Venue - Rudd Marquees
Catering in a Rudd Marquees marquee.
As you might guess from the name, there is family history here. Rudd Marquees is a completely separate business, run by Ryan's dad and his dad's three brothers - Ryan's uncles - and it means marquee weddings tend to run remarkably smoothly.
Let's be clear about it first, because it matters: Rudd Marquees is a completely separate business from Rudd Catering. It is run by Ryan's dad along with his dad's three brothers - Ryan's uncles - so the surname is shared, the companies are not.
What that family connection does give you is unusual familiarity. We have worked in their marquees for years, so we already know how the structures go up, where the catering tent sits best in relation to the dining space, how power and lighting are run, and how a service team should move down long tables without ever crossing the dance floor. Those are exactly the details that decide whether a marquee day feels effortless or slightly frantic.
A marquee is the ultimate blank canvas, and like any blank canvas it needs a full kitchen brought to it. We bring in ovens, hot holding, refrigeration, prep space and washing-up, build a proper working kitchen behind the scenes and take every piece of it away at the end. That is what allows a plated three-course wedding breakfast in a field to arrive hot and looking exactly as it should.
We can run the bar as well, which in a marquee makes a real difference - one team, one set of timings, and evening bar service generally free of charge when it is booked alongside a catering package.
A marquee day
How it tends to unfold.
Drinks & canapes outside
Fizz, bottled beer and something soft on the lawn while photographs happen, with canapes handed round - Yorkshire puddings with pulled beef, tempura prawns, honey mustard sausages, crostinis.
The wedding breakfast
Plated modern British courses or BBQ and sharing platters down the middle of long tables. Chicken in a creamy white wine sauce, seabass with mash and dill pesto, minted lamb with dauphinois.
The kitchen behind the scenes
A marquee has no kitchen, so we bring one: ovens, hot holding, refrigeration, prep tables and wash-up, costed openly in your proposal and cleared away entirely afterwards.
The bar until late
A dressed, staffed bar with glassware, ice and refrigeration brought in, plus licensing. Cash bar, pre-paid tab or a set drinks package - and generally free of charge alongside a catering package.
They had the ability to go above and beyond working in a marquee in testing conditions (IT WAS VERY HOT) they still produced food for 100 guests that tasted the same as was presented as when they cooked for us two! Front of house service was exceptional keeping a busy bar running, helping with ensuring times ran on track and always with a smile!
Rudd Marquees questions
The practical answers, plainly.
- Are Rudd Catering and Rudd Marquees the same company?
- No. Rudd Marquees is a completely separate business - as you can tell from the name, though, there is family behind it. It is run by Ryan's dad and his dad's three brothers, Ryan's uncles.
- So why book us for a Rudd Marquees wedding?
- Familiarity, mostly. We have catered in their marquees for years, so we already know how the structures are laid out, where the catering tent works best, how power and lighting run, and how the service team should move around the room. That knowledge takes a lot of guesswork out of a marquee day.
- Do you need to hire a kitchen for a marquee?
- Yes - a marquee is a blank canvas, so we bring the full kitchen with us: ovens, hot holding, refrigeration, prep space and washing-up facilities. It is quoted clearly as part of your proposal and removed completely at the end.
- Can you still serve a plated three-course meal in a marquee?
- Absolutely, and we do it often. With a proper kitchen set up behind the scenes, plated courses leave together and arrive hot. Sharing platters and BBQ feasts work beautifully in a marquee too, if you would rather the day felt relaxed.
- Can you run the bar in the marquee?
- Yes. We bring the bar, glassware, ice, refrigeration, trained staff and the appropriate licensing, and clear it all away afterwards. Evening bar service is generally free of charge when it is booked alongside a catering package.
- What does marquee catering cost?
- Every event is quoted individually. As a guide, plated wedding menus start from £59 per guest, hog roasts from £36 and buffets lower again, with kitchen hire shown separately so the proposal is transparent. Our menus page has the full detail.
Planning a marquee wedding?
Tell us where the marquee is going, the date and the numbers - Ryan will come back to you personally with a menu and a proposal shaped around your day.