What size marquee do I need? Guest numbers and layout guide

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Marquee Assembly team

Short answer: Allow about 1.5 square metres per guest for a seated dinner at round tables, about 1 square metre per guest for theatre-style seating and about 0.75 square metres per guest for a standing drinks reception. Then add space for a dance floor, bar, buffet, band and walkways, which often adds 25 to 50 percent to the floor area.

Space per guest

Layout	Space per guest
Standing reception	About 0.75 m²
Theatre-style rows	About 1 m²
Seated dinner, round tables	About 1.5 m²

Example sizes

Marquee size	Standing	Seated dinner
4 m by 6 m	About 30	About 16
6 m by 12 m	About 95	About 48
9 m by 15 m	About 180	About 90
12 m by 21 m	About 330	About 165

These figures are for the guests alone. Reduce them to allow for a bar, dance floor, band, buffet and walkways.

What else needs space

Dance floor, often around 0.2 to 0.3 m² per guest who will dance at once
Bar and buffet tables plus queuing room
Band or DJ area
Top table, cake table and gift table
Catering tent or kitchen area, usually separate from the main marquee

Check the site fits

Measure the available space and allow extra room around the marquee for access, pegs or ballast and, for pole marquees, guy ropes. Check for slopes, trees, overhead cables and buried services before deciding on a size.