What Size Marquee Do I Need for 50, 100 or 150 Guests?
The single most common question we get is "what size marquee do I need?" The answer depends on your guest count and what they'll be doing, standing with drinks, sitting in rows, or sitting down to dinner. This guide gives you a straight answer for 50, 100 and 150 guests, plus the simple formula to size any number in between.
What size marquee for 100 guests? For 100 guests you need about 60m² standing, which one 12x6m marquee (72m², $1,899) covers, or about 150m² for a seated dinner, which takes two marquees side by side such as a 12x7m and a 12x6m (156m², $4,198).
How we size it: allow 0.6m² per standing guest and 1.5m² per seated diner, then add about 25% for a dance floor, bar or buffet. Our largest single marquee is the 12x7m at 84m², about 140 standing or 56 at dinner.
Guests to marquee size, 30 to 150 guests
| Guests | Standing (0.6m² each) | Seated dinner (1.5m² each) | Seated dinner + dance floor (+25%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 18m²: 6x3m (18m², $249) | 45m²: 10x5m (50m², $1,599) | 56m²: 12x6m (72m², $1,899) |
| 50 | 30m²: 8x4m (32m², $899) | 75m²: 12x7m (84m², $2,299) | 94m²: 12x6m + 9x3m (99m², $2,248) |
| 80 | 48m²: 10x5m (50m², $1,599) | 120m²: 12x7m + 6x6m (120m², $3,248) | 150m²: 12x7m + 12x6m (156m², $4,198) |
| 100 | 60m²: 12x6m (72m², $1,899) | 150m²: 12x7m + 12x6m (156m², $4,198) | 188m²: 12x7m + 12x6m + 8x4m (188m², $5,097) |
| 120 | 72m²: 12x6m (72m², $1,899) | 180m²: two 12x6m + 6x6m (180m², $4,747) | 225m²: 12x7m + two 12x6m (228m², $6,097) |
| 150 | 90m²: 12x6m + 6x3m (90m², $2,148) | 225m²: 12x7m + two 12x6m (228m², $6,097) | 281m²: three 12x7m + 8x4m (284m², $7,796) |
Two or more marquees are set up side by side. Where the area is an exact fit (for example 30 standing in a 6x3m or 120 standing in a 12x6m), there is no spare room, so size up if you add a bar or buffet.
The 6x6m, 8x4m, 12x6m and 12x7m are on pre-order, shipping end of November 2026. The 3x3m, 6x3m, 9x3m and 10x5m ship free to every state.
The quick formula
Allow roughly:
- 0.6m² per guest standing (cocktail style)
- 0.9m² per guest seated in rows (ceremony style)
- 1.5m² per guest for seated dining (reception style)
Then add about 25% if you want a dance floor, bar, buffet or stage. Always size for your worst-weather plan, the day everyone needs to be under cover at once, not just a sunny afternoon.
Marquee size for 50 guests
For 50 standing you need ~30m²; for 50 seated dining you need ~75m². An 8x4m marquee (32m²) or two 9x3m marquees handle a standing party of 50 well. For a seated dinner of 50, step up to the 12x7m grand marquee (84m², up to 56 dining), which gives everyone a chair and room to move. The new 8x4m Wedding & Party Marquee (32m², $899) is a tidy single-unit option for a standing party of ~50, a fully enclosed room a step up from a gazebo.
Marquee size for 100 guests
One hundred guests standing needs ~60m²; seated dining needs ~150m². The honest answer here is that 100 seated diners is a two-marquee job, about 150m² in total, such as a 12x6m and a 12x7m side by side (up to 104 at dining tables), with a 9x3m for the bar and food if you have the room. For a standing/cocktail 100, one 12x6m (72m², about 120 standing) covers it on its own.
Marquee size for 150 guests
One hundred and fifty standing needs ~90m²; seated dining needs ~225m². Our biggest single marquee, the 12x7m grand marquee (84m², ~140 standing, ~56 seated dining), falls just short of a standing 150, so put two side by side, such as a 12x6m and a 6x3m (90m² in total). For a full seated 150, plan for multiple marquees, about 225m² in total, such as two 12x7m and a 12x6m (up to 160 at dining tables), configured around a central space. Because you own the marquees, you can reuse them for every event after the big day.
At-a-glance size table
| Marquee | Area | Standing | Seated (rows) | Dining |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3x3m Marquee | 9m² | ~10 | ~8 | ~8 |
| 6x3m Marquee | 18m² | ~30 | ~20 | ~12 |
| 9x3m Marquee | 27m² | ~45 | ~30 | ~18 |
| 8x4m Wedding & Party Marquee | 32m² | ~50 | ~35 | ~20 |
| 6x6m Marquee | 36m² | ~60 | ~40 | ~24 |
| 10x5m Wedding Marquee | 50m² | ~80 | ~55 | ~33 |
| 12x6m Grand Marquee | 72m² | ~120 | ~80 | ~48 |
| 12x7m Grand Marquee | 84m² | ~140 | ~95 | ~56 |
Don't forget the extras
A dance floor adds roughly 12 to 15m² for a small event and more for a big one. A buffet or grazing table needs a few square metres of its own. A bar, a cake table, a DJ, all eat into the floor. When in doubt, size up: a slightly bigger marquee feels relaxed, a too-small one feels cramped on the day.
Get your exact size in 30 seconds
Enter your guest count and event style into our marquee size calculator and it'll tell you which marquee (or combination) fits. Curious about pricing too? See how much a wedding marquee costs, or browse the full range.
Free delivery to most of Australia, dispatched in ~2 days (the 6x6m, 8x4m, 12x6m and 12x7m are pre-orders, shipping end of November 2026). Need a hand choosing? Email support@brisbanemarqueesales.com.au, real humans, we actually reply.
