Guest count to tent size
| Seated guests | Floor area needed | Tent size | With a dance floor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | ~42 m² | 5m × 9m | 5m × 12m |
| 50 | ~70 m² | 5m × 10m | 5m × 15m |
| 100 | ~140 m² | 10m × 15m | 10m × 20m |
| 150 | ~210 m² | 10m × 21m | 10m × 27m |
| 200 | ~280 m² | 10m × 30m | 15m × 24m |
| 300 | ~420 m² | 15m × 30m | 15m × 36m |
| 500 | ~700 m² | 20m × 40m | Two joined marquees |
Standing functions need roughly half the area of a seated one. A 5m × 10m tent seats 50 but holds 90 to 100 standing.
The two mistakes that undersize a tent
The first is measuring guests instead of the yard. A tent has to fit the property before it fits the guest list, and on a compact or part-paved plot the boundary decides the structure regardless of how many people are coming. Measure the clear span first, then read the chart.
The second is forgetting everything that is not a guest. A buffet line, a bar, a stage, a cake table, a DJ and a walkway all take floor area, and together they routinely swallow 20 to 30 square metres that were budgeted as seating. Add them before you pick a size, not after.
Size by structure type
Sizes are not interchangeable between structures. A peg-and-pole marquee loses usable floor to its centre poles and its guy ropes need a metre or more of clearance beyond the canvas. A frame tent is clear-span, so its full footprint is usable and it needs no rope clearance. A stretch tent covers an irregular area and is measured by canopy size rather than seats.
If you already know the size you need, the local rates for it sit on tent hire prices in East London, and the structures themselves are compared under types of tents for hire.
Common questions
What size tent do I need for 50 guests?
Fifty seated guests need about 70 square metres, which is a 5m × 10m tent. Add a dance floor and go to 5m × 15m. Standing only, the same 5m × 10m holds 90 to 100.
What size tent do I need for 100 guests?
One hundred seated guests need about 140 square metres — a 10m × 15m frame or peg-and-pole marquee, or 10m × 20m if you want a dance floor.
How many square metres per person for a tent?
Allow 1.2 to 1.5 square metres per seated guest, about 0.8 square metres standing, and add 0.5 square metres per guest for a dance floor.
Is it better to go one size up?
Yes, when the yard allows it. One size up costs far less than a second tent on the day, and an oversized tent still works while an undersized one does not.