Hiring vs Buying a Marquee: What’s Right for Your Event?

23 April 2025

When planning a marquee event, one of the first questions people ask is whether they should hire a marquee or invest in buying one outright. It’s a fair question—and one that depends entirely on the nature of your event, your budget, and your long-term plans. Whether you’re hosting a one-off celebration or considering recurring events, understanding the pros and cons of both options is essential. Here’s a straightforward comparison to help you decide what’s right for you.

One Event or Many? Start with Your Needs

The most obvious factor in deciding whether to hire or buy is how often you’ll be using the marquee.

For One-Off Events: If you’re planning a wedding, party, or private function, hiring a marquee is almost always the smarter choice. It’s more cost-effective, hassle-free, and lets you enjoy a professionally installed space without any long-term commitment.

For Frequent Use: If you’re an events company, venue owner, or regularly host large gatherings, buying might seem like a good investment. However, don’t forget that owning a marquee also comes with storage, maintenance, and repair responsibilities—which can be easy to overlook.

The Cost Factor: Upfront vs Ongoing

Let’s talk numbers. On the surface, buying a marquee may seem like a better deal if you’re looking at price tags alone. But cost-effectiveness goes beyond the purchase price.

Hiring means one set fee, often inclusive of delivery, setup, takedown, and sometimes extras like flooring and lighting. You pay once and everything is handled for you, making it easy to stick to a budget and avoid surprise costs.

Buying a marquee can be expensive upfront, especially for larger or high-quality structures. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of transportation, labour, setup, takedown, and ongoing repairs or replacements. If you plan to customise or upgrade in the future, that adds more expense.

Storage, Maintenance and Practicalities

It’s easy to forget about the “after” part of owning a marquee. Once your event is over, what happens next?

When You Hire from a provider like TMCL, everything is taken care of. The marquee is delivered, expertly installed, and removed once the event ends. There’s no need to store anything, and you don’t need to worry about keeping it clean or repairing wear and tear.

When You Buy, storage becomes your problem. You’ll need a large, dry, secure space—especially for bigger marquees with poles, canvas, flooring, and extras. Add to that the time and effort to clean, dry, and inspect the equipment to prevent mould or damage.

Flexibility and Customisation

It might seem that owning a marquee gives you full control—but hiring can actually offer more variety.

With Hiring, you can choose the marquee that fits your current event perfectly. Need something elegant and traditional for a wedding? Or something modern and minimalist for a product launch? TMCL offers a range of styles and sizes, with customisable options to match your theme.

With Buying, you’re locked into one marquee type and size—unless you’re ready to invest in multiple units. That could limit your options as your event needs evolve.

Expertise on Your Side

One major benefit of hiring is the experience that comes with it. At TMCL, we’ve seen and solved just about every marquee-related challenge you can imagine.

When You Hire, you get professional support from start to finish. We help with layout planning, site checks, delivery, setup, and breakdown. You’re not just getting a marquee—you’re getting peace of mind.

When You Buy, the responsibility is yours. You’ll need to manage every part of the setup, ensure it’s safe and weatherproof, and handle any problems on the day. That’s a lot to take on—especially if you’re not experienced in marquee installation.

Environmentally Conscious? Hiring Wins Again

Sustainability is becoming a key consideration for event planners. Hiring a marquee is, in most cases, the more eco-conscious option.

Why? Because the same marquee is reused again and again, reducing the need for manufacturing new materials and lowering waste. When you hire from a trusted company like TMCL, you’re contributing to a more sustainable events industry.

Buying, especially for infrequent use, can mean large amounts of unused material sitting in storage or eventually going to waste.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but here’s the bottom line: if you’re hosting a one-off or occasional event and want a stress-free experience, hiring a marquee is the smartest, simplest choice. You get professional advice, high-quality structures, and expert setup without the added worry of long-term care.

Thinking of hosting something unforgettable? Contact TMCL today to explore our marquee options and find the perfect fit for your event—no storage required.