Cheaper alternative to an Emperor Bell Tent to use as a marquee?

[Clutterfreeintraining]

I have a significant birthday approaching and am planning to invite my friends and family for a little get-together.

I'm looking for a wet-weather option - I don't want everyone in the house because there's not enough room but the garden is plenty big enough for a marquee. I love my bell tent and have just been looking at the emperor online and wondering if I can justify the £750 cost. Well, I can't really but I have massively cut back on my frivolous spending this year so reckon if I tried hard enough I could justify it

Anyone have any suggestions of an alternative to the emperor that's prettier than a bog-standard marquee but cheaper than a bell?

The biggest Coleman event shelter plus side panels?

How many people are you intending to host, and what do you expect them to be doing?

I love a bell tent, so don't want to discourage you buying yourself a lovely new one, but I am a bit surprised that a 6m bell tent could be considered a replacement for a marquee? A 6m marquee is usable all the way to the edges for standing / tables / dancing, whereas a 6m bell tent is standing room in the middle but sitting room around the edge (isn't it?). How practical will it be for your intended gathering?

Event shelter far more practical. Get some sides for it

To be perfectly honest, I only started thinking about it yesterday so hadn't really thought it through.

I know I'll sound silly but I don't like the look of the events shelter

I looked at cheapo marquees online and they don't look like they'd stand up to any bad weather.

I'm far from sold on the emperor but I'd like something that looks pretty and will survive any unpredictable weather.

There'll be between 25-50 people and whilst I don't expect to fit 50 people in it, I'd hope to get a fair few in there. The blurb says the emperor sleeps 12 so I'd guessed it would seat at least 25?