White Top Venues – the premium marquee venue that comes to you
There’s a reason marquee weddings have become so popular. They’re a blank canvas that allow a couple to transform it into whatever they choose! But where does one begin planning a marquee wedding? Lucky for us, the fabulous team of White Top Venues know marquee weddings inside out.
Having worked many years in the event industry they saw all too often the time and stress involved in bringing together a marquee wedding on a private property. White Top Venues was born to alleviate the stress from brides and grooms and their families when it come to a marquee wedding. They are a one stop shop for all your marquee wedding needs.
We were thrilled to sit down and learn all about White Top Venues and their marquee magic!
Why do you think marquee weddings on private properties are such a hit with brides and grooms.
It’s your own space! You get to create something that is uniquely yours on a property that has meaning to the couple. We are so honoured each time a client welcomes us to their property; it is so special to spend this time with them as well as their families. No two properties are ever the same and it’s such an exciting time for us when we see these new spaces whilst meeting some of the most wonderful people along the way. People that start off as clients but end up being great friends at the end of the wedding journey.
We know that a marquee involves much more than just erecting it in middle of a paddock, so what do couple’s need to consider when it comes to a marquee wedding?
White Top Venues was essentially created to make marquee weddings simple for our couples and their families.
Working as planners and event professionals prior to White Top launching, we were all too aware of the time and unknowns involved in sourcing bits and pieces from around the countryside and of course the huge hours spent setting up a marquee itself.
Essentially we have put together a concept and build team that bring a magic marquee wedding to life! As we assist clients with planning, we can relax knowing our build team will roll in the week of the wedding with the best of equipment whilst being managed by a team of qualified and experienced crew members. We love that now we are able to spend so many more hours with our clients talking about all the ‘fun stuff’ and we love our build team! It’s a system that doesn’t require any extra work from our couples or their families. We love seeing the bride and groom spending time with their relatives and friends during the week of the wedding instead of chasing suppliers and untangling fairy lights – that’s our job! It means the wedding celebrations can start earlier in the week rather than a last-minute dash to the wedding day. Each client has a fulltime planner with them throughout the entire process so it’s our job to do all the running around. We work with our couples to source suppliers such as florists, bands, caterers, photographers and cinematography; from reaching out for initial quotes on their behalf to preparing runsheets and coordinating the wedding day itself!
For a bride and groom that is completely overwhelmed by having to pull together so many elements of their day, how can you help them?
Did we mention you have your very own planner? Our clients basically get to be as hands on as they wish. Tell us your crazy ideas and we make it happen (to some extent). There are loads of things to consider that happen behind the scenes at every marquee wedding. It’s our job to ensure these things are well and truly covered off prior to the wedding day and our team is there throughout the night ensuring everything is as planned to perfection.
How many guests can marquees host and is it possible to change the layout of them?
That is the joy of marquees, they are a blank canvas you get to make as you wish! Layouts are customized to each couple’s requests and you can basically do anything! We can add in foyers, different lighting, indoor or outdoor dance floors, clear walls or white walls; everything is built to suit our couple’s requirements.
Can you assist in sourcing private properties for couples that are looking to have a marquee wedding but don’t know of any properties to host it on?
Sure! We are very lucky in that we have worked from some pretty spectacular properties along the way and have also met some pretty awesome people. It’s certainly something we are happy to discuss with our couples and assist in securing a space that works for them (and a marquee looks AMAZING on)! We are completely self-sufficient, allowing us to pop up in some pretty cool locations. Sometimes we require access to a garden hose; be it for us or the caterer but other than that we can make a space work. We offer initial site inspections to meet and discuss each client’s requirements on their chosen site, just to ensure they aren’t asking for a marquee on the side of a mountain or something crazy. This also gives our team a thorough understanding of the space prior to the week of the wedding, making sure our equipment is prepped for that site specifically
For those being married on a private property, why is it so important to consider having a wedding planner?
It is a lot of work doing it on your own. If only we had a dollar for every time we hear “where were you when I got married?” It’s very important to us that the owners of the properties we work from are also relaxed and enjoy the process. Whether it’s a family owned property or venue, we take huge pride in the relationships we have with these owners knowing our services are non-invasive and as hands off as possible for them.
Can bad weather impact a marquee wedding and are there certain times of year it’s preferable to have a marquee wedding?
We spent months researching the market to secure the best structures on the scene. What we’ve invested in may sound a little OTT but why wouldn’t you want a ‘hurricane proof’ marquee? Our marquees are as strong as they come, all tension pulled (no noisy flapping walls), completely water tight and of course full timber flooring. Our team has developed systems to ensure our guests are as comfortable as possible within our structures – with cooling and heating on hand at each wedding to manage anything Mother Nature wants to throw our way. This is not something we have as optional, it’s just something we take responsibility of to make sure the space we create is enjoyable for everyone. You wouldn’t have to arrange an air-conditioner if you were to walk into a venue, so we make sure you don’t have to think of it when you walk into one of our structures also. In saying that, a clear marquee in 40+ degrees is something not many air-conditioners can take on, if you have a crystal ball and can predict these days… avoid them!
When it comes to catering and drinks service, what works best for a marquee wedding?
It really comes down to what our clients prefer, we just build the space to ensure it works with what they select for their day! We are finding share plates are extremely popular at the moment and we must admit, it’s definitely a more relaxed and festive way to feed your guests. As part of the White Top service we have a separate marquee set up for caterers to work from and build kitchens that they are comfortable working in. This ensure each caterer can have all their own equipment on hand and we just ensure that when they are setting up their kitchens, we have ample power for them to utilise.
And drinks? Well the drinks are something we take very seriously!
The White Top service incorporates a premium beverage service at a staff ratio of 1:20, ensuring all our guests are catered to via table service and are well and truly hydrated. We include all glassware, a range of bars, ice boxes (with the ice) and have a cool room on hand to pre-chill during the week of the wedding. No hot bubbles will be served in any White Top Venue! A lot of our couples are opting to hold off on the free flowing spirits these days and selecting a couple of signature cocktails for later in the night. We have a very strong (and tested) theory that as soon as the spirits start, the night tends to slow up. Yes, there may be more interesting moves on the dance floor but it really does have an instant effect on the vibe. Starting the hard stuff after the formalities is something we always suggest to keep things classy for as long as possible.
What seems to be the current trend when it comes to styling a marquee wedding?
It’s awesome walking into one of our structures and seeing a real sense of personality, we really love when a couple takes the space and makes it their own. We are massive flower nuts and cannot get enough of beautiful hanging installations and table arrangements. We can work with our couples to develop styling concepts and then take it out to be quoted and sourced on their behalf. We also have a pretty cool warehouse stocked with all the furniture and styling pieces that dreams are made of, the sky is the limit! In saying that though; we also come down pretty hard on any couple working outside of their budgets. As un-fun as a budget is, it is so important to stick to it, there is nothing worse then seeing financial pressure sneaking up as the wedding does. With the likes of Pinterest and Instagram constantly showing us the latest in cutlery colours, crystal cut glassware and imported Italian linen napkins, we understand the temptations but can make sure we are realistic with what it is our couples chose to invest in.
Finally, tell us your top locations in Victoria to host a marquee wedding.
So many beautiful spots… where to start! We are massive lovers of Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Greater Geelong, Yarrawonga, Bright, Mansfield, Rutherglen… we could keep going but better leave it there!
Head to our directory to get White Top Venues involved in your wedding celebrations.
