Every tent wedding requires a different amount of power depending on things like lighting, DJ sound equipment, and smaller details like food warmers and coffee makers. All tent weddings need a pull-behind multi-circuit inverter generator. This type of generator offers at least 8-10 hours of juice before it needs to be refueled.
You should never try and use a non-inverter style generator to fuel your tent wedding or else disaster will follow. These compact generators work great to power a few small things, like coffee makers or lighting fixtures, but they do not offer nearly enough power to fuel an entire wedding. Plus, non-inverter generators only offer 3 to 4 hours of runtime before they need to be refueled.
We frequently rent out generators and portable AC systems for tent weddings, giving us ample insights on the power required to fuel your big day without a hitch.
Power Requirements For Tent Weddings
Make a list of everything at your wedding that requires power and how much power it needs. Add it up and see what you’re at. In order to prevent any mishaps, you should rent a generator that offers two times the power you think you need. For reference, 15-20 amps or 2000 watts represents a typical circuit, with each amp around 100 watts.
Common Wedding Components That Require Power, And Power They Require
DJ Sound Gear
The average DJ sound gear takes 10 amps or less of power to operate. That being said, a wide variety of factors can influence this.
DJ gear is so important to the overall experience of your wedding. The last thing you want is for the DJ’s music to cut out right in the middle of your first dance. You can greatly reduce the risk that something like this happens to you by talking to your DJ ahead of time about their particular setup and power requirements. We are more than happy to talk to your DJ or any other wedding vendors involved in your big day to match you with the best generator.
Tent Lights
Incandescent-style lights require 5 amps each and you’ll need at least 2-6 lights.
Tent lights vary based upon how big your tent is and what type of lighting you are going to have. Uplighting and other types of decorative lighting require additional power.
What about string lights?
String lights are a popular addition to tent weddings and outdoor weddings. If you plan to string them up around your wedding you’ll need to accommodate for the extra power they require. A tent that measures 40 x 60 might require around 400 feet of lights–and it takes a considerable amount of power to fuel that many lights.
Perimeter Lighting
If you use LED fixtures for perimeter lighting you can expect to use 2 amps per fixture.
You’ll need to speak to the company providing the lights in order to see how many you’ll need for your particular space. On top of perimeter lighting, you may also want to consider adding lights to parking areas or pathways leading to and from the tent.
Dance Floor Lighting
20 LED lighting fixtures will use 2 amps, while 20 non-LED lighting fixtures require 10 amps. There are also Leko lights, which create fun patterns on the dance floor; they require 5 amps each and weddings typically enlist 1 or 2.
Speak with your DJ, or whomever is providing your decorative lighting package, to see how many lighting fixtures and what types of fixtures they plan to bring in.
Food Warmers & Coffee Makers
Both food warmers and coffee makers require 10 amps each.
Speak with your catering company ahead of time to get an exact count of food warmers, coffee makers, etc. that they plan to bring in.
Rent A Generator For Your Tent Wedding
No two tent weddings are exactly the same in style, theme or electrical needs. We are happy to help you find the right generator for your tent wedding. Cheers to happily ever after!