How to build garden structure to keep guests dry at garden party?

[blinkowl]

A close friend of mine is getting married this summer.

It'll be a low budget wedding with lots of love and kids running about all over the place, but definitely not a matchy-matchy glossy wedding!

She wants to have the party in her huge garden, which will be great - as long as it doesn't rain!

She looked into marques but they're extortionate and is thinking maybe she can get a basic structure built in the garden instead, in case of rain, for less than hiring a marque.

Where she lives is very rural, they have land, rather than a garden. so plenty of space to do this.

Does anyone have any ideas on what might work / how you'd go about this?

You could buy some inexpensive gazebos?

Thanks :)

Are gazebos rainproof generally?

Argos used to have cheap, rainproof gazebos. I expect they still do. Also good for shade if it's hot!

I would approach the local scout group and see if you can borrow/hire any of their tents? Ours loan out a large bell tent that would look fantastic draped in fairy lights

A scout Dining shelter would be more suitable than a Bell Tent. It has a flatter roof and more headroom over the "floor area".

But budget Gazebos are fine. Cheap ones often have polythene (PU) canopies which are not durable and may tear in a storm. I think the better ones are proofed nylon and feel like coarse cloth rather than plastic sheet. Best to peg them down with guy ropes in case of wind, though they will stand upright in very calm weather. It's usual to leave the front open for wandering in and out, they may not be supplied with four walls. Have walls on the windy side. They get cold when the sun goes down.

Lidl are doing gazebos from 13th May for £59.99 - I was thinking about buying two for the garden party I'm planning in August.

www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?articleId=13000

Don't buy a cheap gazebo for a wedding. I got married outdoors and bought an expensive gazebo and a couple of cheaper ones for storage (we were on a field). We were trying to put them up on the Thursday before when it was blowing a gale and had sideways rain. It nearly destroyed them and we had to leave it until the next day when weather improved. This was in June. The quality gazebo was v sold went up in the awful weather and is still going today. The cheaper ones we had to chuck away after the wedding. Not worth risking it for a uk weddiing.

Btw The wedding day was actually really hot and sunny!!!

I was given a heavyweight gazebo. It rolls up into a carrier bigger than a golf bag and I can hardly lift it. It has a coarse woven fabric which I think is proofed nylon. It might possibly be a cotton mix.

I've also had the cheap thin plastic ones, you can fold them into a carrier bag and carry them with ease.