How to Start a Tent House or Event Decoration Business in India: Inventory, Weddings, Pricing and Growth

Weddings, festivals, religious functions, birthdays, corporate events and political gatherings keep India’s tent houses and event decorators busy. A tent house rents out tents, shamianas, stages, furniture, lighting, sound and kitchen equipment; an event decorator designs and sets up the look of the event with flowers, fabric, lighting and props. Many businesses do both. This guide explains how to start a tent house business in India, from licences and costs to finding your first customers.

It’s an inventory business: your money is tied up in equipment, and your income comes in bursts around the wedding season. Done well, it’s very profitable. This guide explains how to start and grow.

Key points

• Start with the items in highest demand locally, and add inventory as bookings grow. Don’t buy everything at once.
• The wedding season drives income. Plan your year, cash and staff around auspicious dates.
• Take advances and security deposits, and agree every booking in writing.
• Safety matters: fire safety, secure structures and electrical safety protect your guests and your reputation.
• Storage and transport are as important as the inventory itself.

The market in numbers

Renting of event equipment and event services falls largely in what MoSPI’s surveys call administrative and support services, which includes renting of goods and organising events. In 2023-24 this group had about 23.6 lakh small establishments employing 43.1 lakh people. 80.7% ran without hired workers. Average value added per business was ₹3,40,306 a year in urban areas and ₹1,94,921 in rural areas, while businesses with hired workers added ₹6,94,636 on average against ₹1,52,541 for one-person businesses. Tent houses almost always need a team, at least for setup days.

Step 1: Decide what you’ll offer

Start where local demand is strongest. Common categories:

• Tents and structures: shamianas, pandals, German hangars or aluminium structures, and side walls
• Furniture: chairs with covers, tables, sofas and mandap furniture
• Stage and decor: stages, backdrops, mandaps, fabric draping, artificial and fresh flowers, props
• Lighting: decorative lights, focus lights, gensets and electrical fittings
• Sound: speakers, microphones and DJ equipment
• Kitchen and catering equipment: utensils, burners, tables and serving counters
• Comfort: fans, coolers, heaters and portable toilets

Many tent houses also offer catering tie-ups, photography and full event management. See event decorators and tent houses.

Step 2: Buy inventory wisely

• Start with what rents most often, usually chairs, tables, a basic shamiana, lighting and some decor.
• Buy quality that lasts: cheap items break quickly and look worn in photos.
• Consider second-hand inventory from businesses that are upgrading.
• Rent from other tent houses for big events until you have enough stock of your own.
• Keep an inventory register: every item, quantity, condition and where it is.

Funding: a Mudra Kishore or Tarun loan, or a bank loan with CGTMSE cover, can pay for inventory. See business loans and government schemes.

Step 3: Storage and transport

Inventory needs a dry, secure godown with space to sort, clean, repair and load items. Plan for:

• shelving and stacking for chairs, fabrics and lighting
• cleaning and washing for fabrics and covers after each event
• repairs to furniture and electricals
• a loading area and a vehicle (a tempo or mini truck), or tie-ups with transporters

Step 4: Registrations, permissions and safety

• Shops and establishments registration for your office and godown, and a trade licence where required. See shop and establishment registration and trade licences.
• GST registration once turnover crosses the threshold. See GST registration for small businesses.
• Udyam registration: free. See our Udyam guide.
• Event permissions: large public events, and events on roads or public grounds, need permission from the police and local authority. Usually the organiser applies, but you should know what’s needed and help clients get it.
• Fire safety: use fire-retardant fabrics where required, keep extinguishers at every site, leave clear exits, and keep cooking areas away from decor. Fire officers may inspect large temporary structures.
• Electrical safety: use proper cables, earthing and circuit breakers, and qualified electricians.
• Music licences: if you provide recorded music at public events, licences may be needed from music rights bodies such as PPL and IPRS. Clarify with the client who arranges them.
• Labour: setup crews are often casual or contract workers. Pay at least the minimum wage, on time, and follow labour rules for contract labour as your team grows. See hiring your first employee in India.

Step 5: GST

Renting of goods and event services generally attract GST, commonly at 18%, though rates depend on what exactly you supply. When registered, list items and services clearly on your invoice. Make GST invoices with Advanton’s free invoice generator. Check your rates with a chartered accountant, especially for packages that combine renting, decor and services.

