The Events Field is suitable for functions with up to 200 guests and the views of the surrounding countryside are breathtaking. Any of our structures are suitable for use. The summer house can be incorporated inside the marquee as you can see in the picture above (a large marquee is required to do this) or we can position a smaller marquee alongside it. Alternatively, it can be set apart from the marquee and a stretch tent or oriental canopy used to cover guests.
Holme for Gardens offers excellent parking facilities and suitable power outlets for an average wedding or party. Use of the venue comes with the services of professional and acclaimed wedding planners Blue Bay Events who have a list of outstanding wedding suppliers experienced in working at the venue. They also organise regular open days so you can see its charm for yourself. We've worked with the following suppliers at Holme for Gardens: event caterers Claret Catering, photographer One Thousand Words (who took the photos you can see here), bar company A&D Mobile Bars, disco Pegasus Disco and venue dressers Perfectly Pretty Weddings.
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Gone are the days when marquees could only be fitted out with coconut matting on level ground. Now we can offer flooring in any colour, vinyl to create the effect of wood and supply a dead level floor regardless of how bumpy or sloping the ground is underneath. Don't get me wrong, coconut matting is still an ever-popular option, particularly for events seeking a rustic feel and it works wonderfully with our tipi installations.
All marquee floors begin with a plastic membrane to keep moisture and various ground-dwelling creatures at bay. It's a nice idea to have grass as the floor to keep it natural (and Pinterest is packed with lovely marquee pictures with grass flooring) but in practice we've yet to experience this, certainly not at any formal party or wedding. Many Pinterest photos were taken in the USA or Italy where the weather is a tad more reliable than ours unfortunately! Budget options... The entry level flooring option is to have coconut matting (coir, hessian, seagrass, call it what you will) or what we term 'stock carpet'. Stock carpet is likely to have been used at an event previously but this doesn't mean it'll arrive covered in wedding cake, hog roast and holes made by stiletto heels. Our stock carpet is light brown and dark grey but occasionally we have other colours such as dark green. Matting is the nice natural, goldy/beige colour which many brides adore, not the green/orange striped stuff you see from time to time. Raspberry coloured carpet? Why not... The next step up is to have new carpet. This is a bit more expensive but it means a) it'll be brand new and lie perfectly flat and b) you can choose any colour you wish. We supply a lot of cream/champagne carpets at weddings over the summer. A favourite shade of ours is coffee because it provides contrast with the linings and doesn't mark as easily. White carpets come with plastic film attached which can be ripped off at the last minute. Solid flooring... Now we're talking! Solid flooring is great not only because it makes walking around inside the marquee easier and stabilises tables, it also reduces the impact on the grass underneath by allowing it to breath and protecting it against excessive footfall. The first tier of solid flooring is plastic tile flooring which sits a little under an inch off the ground but makes the surface nice and firm (stiletto lovers go mad for it). It doesn't eliminate bumps or slopes and should really be seen as a 'surface hardening' solution only. The next tier is our most popular solid floor option: wooden boarded floor. This sits higher than plastic flooring which keeps your carpet (and feet) away from any nasty rainfall and puddles and is ideal for eliminating smaller bumps and dips. Finally, we have steel sub-flooring and cassette flooring (the Rolls-Royce of marquee flooring) which can eliminate slopes and dips, span hedges and streams and so on. We don't supply matting or stock carpet for use with solid flooring, it has to be used in conjunction with new carpet. Mow that lawn Mr Gardener... Bear in mind that unless you opt for a solid floor system, your marquee floor will only be as good as the grass that's underneath it. If the grass is ankle length then the matting/carpet will feel springy underfoot and the flooring won't look dead level. The shorter the grass can be mown the better (rolling is always a good plan too). Make sure the final mow is three or four days before the marquee is installed as blades of cut grass get everywhere, including on our shiny white marquees. You can always mow around the marquee once it's installed. Marquee Flooring We’re often asked to recommend options for marquee layouts which we’re happy to do because we use specialist CAD software that can produce 2D and 3D plans. Some customers have a clear visualisation in their heads from the start but for others it can be a bit stressful, particularly if they haven't planned a large event before.
