garden party decorating ideas-on the cheap!

[miggy]

In a rash moment I agreed to let my sons year at school hold the leaving do here in the summer. Its parents, children (all 12/13 yrs) and some staff. There will be about 70 people.
I thought I would be happy to provide the venue and leave the rest up to the "management commitee" but my perfectionist/control freak tendencies are creeping in and I cant!
The food is covered and we have a marquee and trestle tables (12) and benches. Will have red banquet roll plus white overlay on tables. Am looking for ways to make it look really pretty without spending a fortune .
All ideas gratefully recieved

its for 12/13 year olds .. I think you should pull back from pretty and into fun

how about bouncy castle .. or those inflatable runs where you get elastic tied round your waist

music .. loud .. disco? dance class?

games .. hoopla / croquet / obstacle courses

Unior Jack bunting from Ebay but that's not exactly pretty. If you're having red then pink is pretty trendy to go with it at the moment a la Cath Kidston.

go to poundland, can get oil torches for £1 each if you havesomewhere you can set them up that isnt a fire hazard

Tea lights in empty jam jars with wire wrapped around the top to form a loop for hanging them up with. They look really effective if you have loads of them hanging up (if theres somewhere safe?)

Sorry Twiglet should have said-kids are covered too. Have inflatable laser quest game and disco/karoake to occupy them.
Bunting is a nice idea, am toying with the idea of making some from cheap fabric.
Cheap table decorations?
Dont think we have a poundland nearby but will check thanks

cheapy rainbow bunting \link{http://www.novelties-direct.co.uk/product.php?productid=5619&cat=925&page=1\here} and zlink{http://www.all4parties.co.uk/decorations/pennant_multi.htm\here}, and balloons are a hit at any party, whatever age group.
Cheapest way used to be to buy them from one of the sites above in packs of 10 and get Birthdays to fill them with helium for 20p each, but Birthdays has gone bust and I haven't found anywhere else that'll fill your own. Maybe a helium cylinder would be worth the cash?

\link{zlink{http://www.all4parties.co.uk/decorations/pennant_multi.htm\here} I mean

(NB balloons also great table decorations, tied in bunches and suitably weighted, better than flowers etc with kids about)

I agree MrsBadge, I think balloons would be great, as many as you can afford to splash out on...and bunting, lots and lots of bunting; it's not a garden party without it!!!

That bunting is a bargain MrsBadger. If you do make your own though whatever you do dont sew it, I made that mistake takes an age! Just cut the triangles with zigzag skissors (pinking shears so I'm told!) and staple them on to the rope or ribbon. Done in a sec!

thanks all-am looking into balloons now. Cheapest so far is £1 each so will investigate DIY helium.
Hockeymum-stapling is fab idea, was going to use glue (anything to avoid sewing) but much better idea!