How long to pitch this tent?

Remember how long it took to set up the Coleman camping tent when you were 14?  And your little brother forgot to put one stick back in the bag so the tent just won't stay up? Recalling these memories makes you think these tent companies have a very tough job - and nothing goes perfectly to schedule when it comes to tents.

Set up and tear down can take anywhere from 4 hours to 14 hours, so plan accordingly when you book your venue.  At the very least you want the tent installed the day before your event so the team has time to get everything right, even if this means working through the night.  Inevitably, some part gets lost on delivery and you can't be missing a few key bolts. 

When making your logistics plan remember the tables, chairs, linens, flowers are all on hold until the tent is completely stable.  Hopefully, the tent can go up two days before the event and you can enjoy it to yourself with a mint julip rather than a stressful race to the finish line.