The first thing to remember is that you’re in the driving seat. We can recommend and advise but at the end of the day it’s your marquee and event so you can position things wherever you like (which is one of the big attractions of marquees). If you’d like to try a ‘drag and drop’ marquee planner online, we recommend this website where you can print, save and email your plan. You’ll need to allocate space to the following when planning your marquee layout: -Dining tables (round, square and long are the usual options) -Top table, if required (long, round, curved or oval) -Bar (we recommend 3m x 3m for every 150 guests) -Dance floor (at the end of the marquee or in the middle) -Band and DJ areas (stage?) -Chill-out/lounge/break out area -Reception area i.e. a covered area where guests can stand and enjoy drinks but not huddle around tables. The dance floor and surrounding area can be utilised for this if you wish -Space for evening guests (no extra space is required unless you’re expecting in excess of 100 additional evening guests) -Other (photo booth, chocolate fountain, present/buffet tables etc) We encourage customers to think of their marquee in thirds: -Reception, bar and chill-out area (nearest the entrance) -Dining tables -Dance floor (the party area) Space Sense of space is a subjective thing. Too little space and it can feel cramped and uncomfortable whereas too much space can dampen the atmosphere and make guests feel isolated. We will help you to achieve a balance. Flow The most successful marquee layouts flow nicely between areas and don’t create bottlenecks which make the event feel disjointed. You’ll need to be mindful of how your guests like to party – are they the type that like to stand and chat all night, prop the bar up or dance until dawn? If the first two, having the bar and entrance at one end might not be a good idea because guests will congregate there and potentially ignore the dance floor. It might be better to have the entrance in the middle with bar, dance floor on one side and tables on the other. Views You’ll need to be mindful of where the best views are from your marquee and where windows should be placed. This is a moot point for evening events unless you have outside lighting in place but for daytime events you’ll probably want table and reception areas to have the best views available. Bar Do you position the bar at the far end or have it near the dance floor? We’ve seen both options work well and it really depends on how much your guests like to drink and dance (and both at the same time). Having the bar near the dance floor encourages guests to dance with their drinks but smashed glasses on the dance floor is not much fun. If this can be minimised and you’d like the bar to be an integral part of your event then it can work very well. Initial Impact There is an element of theatre here. What is the first thing you want your guests to see when they enter the marquee? Tables? Bar? View? We like to see a bit of empty space for people to congregate in, browse the seating plan and admire the view. Inclement Weather Given our fantastic yet slightly challenging climate, it is a very good idea to plan for bad weather. If you’re planning to have a drinks reception outside the marquee, what will you do if it rains? Is there space in the marquee and will you let guests stand on the dance floor or force them to huddle around tables? Distance to toilets and parking will need thinking through. If it’s windy and you don’t have doors on your marquee it would be wise to position entrances/exits so they aren’t facing into the wind. Top Table If you're planning a wedding, you'll want to ensure that everyone is as close to the action as possible and that they can see the top table easily during the speeches. Nobody likes to be on the draughty table by the entrance which is furthest from the bridal party! Why do we stock so many different types of bar and even build bespoke bars tailored to customers individual tastes? Well, the bar is probably going to be one of the main focal points in your marquee and certainly an area your guests will spend time frequently throughout the day so it is important to get it right. When it comes to a marquee event it is essential to remember that you have a blank canvas and that the space you have is not a real building - ‘here today, gone tomorrow’. Just like the theatre, the way you decorate the space needs to be exaggerated to create full impact, much like costume jewellery. Creating focal points that the eye will be drawn to is important to draw the eye away from the fact you are in a temporary structure.
The key to a great looking marquee for any event is getting the following things right: table centres, dance floor and bar. When your guests first walk in the ‘wow’ will come from the overall impact which will be highlighted by your table centre pieces (a marquee is nothing until the tables are laid). The dance floor; position it right, get the lighting right and have great music (this is out of our jurisdiction) and your guests will dance the night away. The bar needs to be more than just couple of trestle tables. An aesthetic facade is essential, the actual bar could be quite big and may be the first port of call when guests enter and an attractive back bar provides another focal point. The other thing to think about is from a service point of view; staff need to be able to store glass boxes, re-stock, get rid of rubbish, replenish ice etc, ideally without causing any inconvenience or compromising aesthetics. The Oakleaf team are well rehearsed in both the design and running of a marquee build as well as providing bar services. Keep an eye out for our expanding range of bar furniture and accessories. If you want something completely unique it's always worth asking because we may be able to create something bespoke. Remember, anything is possible! Thanks to Ed Hunter our General Manager for this helpful advice. Marquees epitomise everything an English summer wedding stands for. They are timeless, elegant and can offer complete flexibility when creating a bespoke space for your wedding day.
