Wedding Hire Australia

The 2026 national average for wedding hire sits around $2,200, with state averages ranging from roughly $1,375 to $3,350. Around 46% of Australian couples hire furniture, lighting, or styling props on top of the venue's standard offering. The exact spend depends heavily on whether your venue includes tables and chairs, whether you're at a dry-hire venue or marquee site, and how much lighting you want.

A bare marquee for around 100 guests typically starts around $3,000–$8,000 depending on size, style, and region — sailcloth and clear-roof options sit at the higher end. Add the floor lining, furniture, lighting, climate control, and bathrooms and a full marquee setup typically lands $15,000–$30,000+ for a 100-guest wedding. Always factor wet-weather contingency into the quote — it's a separate line, not a default inclusion.

Roughly half hire at least something on top of the venue's offering and roughly half don't. Hotels and full-service Australian venues usually include tables, chairs, linen, and basic glassware. Vineyards, country properties, and dry-hire venues typically need additional hire — particularly lighting, lounge furniture, and decor. Around 4 in 10 hire decisions are decor items, and a similar share are full combination packages mixing furniture, decor, and tableware.

Marquees, large structural pieces, and rare/popular items (specific furniture lines, bespoke dance floors) book out 9–12 months ahead for peak Saturdays. Standard tableware, linen, glassware, and basic lighting can usually be locked 3–6 months out. Final counts and table layouts firm up 4–6 weeks before the wedding once your guest count locks. Don't leave it later than that — adjustments inside two weeks usually trigger surcharges.

For garden, beach, country, and marquee weddings, the wet-weather plan is part of the hire booking — not a question for the morning of. Tier-1 backups cover light rain (clear sides on a marquee, weighted floor, towels at entries). Tier-2 backups cover proper storms (full wall lining, heating, indoor bar). Many suppliers offer wet-weather kit on contingency: you pay for the booking, you only deploy if needed. Build the plan in writing before signing.

Most Australian wedding hire companies include delivery and pickup as standard, with on-site setup as an optional tier. For complex installations (marquees, dance floors, lighting rigs, large furniture) on-site setup is usually required and priced into the quote. Pack-down often happens late the night-of (small pieces) or the next morning (structural items). Confirm the timing in writing, especially for non-CBD venues with restricted vehicle access or after-hours curfews.