The Ultimate Guide for Choosing a Wedding Style in Houston
Choosing a wedding style is one of the most exciting decisions a couple can make, but it also comes with a key choice: a traditional venue or a beautiful tented wedding? We’re here to help you break down the pros and cons of each, so you can decide which option is right for your special day. A great Houston tent rental can offer an experience that is both unique and unforgettable.
Rehearsal
When it comes to the rehearsal, a traditional venue might offer a limited window of 1-2 hours the night before your wedding to go over the ceremony details. With a tented wedding, you have a much more flexible timeline. You can take as long as you want to reminisce with friends and family, and there’s no strict timeline rushing you during these special moments.
Decor Installation
Decorating a venue can be very limited, and every venue has different rules. You might only get a few hours or, if you’re lucky, one whole day to decorate before your event. Everything must be cleaned up the night of or the next day. In contrast, with a tented wedding, you are the boss. This is your show and on your time. You can decorate and customize your tent from start to finish, which allows you to be creative and showcase your full vision and style.
Date Availability & Options
Most venues require a large up-front cost because they have limited availability and must schedule things far out in advance. Once you book, it’s often tough to cancel without losing a significant portion of your payment. On average, venues require around 50% at contract signing. All tent rental providers are different, but you’re likely to pay only 25% up front and the remaining balance the week of your wedding, offering more flexibility.
The View
A venue’s view can change without your control. We’ve seen cases where a venue owner put up a fence or building on a property, completely changing the look and purpose of a client’s desired tent spot. You have no say in what happens to the property from the time of booking to the time of your event. With a tented wedding, your view is what you make it. If you have a beautiful location, that is your perfect spot. Nobody can create obstructions to that area or take away what you want for your wedding day.
Vendor Selection
Many venues have very strict rules on who you can and cannot have as your wedding vendors. This is often because they make a commission off each booking. That’s an unfair partnership that you have no control of, unfortunately. With a tented wedding, you are in charge, the creator, and the boss. You get to choose every vendor you’d like. We can recommend vendors in all areas of wedding production, but the choice is all up to you.
Additional Out-of-Pocket Expenses
We want to be as transparent as possible with how we describe a wedding venue. Many couples have shared shortcomings they’ve experienced with “base/standard packages” that end up costing them more time and effort. We are an honest company and will tell you upfront that sidewalls, fans, heaters, lights, etc., are all extra. We have a set-up and breakdown fee, but all of this is addressed upfront. Our rules stay the same, and there is nothing you won’t know up front or if you ask.
You Get What You Pay For
With a traditional venue, you might pay for a space that is too big or has a strict curfew. For example, if you have 100 people but the venue holds 200, you are paying for extra space you don’t need. A tented wedding is different. You rent the tent and items that match the size of your party and can adjust the headcount up until the week of the wedding. You keep the tent all weekend, so there is no time limit. We usually install the tent the week of the wedding, so you can even use it for a family BBQ welcome reception on Thursday night if you wish.
Inside & Outside Space Option
If you find a venue with both indoor and outdoor space, you’re going to pay a larger price. With a tented wedding, you are fully protected no matter what. You can leave your tent wide open to catch a crisp breeze or you can enclose it with sidewalls.
Customized Look & Feel
Other than pictures online and an occasional walk-through, what you see at a venue is what you get. While this is nice because it is limited planning, your options are also limited. If you’ve ever played a game like The Sims, you know that you can start with a piece of property and build your house just the way you’d like it. We offer 3D planning that can do something very similar to that. We can place a 3D layout directly onto your property using Google Maps.
Final Thoughts on Your Decision
We hope this comparison is helpful. Venues have their advantages, and we even provide many of them with rentals for weddings. However, we’ve encountered many couples lately who have struggled with which route to go for their big day, and this information may help make your wedding planning decision easier one way or the other as well.