Marquees are a blank canvas and you need to be bold in your decisions when designing their internal decor. What most people forget is the power of flowers and how they literally can turn a simple marquee into something magical and completely unique to you and your wedding. As a florist I have learnt that there are a few key factors when creating floral designs for a marquee. So here are my top five for your consideration. 1) High and low One way to create interest and intrigue is to mix up the height of focal points. To achieve this you need to vary the heights of your table centres throughout from low candle arrangements to high pomander balls. This will create a range of heights and therefore focal points which will force your guests eyes to travel around the room. 2) Swing from the ceiling Combining the height of your marquee and beautiful floral design can create spectacular focal points. Consider giant flower bombs suspended above your guests or a ceiling covered in suspended blooms. Don't forget you can decorate the tops of traditional marquee poles, create floral chandeliers and set up hanging flower beams perfect for decorations over the top table. 3) Bring in the garden One easy and immediate way to link the inside of the marquee to its outdoor location is to install potted living trees, shrubs and plants. Placing these planted pots around entrances, the bar or even the dance floor will add a level of interest and help distinguish different areas within the marquee. 4) Budget vs impact People automatically imagine that creating a visual spectacle with flowers will be costly and I will admit that it can be. But, this is where it is so important to work with your florist and discuss where your budget is best spent. For me this is vital and careful consideration on where you are going to spend your budget will make or break the look of your marquee. For example; do you put a standard and average table decoration on each of your fifteen tables? Or would you be better spending that money on just seven breathtaking table arrangements, which are just so beautiful people can't take their eyes off them? This is where you should work with your florist and let them come up with a number of suggestions for you. 5) Other than roses Don't believe that floral design has to be just flowers, you can work with your florist to create alternative designs, which most of the time can spread the budget further. Flower bombs of Autumn foliage can look just as beautiful as one filled with roses! You can create height with vases of bare winter twigs or seasonal table centres with forced bulbs. Finally, I truly believe that flowers turn a marquee into something truly magical if used properly. It is always important to coordinate your entire look with lighting, linen, chairs, carpet and draping. This is why I would always suggest that whichever florist you choose, make sure that they work closely with your marquee company so together they can create a final look that is better than you could have ever imagined. Thanks to Emma Whicher of Martha and the Meadow, Dorset wedding and event florist for this helpful and inspiring article. We love a new wedding venue and this one is right up our street quite literally in terms of both appeal and location! Haddon Copse Farm occupies a breathtaking setting in the rolling valleys of the Blackmore Vale framed by beautiful unspoilt views that stretch for miles towards Bulbarrow Hill. It's the perfect spot for a festival theme or country wedding experience. But it's not just the location that Haddon Copse Farm has going for it. Camping is permitted and a complete bell tent glamping village can be installed at your request which enables wedding celebrations to take place all weekend. Haddon Copse Farm also offers its own organic Dorset hog and lamb roasts, welcome meals on Friday evening, hearty breakfasts, use of a shepherd's hut and an area called the 'Magic Circle' which is ideal for natural blessings. Oakleaf Marquees is the exclusive supplier of marquees and tipis at Haddon Copse Farm. Packages start from just £6000 for 100 guests which includes both marquee and venue hire fees but we can look after all your requirements including catering, music and even entertainment for the night before the wedding.
See the website for more information here Haddon Copse Farm. This is an update to a previous post which featured bands and DJs we've heard and can recommend for your wedding or party (you can view it here). But time moves on and over the past year we've met a few more we'd like to highly recommend to you. There's Weymouth, Dorset based band The Leggomen. We heard them at a wedding at Three Legged Cross in September and they really rocked the party. They're a vibrant foursome that play a great mixture of modern pop and rock alongside a variety of classic tunes plus original material. They cover the likes of the Stone Roses, Passenger, Mumford & Sons, Avicci, Oasis and many more. I'd say they are suited to a younger audience (or the young at heart of course) but anyone who appreciates good music played well will appreciate them. Check out their website for videos and details of their latest gigs and festival appearances. Another band we've seen on the circuit lately is 29 Fingers whose slogun 'music maketh the party and the band maketh the music' we entirely agree with (we also agree with Vince Vaughn's line in Wedding Crashers 'it's like pizza baby, it's good no matter what, there's music in the air'). 29 Fingers love a good party and they like to show you that besides the great music there's lights, colour, smiles, costumes, hats, wigs, maraccas, tambourines and an abundant sense of fun and occasion. You can see their website here and judge their YouTube videos and sound clips for yourself. With their wide ranging playlist I think they're suitable for parties and weddings attended by all ages. Bear in mind that most bands will bring a playlist on iPad (or similar) so the party can keep rocking when they aren't playing, but if you'd prefer a DJ then consider the award-winning Party Dexx. We've seen them several times and their DJs always get guests dancing all night long. They are massively experienced and have appeared at over 600 weddings! They are also the recommended DJ supplier at several prestigious wedding venues throughout Dorset and Hampshire. Another season is approaching so we'll keep our eyes (and ears) out for more bands and DJs to recommend over the next few months.
