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Beyond ChiavariEvent Rentals · Chicago
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Free planning tool

What size tent do you need?

Tell us your guests, layout and what else goes under cover. We add up the square feet and match it to standard tent sizes.

Multiply guests by square feet per person (about 12 for a round-table dinner, 10 for long tables, 8 for cocktails), then add space for a dance floor, bar, buffet and band. Pick a tent with about 15% more area for walkways. 100 seated guests with dancing, a bar and a buffet need about a 40' x 60'.

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Guests enjoy dinner at round banquet tables beneath a glowing clear-top tent reception at twilight, installed on a grassy outdoor lawn surrounded by lush forest trees
Layout
Also under the tent
%

2,015

Square feet needed

40' x 60'

Comfortable tent size

With room for walkways

Top view of a 40' x 60' tent, about 84% filled by your layout60 ft
Shaded area: the space your layout uses. The rest is walkways, service and breathing room.

Where the space goes

  • Seated dinner at round tables (12 sq ft per guest)1,200
  • Dance floor225
  • Bar200
  • Buffet line240
  • DJ or band150

Rough rental cost at our catalog prices

1 × 40' x 60' pole tent$1,623
Items total$1,623

Items only, before delivery, setup and fees. Prices are based on local rental companies' published rates plus our booking fee; the rental company confirms the final quote for your date.

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How it works

Using the tent size calculator

  1. Step 1Guests and layoutSeated dinner, ceremony rows or cocktails.
  2. Step 2Add what goes under coverDance floor, bar, buffet, band, lounge.
  3. Step 3See the fitComfortable and tightest standard sizes.
  4. Step 4Price the tentRough cost, then a real quote.
How the tent size calculator works, step by step.

The method

How we work out the numbers

Seating space is guests times square feet per guest for your layout. Extras add a fixed area: about 100 sq ft per bar and 120 per buffet line (one for every 75 guests), 150 for a DJ or band, 80 for a head table, 100 for cake, gift and guest book tables, and 150 for lounge furniture.

The dance floor uses 9 sq ft (one 3' x 3' panel) for each guest dancing at once, the same as our dance floor calculator. Tent sizes come from the usual frame and pole tent sizes, from 10' x 10' to 60' x 120'. Rental companies don't all stock every size.

Next, plan a backup with the rain plan checklist and light it with the string light calculator.

Questions

Tent size calculator: FAQ

What size tent do I need for 100 guests?

For a seated dinner at round tables, 100 guests need about 1,200 sq ft for tables alone. Add a dance floor, bar, buffet and DJ and the total comes to about 2,000 sq ft, which fits a 40' x 60' tent. Use the calculator to see your exact mix.

How many square feet per guest under a tent?

This calculator uses about 12 sq ft per guest for round-table dinners, 10 for long banquet tables, 8 for a mostly standing cocktail party and 7 for ceremony rows. These are common planning figures and include aisles between tables.

Why does the tool suggest a bigger tent than the tightest fit?

The comfortable size leaves at least 15% extra for walkways, service paths and tent poles. The tightest fit is shown too if space or budget is tight.

Frame tent or pole tent?

A frame tent has no centre poles and can go on grass, concrete or a deck. A pole tent needs stakes in the ground and has poles inside, but it has the classic peaked look. Ask your rental company what your surface allows.

Do I need sidewalls?

For Chicago weather in spring or fall, it is smart to have sidewalls ready, even if they stay rolled up. Our rain plan checklist helps you decide when to make the call.

Do I need a permit for a tent?

Some towns and parks need permits for large tents. Rules vary by town and tent size, so check with your village or city and your rental company early.

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A garden wedding ceremony setup hosts elegantly dressed guests along a petal-strewn aisle beneath a clear-top tent illuminated by crystal chandeliers on a lush lawn