Choosing the Right Size Tent for Your Event

Our party rental tents come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Choosing the right one for your event can seem more complicated than picking out table linens for a wedding reception, but we’re always available to help you sort through the possibilities and determine which style and size will work best for you. To get you started, the following guidelines offer a good idea of the approximate area you’ll need for each person under your tent or canopy:

Tent Space by Event Needs

Of course, no event is ever as simple as everyone sitting at tables. There is often a buffet area, a dance floor or a stage. In situations like these, a good rule of thumb is to add 100 sq. ft. for every buffet table and 400 sq. ft. for a small dance floor or stage. We also advise allowing 100 sq. ft. for every 4 guests at a wedding reception.

Event Needs	Size Per Person
Ceremony (allowing for aisle)	6 sq. ft. per person
Cocktail party, standing	5 to 6 sq. ft. per person
Cocktail party, seated	10 sq. ft. per person
Reception, partial seating	8 sq. ft. per person
Dining, oblong tables	10 sq. ft. per person
Dining, round tables	12 sq. ft. per person
Cathedral seating (in rows)	6 sq. ft. per person
Dance floor area	4 sq. ft. per person

Recommended Tent Size by Guest Count

Keep in mind this is only a rough guide and may not apply to every event. Our staff will help with the final selection after we have a better understanding of your setup. Our goal is always to help you make the right choice based on your specific event, whether it’s a backyard gathering for 50 guests or a huge gala for 500.

Number of guests	Recommended tent size
50	20’ x 30’ (seated), 20’ x 20' (standing)
100	30’ x 40’ (seated), 30’ x 30’ (standing)
150	40’ x 60’ (seated), 40’ x 40’ (standing)
200	40' x 80' (seated), 40' x 60' (standing)
300	60' x 90' (seated), 60' x 60' (standing)

TENT TIP: Plan For The Worst Weather

Not to sound like a pessimist, but when you’re deciding on a tent for your event, you need to plan as if it’s going to rain. Trust us, the last thing you want is a freak storm sending 100 people running for cover under a tent built for 50. If anything, get a tent slightly larger than you think you’ll need. Extra space is rarely a bad thing.

It’s not always a downpour causing problems at an event. Sometimes the issue is hot, sunny weather. A properly sized tent offers welcome relief on hot days, especially at locations without shade trees. So even if you feel sure rain won’t be an issue, protection from the sun still matters.

Tent Size Diagrams, Seating Layouts & Capacity Guide

The charts below show common tent sizes with typical seating capacities for rectangular and round table layouts. Diagrams illustrate sample layouts, though configurations can be adjusted to fit your event.

20 x 20 Tent

RECTANGULAR

48 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

32 people at

60" round tables

20 x 30 Tent

RECTANGULAR

64 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

48 people at

60" round tables

20 x 40 Tent

RECTANGULAR

80 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

64 people at

60" round tables

30 x 30 Tent

RECTANGULAR

96 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

64 people at

60" round tables

30 x 45 Tent

RECTANGULAR

144 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

88 people at

60" round tables

30 x 60 Tent

RECTANGULAR

192 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

128 people at

60" round tables

40 x 40 Tent

RECTANGULAR

160 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

128 people at

60" round tables

40 x 60 Tent

RECTANGULAR

256 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

192 people at

60" round tables

40 x 80 Tent

RECTANGULAR

320 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

256 people at

60" round tables

60 x 40 Century Tent

RECTANGULAR

256 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

192 people at

60" round tables

60 x 70 Century Tent

RECTANGULAR

432 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

336 people at

60" round tables

60 x 100 Century Tent

RECTANGULAR

624 people at

8 ft. tables

ROUND LAYOUT

480 people at

60" round tables

Stripes or No Stripes? We Have Both

Striped tents are popular for festivals, concerts and parties of all types. We have blue-and-white, red-and-white and blue-and-yellow striped tents available for rent. Striped tents work well for almost every kind of event except weddings. For this reason, all of our wedding tent rental packages include white tents.

If you are ordering only a tent for a wedding, be sure to specify a white tent. We always ask what type of event you’re planning and recommend a white tent for weddings, but it still helps to be clear during the ordering process.

How Far In Advance Should You Rent a Wedding Tent?

Although we stress the importance of planning well ahead, the day after you get engaged is probably a bit premature. Six months before the big day is about right, although making plans a year ahead is not unheard of for larger receptions. You definitely do not want to wait until a month before your wedding day, or you may find the rental tents are already booked, and leave yourself at the complete mercy of Wisconsin weather.

Peak wedding season means more competition

June through September is the busiest time of year for weddings, which means venues, vendors, and event dates can book up quickly. Several major holidays also fall during this period, reducing the number of available weekends for many couples and guests.

Father’s Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Yom Kippur

Plan Early for the best date selection

With holiday weekends already limiting the calendar, demand on the remaining dates becomes even higher. Add in graduations, festivals, and other outdoor events that take place during fair-weather months, and peak-season weekends can fill up quickly. To maximize your options and secure your preferred date, we recommend beginning the planning process as early as possible.

Consider a Package Deal

We offer several tent rental packages, including the basics: tent, tables and chairs. From there, you can select any additional rentals you may need as add-ons during online checkout.

Book a package online