How big a marquee do I need?
Allow 12 square feet for each person in your outdoor space and/or in your marquee. This calculation will allow space between the tables. If, for example, you are having 100 guests, you will need a tent measuring 30 feet by 40 feet. You will need to leave additional space in the tent so the caterer can set up serving and/or buffet tables.
How many guests can I seat per table?
It depends on the size of your table. Here is an indication together with the linen sizes that will be required.
| Table size | Seats | Linen sizes |
| 3ft round | 4 | 54” x 54” |
| 4ft round | 6/8 | 70” x 70” |
| 5ft round | 8/10 | 90” x 90” |
| 6ft round | 10/12 | 90” x 90” |
| 4ft trestle | 70” x 70” | |
| 6ft trestle | 54” x 120” | |
| 8ft trestle | 72” x 144” |
How do I know how many and what type alcoholic beverages will be served?
Start by a best guess as to what kind of liquor your guests will prefer or indeed what kind of liquor you want to serve. Are they more likely to prefer wine, hard liquor or beer? How many do you estimate are non-drinkers?
Then follow these guidelines to calculate
| Type of party | Duration | Drinks per guest |
| Cocktail party | 3 hours | 3 drinks |
| Buffet or sit-down meal | 4 hours | 3-4 drinks |
| Wedding | 5-6 hours | 4 drinks |
Whatever your total comes to, add extra bottles. Most suppliers will take back unopened bottles.
What kind of glassware will I need?
A good rule of thumb is three glasses per person. For a wedding reception, you will be safe with three kinds of glasses: a wine glass, a tall tumbler glass for all mixed drinks or beer, and flutes for champagne. You should have at least one of each glass per guest, plus a few extras to spare to serve drinks before and after the meal.
For during the meal, stemmed glassware is usually placed on the table – one large for water and one medium size for wine. Guests tend to stick to the one type of wine, but again do allow some extra for those guests who may decide to swop half way through the meal (half of the number of guests should cover well your requirements)
How should the table be set for a formal occasion?
Start by placing the charger plate in front of each seat. The plate should be roughly one inch from the table
edge. If you are not using a charger plate, leave enough space between the cutlery to allow a plate to be placed there.
Place forks on left side and spoons and knives with cutting edge facing plate on right. Whichever piece
is to be used first is placed furthest from the centre. Usually, for a starter, soup and main course
that would be (starting from closest to the plate)
on the left: dinner fork and starter fork
on the right: dinner knife, soup spoon, starter knife
Dessert fork and spoon placed above with fork tines pointing right underneath spoon pointing left.
If you prefer, you can also just bring the dessert cutlery later with dessert.
A side plate is placed to the left of the forks and a butter knife placed on it, parallel with the forks.
Wine glass is placed above the knife. Water glass goes to the left of the wine glass.
Coffee cup and saucer are placed to the right of knife and spoon or can be brought to the table after the main course plates are cleared (placed in front of the guest)
If more than three or four courses are served, new cutlery is brought to the table after all original cutlery is used.