Tent Wedding Décor Ideas

Want to create a wedding venue from the ground up, make a big impression on your guests, showcase the scenery around your wedding venue, and protect against bad weather at the same time? Then a tent wedding may be the perfect option for you! While marquee weddings themselves are nothing new, the last few years have seen tent structures reach new levels of design, comfort, and versatility. The sky’s the limit when it comes to tent wedding décor ideas! Because a tent essentially gives you a blank canvas to work with, you can create something truly unique. Whether you’re planning a destination wedding in the grounds of an Irish castle or a small celebration in your family garden, and no matter what wedding style or vibe you want to create, there’s a tent for you. I’ve planned and designed some stunning marquee wedding ceremonies and receptions – here are just a few of my favourites to give you some tent wedding décor ideas of your own!

If your marquee reception is taking place on a site with amazing views, you’ll want to make the most of it. A clear tent will not only avoid competing with the surrounding scenery, but make it part of the attraction. Think: watching the sunset and dancing under the stars – all while being protected from the elements. Clear tents also reflect candlelight beautifully, creating a warm, intimate glow. One of the best ways to optimise a translucent tent, however, is to use hanging décor like this striking hanging floral installation we created for one of our weddings. Puffs of pink dried grasses and gypsophilia took on a floating quality, like whimsical clouds, drawing the eye upwards. We paired these elevated floral installations with low centrepieces on the tables, creating lots of space on the tables.

A classic way to add softness and sophistication to a tented reception is to include draping. You get the feeling of a spacious, elegant lounge, opening up onto the outdoors and creating a beautiful flow between indoor and outdoor spaces. For this reception design, we paired white drapery with beautiful tiered chandeliers, wrapped with trailing strands of greenery. The leaves were beautifully whimsical, while the candles created a romantic ambience. On the tables, tall centrepieces in glass vases filled with bunches of green grapes reflected the greenery above – the best of modern and natural aesthetics combined.

For this garden reception, it was all about bringing focus to the centre of the tent, with white draping and maypole garlands of flowers and greenery gathering together into a lavish central halo, punctuated by a stunning crystal chandelier. It looked amazing! Again, this was all about drawing the eye upwards to a focal point, emphasising the marquee’s height and shape. At the eye level, tables were adorned with lush arrangements in shades of purple, with pastel taper candles and toile napkins adding a special touch. The wedding took place during COVID restrictions, so we also used greenery to mark gaps between different parties at the long tables and mirror the garlands at the top of the canopy without feeling clinical.

Biophilic design, or bringing the outdoors in, is very much a theme when it comes to tent wedding décor ideas and here we executed the concept to perfection! Making the most of the natural light from this glass structure, we created multiple installations of flowers and greenery, giving the whole space the feel of a greenhouse or conservatory. When you’re using a tent structure, one of the best ways to make it more natural is to wrap metal or wooden poles in greenery, turning them into lush vines that climb up from floor to ceiling. We also hung lavish displays of ferns and greens, interspersed with crystal chandeliers, hung from vine-wrapped cords. Not only did it look gorgeous, it also helped to make the space feel more intimate by filling in some of the negative space and ‘joining’ the tables to the high ceiling.

Tents aren’t just for receptions! A rainy day didn’t stop the guests at this wedding from enjoying the beautiful Irish countryside scenery while the couple exchanged vows. Using an open-sided tent sheltered them from the weather while also providing scenic views of the venue. Again, we used natural design elements to reflect the outdoors, with tent poles wrapped in green and white garlands and an altar that looked like a tiny meadow. Even if the weather is in your favour, an open-sided tent is a good option for an outdoor ceremony, as it will create shade and allow airflow while still making the most of the sunshine.

Now this was one for the books! For this wedding at Adare Manor, we designed a tented reception within the Walled Garden. The gated entrance was covered with pink orchids, creating a magical secret garden feeling, opening up into a glamorous space complete with water features, ornate mirrors, and romantic draping. We used a variety of low and tall table arrangements, as well as living trees placed between the tables, to create a true spectacle!

I hope you enjoyed these tent wedding décor ideas! Be sure to take a look at the Gallery for more examples of our work.

Slán go Fóill,

Tara

Images by Doreen Kilfeather, DK Photography, Paula O’Hara Photography, Aspect Photography,  Kieran Harnett, John Ryan Photography