, decorations – either the morning after the wedding day or on the last day of use. This ensures a smooth start to dismantling the tent upon our arrival. Whilst we are committed to ensure we leave the site as we found it, we aren’t responsible for the event waste itself so it’s worth having a plan in place for how this will be dealt with either via your caterer/bar or handling it yourself.
Take Down
Disassembling the marquee is a swift process once the interiors have been cleared. After unfastening the canvas walls and lowering the marquee’s top structure, we proceed to remove the wall poles, king poles, and their accompanying guide ropes. Our team works efficiently to dismantle the structure, and once packed away, we take special care to leave no trace behind. Our commitment to cleanliness extends to meticulously clearing any generated waste from the site, ensuring that the area is restored to its original condition. This careful approach not only streamlines the takedown process but also underscores our dedication to leaving the venue as pristine as we found it.
At Original Marquees, we believe in providing not just a marquee but an experience, and your meticulous preparations contribute to making that experience truly magical. Let’s create unforgettable moments together! We are very proud of our 5* service and our testimonials will provide you with reassurance on our reliability and the quality of our service. See here for a recent selection of reviews.
