Wedding tent rental cost, and the size you need
What a tent costs by size, how much tent your guest list takes, and the extras that land on the same bill.
· Restroom Ranch, Westfield, Indiana
How much does it cost to rent a tent for a wedding?
Wedding tent rental cost runs $500 to $2,800 for the tent alone, according to Zola’s wedding tent cost guide, and Zola says most couples spend $1,200 to $2,000 on the tent itself. Our tents rent for $100 to $1,350 a day, from a 10 by 10 canopy to a 20 by 80 high peak tent that covers 1,600 square feet.
Zola says the price depends heavily on guest count and tent style. The extras around the tent can cost as much again: Zola warns that flooring, lighting, climate control, generators, tables and chairs can “easily double or triple” the tent budget.
Wedding tent rental cost by size
Our published prices for one day. We deliver the tent and put it up, and the listings note that delivery fees are calculated at checkout.
| Tent | Area | Per day | From the listing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x10 canopy | 100 sq ft | $100 | Pop-up; fits two tables and 12 chairs |
| 20x20 pole | 400 sq ft | $295 | Fits six tables and 36 chairs |
| 20x20 high peak | 400 sq ft | $350 | Tall peaked center; sidewalls extra |
| 20x40 high peak | 800 sq ft | $700 | Two 20x20 high peaks |
| 20x80 high peak | 1,600 sq ft | $1,350 | Four 20x20 high peaks |
The 20x20 pole tent has its roof tensioned over poles and held by ropes staked around the edge. The high peak tents have a tall peaked center, which the listing says improves headroom and airflow and makes it easier to hang lights. Zola says pole tents typically cost 20 to 30 percent less than other styles; ours are $295 and $350 for the same 20 by 20 footprint.
The 20x20 and larger listings carry three conditions. We stake into grass and do not set up on asphalt. You call 811 at least a week before, so underground utility lines are marked before we stake. And for a weekend event, the tent goes up between Wednesday and Friday, depending on our delivery schedule.
What size tent do you need for your guest count?
Tent companies size a tent by square feet per guest. Gary Feuerborn of All Seasons Tent Sales, quoted in a 2015 article in InTents, a tent industry magazine published by the Advanced Textiles Association, works from about 10 square feet per guest at long banquet tables and 12 at round tables, then adds 10 percent to the total so people can move around. Zola uses 12 to 15 square feet per seated guest. Both add space for dancing, bars and buffets. Feuerborn’s figures:
- A dance floor. About 3 square feet per guest. Our 15x15 dance floor measures 15.5 by 15.5 feet, about 240 square feet.
- A DJ. Roughly 80 square feet.
- A bar. About 100 square feet for each one.
- A buffet. About 80 square feet per buffet table.
At Feuerborn’s 12 square feet per guest, seating alone fits about 33 guests under a 20x20, 66 under a 20x40 and 133 under a 20x80. Our 20x20 pole tent listing says six tables and 36 chairs, a little tighter than that. Zola’s guide pairs up to 50 guests with a 20 by 30 tent, 75 to 125 guests with a 30 by 50, and 150 or more with a 40 by 60 or larger.
The rule varies by company and by town. Steve Kohn of CADmyevent.com told InTents that 10 square feet per person is the most common guideline for seating, that many places use 15, and that it is best to check with local code officials before the event.
A worked example: 100 guests at round tables
Seating
100 guests at 12 square feet each is 1,200 square feet.
A dance floor
Our 15x15 floor adds about 240, for 1,440 square feet.
Room to move
Add 10 percent to the total and it comes to about 1,584.
That just fits under our 20x80, which covers 1,600 square feet. With Feuerborn’s full 3 square feet of dance floor per guest, 300 rather than 240, it comes to 1,650 and goes over. A DJ or a buffet under the same roof pushes it past as well, so one of them goes outside or under a smaller tent set beside the main one, which is the fix Feuerborn suggests when everything will not fit under one tent. This is arithmetic on the published guidelines, not a site plan.
What else ends up on the tent bill
Zola’s figures are general ranges. Ours are published prices. Ask for every line in writing.
- Sidewalls. Zola puts them at $3 to $6 per linear foot. Our 20x20 high peak listing adds them at an extra charge, for privacy, wind or temperature.
