AIBU to think the ground under a gazebo should be flat and level?

[HiImBarryScott]

We're having a house party in a couple of months to celebrate a big birthday. We have a 9m x 3m gazebo which we're planning to put in the garden along the length of the back of the house. It will be accessed from patio doors from the kitchen.

Outside these patio doors is a flat 2.5m wide area of little chipping stones. Then there is a small stone divider and then grass. The grass slopes up towards the back of the garden.

If we put the gazebo on top of the existing space, there will be 2 slightly different heights on the floor of the gazebo, 2 different types of surface and part of it will be sloping. I think this will look crap and people will trip up over the divider (especially after few refreshments!)

I think we should dig into the grass for 50cm and make an entirely flat area for the gazebo to go on. Last summer we discussed making the area bigger anyway as we can't really fit a table & chairs onto it, so it would be good for the long term too.

DH thinks it doesn't matter and doesn't think it is a priority to do before the party. He would be the one doing the work (it would be quite a bit of digging & moving more little stones). We have a budget for the party and couldn't afford to pay someone to do it.

AIBU want the ground flat & level so it's safe & looks good? As a guest would you be concerned about it?

I realise of course that this is a first world problem, but it is causing a few arguments here!

I'm assuming the gazebo doesn't have a floor? Therefore people will be able to see the changes in surface/divider? It doesn't really add an extra trip hazard, no more than without the gazebo there anyway.

Does the gazebo have walls? If not, I think it will look fine - it's just a canopy over an area of the garden. If so, yes, it will look a bit odd.

It doesnt have a floor but it does have walls - it's like a white marquee party tent.

The party is in the evening so the gazebo probably won't be open to the rest of the garden (unless its unexpectedly tropical weather). I'm going to get done cheap straw bales and fairy lights so it should look like an extension of the kitchen.

50cm of digging out for 9m is a lot of work. It could be done relatively easily in a couple of days if you got people in, eg 2 people x 7 hours per day but you'd need to make the dug ground good.

If your DH is like mine, it would take a long time to do, or he would have to forgo family time for a few weeks because it does take time, and there are a lot of distractions.

I wouldn't bother.

Àn you organise the hay and tables around it so its less noticibke?