Tent hire Cape Town › Decor Hire for Cape Town Events
Decor Hire for Cape Town Events
Draping from about R725 for an entrance drape and R950 to R3,500 for a styled backdrop, plus festoon and fairy lighting, table styling and flooring, rigged to the structure by the same crew that pitches it. Paper City has hired decor alongside tents since 2013 and the two genuinely belong together, because one supplier responsible for both removes the most common event-day argument.
Decor hire in Cape Town
Paper City has hired decor alongside tents since the business started, and the two genuinely belong together — draping and lighting are fitted to the structure, so having one supplier responsible for both removes the most common event-day argument.
What we hire
Draping
Ceiling and wall draping to line a marquee or soften a frame tent. The single biggest visual change available to a plain structure.
Lighting
Festoon strings, fairy lights and uplighting. Lighting is what makes an evening tent photograph well — it matters more than the flowers.
Table decor
Runners, centrepieces, candles, hurricanes and glassware sized to your table plan.
Flooring & carpet
Wooden flooring, matting and carpet — the practical answer to wet Cape grass in winter.
What it costs to add
| Item | Typically adds |
|---|---|
| Ceiling and wall draping | Roughly a third of the structure cost |
| Festoon or fairy lighting | A modest per-metre rate; the biggest visual return of anything here |
| Table runners, candles, hurricanes | Priced per table |
| Wooden flooring or carpet | Per square metre — the practical answer to wet winter grass |
Exact figures come with your quote, alongside the tent hire prices.
Book decor with the tent, not after it. Draping and lighting have to be rigged to the structure. Deciding on them after the tent is chosen sometimes means the structure cannot take what you wanted.
Decor hire prices
Decor is priced per piece and per metre, and it is where a budget moves fastest — draping from about R25 for a 10m length, table overlays from R20, and a dressed backdrop from around R725.
| Item | Covers | Typical market rate |
|---|---|---|
| Draping fabric | per 10m length | from ~R25 |
| Single draping panel, any colour | per panel, hired in | ~R55 excl VAT |
| Draping stand and crossbar | per set, wall or backdrop | ~R850 excl VAT |
| Entrance drape with stand | 3m W × 2.5m H | from ~R725 |
| Ceiling or wall draping, fitted | whole structure | about a third of the tent rate |
| Styled backdrop | photo wall or top table | R950 – R3,500 |
| Table overlay or runner | per table | from ~R20 |
| Bridal or cake table frill | per table | R40 – R60 |
The per-panel and stand figures are the published Cape Town rates of a competing decor hire firm, quoted excluding VAT as they publish them. Fitted ceiling and wall draping is quoted against the structure rather than per metre, because the labour is in rigging it to the frame.
Read this first. These are typical Cape Town market rates, gathered from competitors’ published price lists so you can budget before you enquire. They are not a quote and not necessarily our rates. Send us your date and headcount for a firm, itemised figure — or see the full breakdown on tent hire prices.
Decor questions
How much does draping cost for a party?
R725 to R1,500 for most parties. An entrance drape on a stand starts around R725, individual draping panels run about R55 each excluding VAT with the stand and crossbar around R850, and a dressed backdrop for a photo wall or top table sits between R950 and R3,500. Fitted ceiling and wall draping across a whole structure is quoted differently — budget roughly a third of what the tent itself costs.
How much does wedding decor cost in South Africa?
R3,000 to R10,000 for the hired decor on a typical Cape Town wedding, on top of the structure. Draping is the largest line at roughly a third of the tent rate, a styled backdrop adds R950 to R3,500, and table styling runs from R20 a table for an overlay to R60 for a dressed bridal or cake table. Lighting is the cheapest thing on the list and changes the photographs more than anything else on it.
What does wall draping cost to hire?
About R55 excluding VAT per panel plus roughly R850 for the stand and crossbar that carries it. The number of panels depends on the run of wall — send the measurement and the quote comes back itemised rather than as a single figure.
Can I hire decor without hiring a tent?
Yes — for venues that already have a hall or their own structure.
Do you set the decor up?
Yes. Draping and lighting are installed by our crew with the tent.
Do you do flowers?
No — we hire vessels, candles and greenery styling. Fresh floral arrangements we would refer you to a florist rather than pretend otherwise.
Can decor be added to a wedding booking?
Yes — most wedding tent bookings include draping and lighting, and it is cheaper on one booking than two. Rates on tent hire prices.