What Size Tent Do You Need? 10x10, 10x20 & 20x20 Guest Guide

Plan on about 10 square feet per seated guest and 6 to 8 square feet per standing guest. With 6-foot tables and folding chairs, that works out to about 8 people seated under a 10x10, about 18 under a 10x20, and about 36 under a 20x20. For 30 seated guests, rent a 20x20; we recommend the high-peak marquee. For about 50, put two 20x20 marquees side by side. Leave extra room if you're adding a buffet, a bar, or a dance floor.

At a glance

• 10x10 ($50): about 8 seated, 12 to 16 standing.
• 10x20 ($99): about 18 seated, 25 to 33 standing.
• 20x20 high-peak marquee ($299) or standard frame ($220): about 36 seated, 50 to 65 standing.
• Rule of thumb: 10 square feet per seated guest, 6 to 8 per standing guest.

How many people fit under a 10x10, 10x20, or 20x20 tent?

Start with square footage. A 10x10 is 100 square feet, a 10x20 is 200, and a 20x20 is 400. Rental companies plan seated dinners at roughly 10 square feet per guest at long tables and 10 to 12 at round tables, because chairs need room to pull out and people need a path to walk. Standing, cocktail-style crowds need about 6 to 8 square feet each, and ceremony rows with no tables need about 7 to 8.

The seated numbers above come from drawing each tent to scale with our 6-foot tables (3 guests per side) and leaving a walkway, so they're what actually fits, not just the math.

What size tent do you need for 30, 50, 60, or 80 guests?

• 30 guests: one 20x20 high-peak marquee. It seats about 36, so you have a little room left for a gift or dessert table.
• 50 guests: two 20x20 high-peak marquees side by side, which seat about 72, so there's room for a buffet line too.
• 60 guests: the same two marquees, with room left over for the buffet and a bar.
• 80 guests: three 20x20 marquees side by side seat about 108, which leaves plenty of room for the buffet, a bar, and a dance floor. Two seat about 72 if some guests will be standing.

Build the buffet into the tent plan instead of treating it as an afterthought. Tell us your headcount when you book and we'll check which tents are open on your date.

How many tables fit under a 20x20 tent?

Six 6-foot tables fit in two rows of three, with a walkway down the middle. That seats about 36, which is the layout in the drawing above.

With 60-inch round tables, four fit comfortably and seat 32 at 8 per table. Rounds take a little more space per guest, but they're easier for conversation.

If you're comparing quotes that use 8-foot tables, figure 8 to 10 guests per 8-foot table and 6 per 6-foot table (8 if you seat the ends).

How many tables fit under a 10x20 tent?

Three 6-foot tables end to end, seating about 18. You can squeeze in more by setting the tables in short rows, like the setup in the photo at the top of this post, but you give up the walkway.

A 10x10 holds one 6-foot table and 8 chairs. It's better as shade over a buffet, a gift table, or a DJ than as the main seating tent.

Can you combine tents for a bigger space?

Yes, and we do it all the time. Tents set side by side work as one larger covered space, so you're not limited to the sizes on our list.

• Two 20x20 high-peak marquees side by side make a 20x40 that seats about 72.
• Two 10x20s end to end make a 10x40, which fits one long family-style table for about 36.
• Several 10x20s side by side cover a wider area and work well in long or narrow yards.

We join matching tents, like two 20x20 marquees or a row of 10x20s, so the whole covered space looks like one tent. Tell us your guest count and the shape of your space, and we'll work out the combination.

How much extra room do buffets, bars, and dance floors need?

Planning guides from tent rental companies put a buffet at roughly 100 to 300 square feet, a bar at about 150, a DJ at about 50, and a cake or guest book table at about 50. A dance floor needs about 4 square feet per person dancing, and not everyone dances at once. Add those up and include them before you pick a size. A buffet alone can take half of a 10x20.

High-peak marquee or standard frame tent?

Our two 20x20 tents cover the same footprint and seat the same number of people. The high-peak marquee is the one we recommend for most parties. Its tall center peak looks far dressier in photos than a flatter frame roof, and it sends rain off the top fast. It's $299, compared with $220 for the standard frame tent. If keeping the budget as low as possible matters most, the frame tent still gives you the same covered space.

What do you need to know about where the tent goes?

• Measure the space before you pick a size. You need the tent's footprint plus a couple of feet around the edges for the legs and anchors.
• We can set up on grass or concrete. On grass we anchor the tent into the ground, and on a driveway or patio we use concrete ballasts at each leg.
• Most hosts leave the sides open. If you want sidewalls to block wind or afternoon sun, mention it when you book and we'll tell you which tents we can do it with.

Questions we get about tent sizes

How many people fit under a 20x20 tent?

About 36 seated at 6-foot tables, 32 at round tables, or 50 to 65 standing.

How many people fit in a 10x20 canopy?

About 18 seated at 6-foot tables, or 25 to 33 standing.

Is a 10x10 tent big enough for a party?

For shade over food, gifts, or a few seats, yes. To seat a group, start with a 10x20.

Can you put two tents together?

Yes, and we do it often. We set 20x20 tents side by side for a bigger open space and line up 10x20s to make longer or larger tents. Two 20x20 marquees side by side is how we usually cover about 50 to 70 seated guests. We join matching tents so the whole space looks like one.

Find the right tent for your party

See all of our tents with live availability, add tables and chairs to match, and check our pricing guide for sample budgets. If you're not sure what fits your yard or your guest list, tell us about your party and we'll help you size it. We deliver across Wylie and the rest of our service area.