Would like to have a big BBQ for my 40th. Where can I find a company to do it all? Lots of BBQ related queries.

[MrsMuddle]

It's my 40th at the end of May, and after much agonising, I've decided I might like a BBQ in the garden.

My reservations are:
Weather - Glasgow in May.
Sloping lawn (but big patio area)
Vegetarians - about half a dozen.

I'd be inviting about 60 people (yikes!) although, I'd expect only expect about 40 to come.

So, is it possible to find a company to set up the BBQ, supply the food, bring plates and glasses etc? Any idea about prices from anyone who's done a similar thing?

And should I have a marquee on the lawn (I realise how pretentious this sounds, but there is no other way of putting it!) or covered areas on the patio?

Can you erect a gazebo on paving, or do they need to be hammered into grass?

Please give me all your ideas and list of things to think about. Thanks

Definitely have marquee or some sort of cover unless you can fit all the people in your house and cook under the grill if it rains!
If you've lots of vegetarians coming then you could get some quorn burgers and sausages -these BBQ OK, and have a table of non BBQ things -salad, potato salad, pasta salad etc.

You can buy "party tents" from various places which are considerably cheaper, and less pretentious, than hiring a marquee. I recently bought a few from Amazon and they are great and will do many years of parties. I have succeeded in erecting one of them a few times on our patio - I have fixed the guy ropes to the house and the garden wall - it's been winter though so it's been necessary it was prevented from blowing away!

There are companies who do fully catered BBQ's. I'm not in your area so you will need to google it. Packages seem to start from approx £400 - we're in the south east though so that might be different. They come with BBQ and all food including vegetarian - you can pick salads etc and they also can add puddings. Some also do glasses and drinks but you might be better doing Tesco wine glass hire and getting your drink on sale or return from the offie.

Also if you are worried about the weather (which you can decide nearer the time) you can hire an outdoor space heater - meaning people would be happy to be outside even if it's wet and cold - they can be undercover with the space heater. I've done this in December and everyone was toasty warm so I'm sure May would be fine!

Thanks for your replies. Have never heard of party tents, so I'll have a look on Amazon.

Quorn sausages sound disgusting, but I suppose vegetarians might like them.

Think I'll have to go for plastic glasses. Not very environtally friendly, but I'm so clumsy I'm always breaking glasses, and there's often small children playing in the garden, so I wouldn't want to risk broken glass. Off to Google now...

Blistering barbecues did the barbecue at a wedding I went to once and it was amazing.

We got them to quote for ours too. but it was too expensive!! So depends on your budget.

Here's their wesbite anyway:

www.blistering.co.uk/blistering_webroot/

Have you thoughth about a hog roast? That's what I want for DH's 50th (too late for my own 40th unfortunartely).

Yes, my mate was going ot have a hog roast for her 30th.

Blistering BBQs look fab. If only they were in Glasgow... That's the sort of thing I'm looking for.