The house sleeps 15 and features a dining room with Georgian plasterwork and over a hundred 18th century plates on the walls. One of the highlights is a chair used by Napoleon on the island of St Helena. The house's many windows let in the romance of the Purbeck Hills and the open sea with its fresh and invigorating breeze and nostalgic smell.
Kimmeridge Bay is famous for swimming, surfing and fossil hunting. It is overlooked by Clavell Tower, inspiration for P. D. James’s murder story The Black Tower. The bay was once a haunt of smugglers and scene of their many battles with coast guards. The next bay along is called Brandy Bay as so much brandy was smuggled there! Marquees at Smedmore are placed directly in front of the house on a beautiful lawn. Our traditional pole marquees are particularly well suited to the elegant Georgian building and lush landscape surrounding it. As you can see in the pictures above, there is a secluded spot between some trees where ceremonies can take place with a sea view behind. Our white folding chairs are ideal and we can install an aisle with white carpet or coconut matting. Cover can be provided with an oriental canopy or two. Suppliers we've worked at Smedmore with successfully in the past include caterers Claret Catering and The Foodie Queen; photographers Courtenay Photographic and Tom Redman and venue stylist Inspire Hire. The house has a very comprehensive list of wedding suppliers on their website too including taxis and local accommodation. For enquiries about weddings, events and holiday accommodation contact Laura Dugdale on 020 7792 4565 or email [email protected]
If you're looking for a classic romantic English wedding we can think of no better venue in Dorset. The croquet lawn is perfectly flat for marquees and we've provided all styles of structure there in the past: traditional pole marquees for country style, clearspan frame marquees for elegant chic and tipis for a warm and cosy ambience.
Photo opportunities are vast with views everywhere you look plus topiary, archways tangled with flowers, water features, mature trees and secret grottoes. Civil marriages can take place either in the Garden Pavilion overlooking the croquet lawn (for which we can supply canopies and chairs) or in the nearby Sawmill. The medieval All Saints Church is within the grounds and suited to intimate blessings for up to 90. Marquees on the croquet lawn can accommodate up to 400 seated guest and there is ample parking available. Mapperton is located 15 minutes from Crewkerne and 20 minutes from Dorchester Stations, with direct links to London. There is tasteful accommodation nearby too with the Acorn Inn and Summer Lodge in Evershot and The Bridge House Hotel at Prout Bridge. Recommended caterers are Jo Killin of Oxbridge Farm and Victoria Blashford-Snell. The recommended florist is The Real Cut Flower Garden and photographers Allister Freeman and Helen Lisk. For more information on weddings at Mapperton click here or to get in touch call the Wedding Office on 01308 800114 or email [email protected]
The house can accommodate 18 people in nine double (king-size) rooms, so guests can make a weekend or even a week of the wedding festivities. There are acres of beautiful gardens to explore not to mention direct access to the beach. But what makes Studland Bay House so appealing for marquee weddings is that it has three different options for marquee placement: on the cricket pitch in front of the house which allows the marquee to be just a few hundred feet from the sea, on the house lawn, or on the lawn but connected to the house - perfect for early or late season weddings.
I'm sure I don't need to lecture you on the charms of Studland - let's just say four miles of golden sand and leave it at that. If that's not enough, Sandbanks is just ten minutes away (if you time the ferry right) with Poole and Bournemouth beyond with endless entertainment and dining options. There's also Corfe Castle and Wareham within easy reach. For those not fortunate enough to sleep in the house The Knoll House is just across the road. Speaking of which, The Knoll House catering team is on hand to cater for any event at Studland Bay House whether in the house itself or a marquee on the cricket pitch. The most impressive menu I've seen was a selection of shellfish to start served from a cart on the lawn followed by lobster and chips in the marquee. Talk about doing it in style! All our marquee styles and tipis work well at the house so the choice will depend on decorations and the look you're trying to achieve. We're fond of placing marquees end on to the view and fitting them with clear gables plus panoramic windows as this makes the most of the view (the end of the marquee effectively becomes one big window). Recommended photographers are Jude Ives and One Thousand Words. For all Studland Bay House and Knoll House catering enquiries please contact Michael on 07703 691579 or email [email protected] |
AuthorTim (Director) Categories
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September 2025
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LocationUnit 6 The Sidings, Station Road, Stalbridge, Dorset, DT10 2SS
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