Why choose Sperry Tents over other 'Sailcloth' Marquees?

With so many imitations of the Sperry Tent now on the market, it can be difficult to recognise when you are being offered the genuine product. We know, however, that as soon as you step inside one of these beautiful structures, you will see, feel and hear the Sperry difference!

Read on to discover the full detail on why you should choose Sperry Tents for your wedding or event:

1. The Sperry Tent is the only genuine sailcloth marquee available for hire

The name, Sperry Tent, comes from the US based Sperry family. A luxury brand built on heritage and authenticity, Sperry Tents have been crafted by the Sperry family from Massachusetts since 1975, when Steve Sperry began making beautiful custom sails for yachts using the same sailcloth material from which the tents are now crafted. 

Sperry Tents is a registered trademark whereas imitation versions simply go by the name of ‘Sailcloth marquees’ despite not being made of sailcloth material.

2. Impeccably elegant silhouette

Sperry Tents are instantly recognisable by their signature swooping lines which create an impeccably elegant silhouette. This signature ridgeline look is achieved by the lightweight and tensile nature of the sailcloth material and enhanced by the different length of the hand milled wooden poles used along the centreline of each Sperry Tent. This striking shape simply can not be emulated using alternative, imitative materials.

3. The Sperry Glow

The incredibly strong yet lightweight sailcloth material is the most translucent on the market and therefore allows plenty of diffused natural daylight through during the daytime, whilst creating the amazing “Sperry Glow” in the evening.

The Oyster colouring of the underside of the sailcloth canopy is designed to create the perfect ambient lighting for your wedding or event photography.

4. Single piece canopy

The weight and strength of the sailcloth material means that Sperry Tents are the only marquees on the market which use a canopy made in one single piece. Such an engineering feat results in clean lines, no seams or lacing when compared to other marquees that are required to use a modular system whereby the thick canvas or PVC material needs to be erected in sections due to the fabric’s heavy weight. In addition, marquees made from thick canvas or PVC also require more side poles to support them and this can result in an unsightly, cluttered aesthetic.

5. Incredible attention to detail

Sperry Tents boast trademarked intricate detailing and therefore require minimal decoration/styling as the internal canopy detailing does all the hard work for you. The finest details include crescent moons around the points where the side poles meet the canopy, and eye-catching sunshine shapes at the high peaks where the central king poles meet the canopy. These are such distinctive features and are difficult to replicate on other marquees.

6. Hand Milled King Poles & Side Poles

Sperry Tents only use single piece, hand milled spruce king poles. These come in lengths of up to 25ft, which when topped with the 6ft flagpoles make them the tallest, grandest genuine sailcloth marquees available.

Unlike other marquees, Sperry Tents do not use central, king poles supplied in 2 pieces, thus negating the need for a large metal collar where the poles join. When it comes to side poles, the Sperry requires less than any other marquee. This is because the Sperry sailcloth canopy is so lightweight. The side poles are spaced at 10ft intervals, where most other marquees need to have poles at 5ft intervals to carry the weight of the canopy. Such a larger span improves the overall aesthetic and makes for fabulous indoor/outdoor photographs as there are fewer poles obscuring the view.

7. Beautiful, even when the walls are rolled up!

The Sperry walls are weighted at their bases with a full length batten, which doubles up as a levelling device to retain the clean lines once the walls are rolled up – no more unsightly rolled up walls hanging haphazardly in the background of your beautiful photographs.

The signature "solo roll" side walls can easily be rolled up or down, so that you can quickly and easily react to weather conditions. The battens located in the base of each side wall double as a helpful tool to enable just one person to roll up each wall and achieve a clean line - without having to get multiple people involved!
Depending on the aesthetic you are going for (and the great British weather...), walls can also be removed in their entirety, using the ingenious (and simple) Sperry hooking mechanism.

8. 30ft Flagpoles with Whimsical 6ft Pennant Style Flags

The Sperry Tent is the only marquee of its type that can have 6ft flagpoles atop the 25ft central King Poles, due to the method of installation used. The whimsical flags can be personalised or branded if desired, and are the unique finishing touch of a genuine Sperry Tent.

9. Pulley Ropes, Guy Ropes and Side Straps

The king poles on a Sperry Tent are held in place entirely by the strength of the canopy (impressive, hey!). Most other marquees require multiple guy ropes to be attached to the top of the king poles, which then run down to the ground diagonally across the marquee, crossing other guys ropes in a “web” effect. A standard 4 pole marquee made by another manufacturer will have 16 guys ropes crossing one another. Each of these guy ropes requires a further stake in the ground.

Other marquees will also have their heavy, multi piece canopies hoisted up the king poles using a pulley system, requiring significant lengths of rope. These pulley ropes are then gathered around the flagpoles above the canopy, and again around the king poles inside the marquee and wound into large balls of excess rope. The genuine Sperry Tent has been designed specifically to avoid the use pulleys and excess rope in the installation process.

As stated previously, fewer side poles are required for a Sperry Tent, resulting in fewer side straps. By limiting the number of side straps, the Sperry can achieve the most elegant, clean look (no crossing guy ropes in sight!).

10. We always use Baby Sperry Tents for our Catering Tents!

At Boutique Marquees, we only supply beautiful Baby Sperry Tents for our ancillary or service tents. No more unsightly joining structures, or catering tents detracting from the aesthetic of your event. Why settle for an industrial PVC catering or green room structure when you can use a beautiful Baby Sperry Tent?

11. The Star Attraction

Sperry Tents have been used at star studded events across the world, including Barrack Obama’s 60th birthday party which was attended by guests including Beyonce, George Clooney, Stephen Spielberg, Jay-zee, Oprah Winfrey and Tom Hanks to name but a few.

We’d love to hear all about your exciting wedding or event plans. Please click here to get in touch with the Boutique Marquees team and we can start your journey to create the perfect Sperry Tent outdoor venue.