Every couple planning an outdoor wedding in Ireland eventually has the same conversation: what do we do about the weather?
The answer is simpler than most people think. You plan for it, you get the right cover, and then you stop worrying about it. The tent is the decision that unlocks every other decision.
How far ahead should you book?
For summer weddings — anything from May to September — six months to a year ahead is realistic. Popular dates in peak season (June, July, August) can fill up quickly, especially if you're tying the tent hire to a popular venue.
For spring and autumn weddings (April, October), you have a bit more flexibility, but don't leave it too late. We turn down jobs that we can't resource properly, and we'd rather tell you that early than have to disappoint you closer to the date.
What size do you need?
This is where most people get stuck, and it's why we don't publish a sizing chart on our website. The honest answer is: it depends on your layout.
A seated dinner for 120 people needs a different configuration to a standing cocktail party for 120 people. A long narrow garden calls for a different approach than a square courtyard. Tents can be joined together to create larger or more unusual shapes.
What we do instead: you tell us about your numbers and your space, we come and look at it (or you use the drawing tool on our contact page), and we give you a recommendation. There's no charge for the consultation.
Choosing a venue with tents in mind
If you're still choosing a venue, a few things to look for:
Good anchor points. Stretch tents need solid attachment points — posts, structures, trees, the ground. A completely open tarmac surface with nothing to anchor to is harder to work with than a garden with mature trees and walls.
Level-ish ground. Not perfectly flat, but reasonably workable. We've put tents on some challenging terrain, but you don't want to find out a week before the wedding that the slope is going to complicate everything.
Access for a vehicle. We'll need to deliver and collect poles and fabric. A drive-in access, even a tight one, makes a big difference.
The lighting conversation
Once you have the tent, you have a space to dress. Festoon lighting and LED uplighters transform a stretch tent from a shelter into a venue. Most wedding clients opt for at least string lighting along the span of the tent; many add uplighters for colour.
We supply and install lighting as part of the package. It's worth having that conversation at the time of booking rather than as an afterthought — it affects the quoting and the logistics.
What weather can a stretch tent handle?
Properly tensioned, a stretch tent handles Irish summer weather well. They're designed to shed rain, flex in wind rather than fight it, and they're made from waterproof fabric.
The limit is genuinely severe weather — the kind of wind that would close a motorway. In those conditions, any outdoor structure would be checked and secured. In 20+ years of events across Ireland, this has been a very rare scenario.
What you shouldn't worry about: drizzle, a heavy shower, breezy conditions. That's just an Irish summer.
Ready to start planning?
Get in touch with your date, your approximate numbers, and your location. If you can describe (or draw) your outdoor space, even better. We'll come back to you with what we'd recommend.