- Tables and chairs. Our 5-foot round tables are $16.50 each and seat six, and white folding chairs are $3.25. Setting them up is an extra fee. Zola puts complete place settings, counting tables, chairs, linens, plates and glassware together, at $12 to $20 per guest.
- A dance floor. Ours is $795 a day and needs a hard, flat, level surface. On grass it needs a subfloor, at an extra charge.
- Lighting. Zola lists basic string lighting at $200 to $400.
- Power. Zola puts generator rentals at $300 to $800. Ours is a 5,500-watt generator for $250 a day, with a full tank that lasts up to 6 hours.
- Heat. In Indianapolis, any open or exposed flame under a tent turns the city notification into a permit, so ask how a heater is fueled before you rent one.
- The date. Zola says May through October and Saturday bookings cost 40 percent more than off-peak dates.
- Delivery. Our listings calculate it at checkout. Zola says a complex installation can add $400 to $1,200.
Before the tent goes up
Pick a grass spot
Our tents are staked into grass. We do not set up on asphalt, so a driveway or a parking lot is out.
Call 811 a week ahead
The call gets underground utility lines marked. Our listings ask for it at least one week before we stake, and the area has to be marked before setup.
Check with your city
In Indianapolis, a tent between 200 and 3,200 square feet, or an open-sided canopy between 400 and 3,200, needs a notification to the city when nothing under it has an open flame. Our 20x20, 20x40 and 20x80 fall in that range. A larger tent, or any size with an open flame, needs a permit. Outside Indianapolis, ask your town.
Expect it midweek
For a weekend event, the tent goes up Wednesday to Friday, depending on our delivery schedule.
Either the tent company or the property owner or renter can file the Indianapolis notification; an owner or renter also files the city’s statement of intent and understanding. The details and forms are on the city’s tent and temporary structure page.
The tent does not come with restrooms
A tent wedding in a field has no building, and one in a backyard has only the house’s bathrooms. Our 3-Station restroom trailer serves up to 225 guests and starts at $1,749 per event, with delivery, setup and pickup included inside our service area. The 2-Station starts at $1,420, and the 5-Station, for up to 300 guests, at $2,199.
For the 100-guest example above, our 20x80 tent and a 3-Station trailer come to $3,099 at published prices, before tables, chairs, the dance floor and tent delivery. That is arithmetic on our listings, not a quote. Our backyard wedding planning checklist covers the other jobs a venue would normally handle, and the restroom sizing guide covers which trailer fits your guest count.
Questions people ask next
How much does a wedding tent cost?
Zola’s 2026 guide puts the tent structure alone at $500 to $2,800, and says most couples spend $1,200 to $2,000 on the tent. Restroom Ranch tents rent for $100 to $1,350 a day, depending on size. Sidewalls, flooring, lighting, power, tables and chairs are extra.
What size tent do I need for 100 guests?
About 1,200 square feet for seating alone, at the 12 square feet per guest that one tent supplier quoted in InTents uses for round tables, and more for a dance floor, a bar or a buffet. Zola pairs 75 to 125 guests with a 30 by 50 tent. Our 20x80 covers 1,600 square feet, enough for 100 seated guests and our 15x15 dance floor with 10 percent added for moving around, by that arithmetic.
How many people fit under a 20x20 tent?
A 20x20 tent covers 400 square feet. Our 20x20 pole tent listing says it fits six tables and 36 chairs. At 12 square feet per guest at round tables, the figure one tent supplier plans with, it seats about 33.
How many people fit in a 20x40 tent?
A 20x40 covers 800 square feet: about 66 guests at round tables at 12 square feet each, or about 80 at long banquet tables at 10 square feet each, before a dance floor or a buffet.
Do you need a permit for a tent in Indianapolis?
The City of Indianapolis asks for a notification for a tent between 200 and 3,200 square feet, or an open-sided canopy between 400 and 3,200, when nothing under it has an open flame. Anything larger, or any size with an open flame, needs a permit. Other towns set their own rules.
What is the difference between a pole tent and a high peak tent?
A pole tent’s roof is tensioned over poles and held down by ropes staked around the edge. A high peak tent has a tall peaked center, which gives more headroom and makes it easier to hang lights. Zola says pole tents typically cost 20 to 30 percent less than other styles. Ours are $295 for the 20x20 pole tent and $350 for the 20x20 high peak.
Price the tent and the restrooms together
Send the date, the address and the guest count, and ask about the tent and the trailer on one quote.