Step 6: Pricing, deposits and contracts

Pricing:

• rent per item per day or per event, such as per chair, per table, per square foot of tent, and per light
• packages for common events, such as a wedding package or a small function package
• separate charges for transport, setup and dismantling, and late returns
• premium rates on peak wedding dates, when demand far exceeds supply

Advances and deposits:

• take an advance on booking, often a significant share, to hold the date
• collect the balance before or on the event day
• take a refundable security deposit for high-value items, and inspect items on return

Contracts: for every booking, confirm in writing:

• date, time and venue, and setup and dismantling times
• the list of items and quantities
• the price, advance, balance and deposit
• responsibility for damage, loss and theft
• cancellation terms
• what the client must arrange, such as power, permissions and access

Step 7: Plan for the seasons

The wedding season, guided by auspicious dates, brings most of the year’s income, along with festivals such as Navratri, Durga Puja and Diwali. Plan ahead:

• publish your booking calendar early, and take advances for peak dates
• line up extra labour and transport for peak weeks
• use quieter months for repairs, cleaning, new inventory and corporate and community events

Use Advanton’s cash and payroll planner to plan cash through the year, so peak-season income covers quiet months.

An event-day checklist

Events go wrong in small ways that clients remember. A checklist for every booking helps your crew get it right:

• The day before: confirm the venue, timing and contact person; load items from the booking list and tick them off; check lights, cables, gensets and sound equipment.
• On arrival: check power supply and earthing, access for loading, and the layout with the client.
• Setup: structures secured and weighted, fabrics clear of lights and cooking areas, exits clear, extinguishers in place, cables taped down or covered.
• Before guests arrive: a final walk-through with the client, and photos of the setup for your portfolio.
• During the event: a crew member on site for lighting, sound and power problems.
• Dismantling: count items against the list, note any damage in front of the client, load carefully and return everything to the godown.
• Afterwards: clean, repair and store items; settle any deposit; and ask the client for a review.

Insurance

Inventory is your biggest asset, and events carry risks. Consider insurance for your godown and inventory (fire, theft and storage), equipment in transit, and public liability in case a structure or equipment injures someone at an event. Ask several insurers for quotes; the cost is small compared with losing a season’s inventory.

Step 8: Get bookings

• Photos and videos of your setups, shared on Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp.
• Google Business Profile with event photos and reviews.
• The India Business Directory: list your business free so people planning events in your city find you.
• Tie-ups with banquet halls, wedding planners, caterers, photographers, temples and community halls.
• Repeat clients: families, schools, societies and companies that hold annual events.

Step 9: Grow

• Add higher-value services: theme decor, floral design, lighting design and full event management.
• Build a reliable crew with a supervisor for each site.
• Expand inventory into structures and decor that let you serve larger events.
• Partner with caterers, photographers and planners to offer complete packages.

The ASUSE figures show businesses in this group with hired workers add over four times the value of one-person businesses. Check staffing costs with Advanton’s hiring cost calculator, and test your plan with the business idea reality check.

Common mistakes

• Buying too much inventory too early, tying up cash in items that rarely rent.
• No written bookings, which leads to disputes about items, timing and damage.
• Underpricing peak dates, when you could charge more.
• Poor storage, which ruins fabrics and furniture.
• Cutting corners on safety, especially with fire and electricity.

Frequently asked questions about starting a tent house business in India

How much does it cost to start a tent house?
It depends on the inventory you buy. Many start small with chairs, tables, a shamiana and lighting, and grow by reinvesting profits.

Do I need a licence for a tent house?
Usually shops and establishments registration and a trade licence for your premises, and GST above the threshold. Events themselves may need police and local permissions.

How do I handle damage to my items?
Agree damage terms in writing, take a security deposit for valuable items, and inspect items before and after each event.

Can I run a tent house from a village?
Yes. Rural weddings and functions are a big market. Storage space is often cheaper, though transport distances may be longer.

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Sources

1. MoSPI, Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises 2023-24, full report
2. GST portal (Goods and Services Tax Network)
3. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, GST
4. Ministry of Labour and Employment
5. Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana

Last reviewed November 6, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.