Marquee events · Norfolk & Suffolk
Marquee sound, lighting and power.
A marquee arrives as an empty canvas box in a field. Beautiful, and technically a blank sheet — no sound, no lighting, often no power. This is the part we handle.
What a marquee needs
Four things, in this order.
Marquee events fail on infrastructure far more often than on kit choice. Get these right and the rest is straightforward.
Power
Almost every marquee problem traces back to power. Caterers, lighting, the band and the bar all draw from the same supply, and a domestic feed from the house will not carry it.
We plan the load properly, supply distribution and cable runs, and coordinate with your caterer and marquee company so nothing trips at eight o'clock.
Sound
Canvas absorbs high frequencies and reflects almost nothing, so speech goes muddy and music loses definition — a system that sounds fine in a hall can disappear in a marquee.
We spec with that in mind, and cover the ceremony, the speeches and the evening party as one continuous plan rather than three separate hires.
Lighting
Marquees go from bright daylight to pitch black with nothing in between. Uplighting around the perimeter turns the canvas into the feature, and the dancefloor needs its own treatment.
Wireless uplighters mean no cable runs across the floor. IP-rated fixtures handle anything outside the canvas.
Outside the tent
The bits people forget: an outdoor ceremony with no mains, the walkway from the car park, the smoking area, the garden games.
Battery-powered PA covers ceremonies anywhere on site with no cable at all. IP-rated lighting handles the paths and the grounds.
Through the day
One system, three very different jobs.
| Moment | What it needs | How we cover it |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor ceremony | Clear speech with no mains power anywhere near | Battery PA and a wireless mic — nothing to trip over, nothing to plug in |
| Drinks reception | Background music across a lawn or garden | Discreet distributed speakers, level set so people can still talk |
| Wedding breakfast | Speeches heard at the back tables without shouting | Wireless handhelds, coverage tuned to the table layout |
| First dance | The room to change character in one moment | Dancefloor lighting cue, low fog if you want the floor-level look |
| Evening party | A system that holds up at 11pm without distorting | Tops and subs with real headroom, DJ or band inputs ready |
| Carriages | Lighting on the paths and car park | IP-rated fixtures on the routes people actually walk |
Most marquee weddings take this as one package with us on site for the day, rather than several separate hires that nobody joins up.
Common questions
Marquee AV, answered.
Do we need a generator for a marquee wedding?
It depends on what else is drawing power. A modest marquee running off a house supply can sometimes cope, but once you add caterers, a band and full lighting it usually will not. We work the load out properly in advance and tell you honestly whether a generator is needed — it is much cheaper to know in March than to find out on the day.
Can you provide sound for an outdoor ceremony with no power?
Yes, and it is one of the most common things we are asked for. Battery-powered PA with a wireless microphone covers a ceremony anywhere on the site — an orchard, a lawn, a lakeside — with no cable and no generator.
How many uplighters does a marquee need?
It depends on the size and shape, but as a rough guide a typical marquee takes somewhere between twelve and twenty to get an even wash around the perimeter without gaps. We will spec from your marquee company's plan rather than guessing.
Do you work with our marquee company and caterer?
Yes, and it makes a real difference. We coordinate load-in timings, power distribution and cable routes with them directly so nothing conflicts on the day. Just put us in touch.
Can we hire the equipment and set it up ourselves?
For a straightforward evening system, yes — dry hire is available and everything goes out tested with the correct cabling. For a full marquee build with power distribution we would strongly recommend we do it, both for the result and for the safety paperwork.
Which areas do you cover for marquee events?
Norfolk and Suffolk primarily, from our base near Diss — including the country-estate and barn venues across South Norfolk and North Suffolk. We travel across the wider East of England for larger builds.
Marquee going up somewhere?
Send us the date, the venue and your marquee company's plan if you have it. We will tell you what the build needs — power included.