Garden Party

[ThunderR0ad78]

Posting here for traffic!!
Really, really want to host my 40th bday party at home in late June!

We will be inviting approx 70 people and will therefore need use the garden!! Really really worried it might rain!!!!

So have looked at marquee hire and whilst we have a big garden, it's angled so won't be able to put up a marquee as such. I want to make a big effort and for things to look fab so any ideas for marquee alternatives that you have used and worked well, shielding guests from rain!!
Thanks in advance!

[Charlie97]

No help I'm afraid but I want to follow!

[bestBuddyBestPal]

There aren't really many alternatives to a marque.

The chance of rain is surely low. It's a chance you take.

Any chance you're rural enough to have a garden party in a local landowner's field? Farmer's are often remarkably cheap and obliging!

[Itsallpropaganda]

Couldn't you put up a series of smaller party marquees or gazebos rather than one large one? My friend did this for her party in her odd shaped garden and left the sides off some of them so they sort of joined together and had 6-8 seater tables in each. People tend to sit in smaller groups anyway at parties so it didn't cause any problems.

[givemesteel]

Also looking forward to seeing suggestions, as I'm in the same boat (want to host party for dh bday only will work with it being in the garden and being able to bbq).

It depends on how much catering and organisation you would be doing in advance.

I'm thinking of just having a weather permitting caveat, keep an eye on the weather and postpone if it looks like it will be heavy rain. Depending on where you are in the country it is rare for a whole day in June to be washed out by rain (I live in the south east, might be different if you live somewhere like Manchester!).

[tattychicken]

You can get a gazeboesque party tent from Homebase. They're like a long rectangular white gazebo but are great for parties. Will try to link.

[tattychicken]

This one;
www.homebase.co.uk/marquee-garden-party-gazebo-white-3-x-6m_p405654

[ThunderR0ad78]

Thanks for the replies! I'm looking at Gazebos now but am worried about whether they provide enough cover from bad weather! Initially with a marquee I planned to butt it up to the house so almost like adding a temp extension to the kitchen.

If it's cold and rainy, will a gazebo offer much comfort? I could manage approx 30 in the kitchen but def nowhere near 70!!

[scrivette]

Some of the Gazebos have sides so you could still do a similar thing.

[ThunderR0ad78]

I'm in Surrey, we held my mums 60th in a pub last year on June 24th - it poured down

[tattychicken]

Buy/hire some patio heaters? They're quite reasonable these days and deffo take the chill off.

[LoniceraJaponica]

"The chance of rain is surely low"

Ha ha ha ha ha
Not where I live. The weather can be spectacularly wet in June round here. Last year June was the wettest month.

[Atalune]

I would look at a smaller party marquee, and then think about patio heaters too, a fire pit? Chimineas are good too.

I have done lots of garden parties like this and they have worked really well.

We have festooned the garden with lots of fairy lights, festoon lights, tea lights and it looks really magical. A few hay bales dotted around with blankets on too for little seating areas. Old wooden upturned wine boxes make great little tables. I have even made a bar out of 3 old pallets!

Have fun. Don’t worry too much about the weather, a smaller marquee is your answer.

[Atalune]

We also put up a bell tent for a “chill out” area. Was really fun!
We went for mini festival look/feel.

[665TheNeighbourOfTheBeast]

I think you should check just what marquee hire companies can do before you write them off.
My friends garden wedding involved them building a marquee down a series of terraces. It was an amazing space once they had done it and they were not even slightly phased by it.

[desertmum]

We had a party last year in June and bought 2 gazebo/marquee/tent things from Homebase - built them in an L-shape looked fab and cost about 200 quid, will be using them again this year so will get our money's worth/ We too, like Atalune, went for a festival feel - had the bar in the marquee area which we built out of pallets we got free from the local hardware store, we stained them and put a flat bit on the top. Hay bales for seating with proper chairs the older generation. Lots of cheap lights from Primark, Was fabulous.
You will have a great time.

[serfandterf101]

Just make sure this is on the playlist and have a fab party, wet or dry

[Notcontent]

Have it in a pub. Safer bet and kinder to your neighbours!

[Crispbutty]

June...= Wimbledon = plenty of rain usually!

[Merryoldgoat]

Ah, memories. I hosted a garden party for my in laws in June 2016. Because the weather will be lovely etc etc.

The Wednesday before we had more rain than I’ve ever seen and my entire garden flooded. Luckily the water receded enough for the party to go ahead but parts of the garden were a bog.

Our Gazebo held up well though, just a cheapie one too.

[Graduate223]

Can you not have your house open so that those who want to be indoors can be and those outdoors can be? When it rains it’s usually too cold to be outside even under a marquee.

[kaytee87]

The chance of rain is surely low.

Depends where you live. I'm in the west of Scotland so the chance of sun low.

Op is there any reason you can't hire a bar, hall, hotel etc then they can do all of the catering etc too

[NathalieM]

It’s so annoying English weather is so unpredictable! I think that Itsallpropaganda is on to something with having smaller marquees/gazebos. Homebase seems to be a popular and affordable option, could buy them anyway just in case it rains. Also, you can get garden gazebo with ‘walls’ which would help protect against rain if faced against the rain.

If you are going all out, I am sure that professional companies specialising in marquees have worked on uneven ground before and will have some form of solution – might be worth enquiring? Also, make sure that all your garden furniture is water proof from seating to folding tables to make your life easier if it does decide to pour down. These pieces should be easy and quick to put away and can could even work as extra seating for inside!

Here are some useful links if it helps at all:

www.diymarquees.co.uk/marquee-hire-blog/index.php/2010/01/18/putting-marquees-up-on-uneven-ground/
www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/home-garden/best-garden-furniture-2018-a3778206.html
www.gopak.co.uk/tables/folding-tables
www.diystart.com/tag/gazebo-ground-leveling

[tradervictoria]

Have you constructed your garden to absorb the kind of treatment 70 people are going to dish out? If so, fill your boots. I would be hiring a venue

[Seeline]

How about checking with local Scout/Guide groups or churches. They may have a more traditional marquee tent that they might be willing to hire out.
Wouldn't have all mod-cons like a real marquee, but with a bit of imagination you could decorate it to look nice, and people wouldn't mind if they were dry and had drink.

[Loyaultemelie]

A friend of dhs works for a marquee company and he said often they can work round a sloped or unusual shaped garden with a bit of a consultation beforehand, might be worth asking your local company?