Our second slice of igloocast is brought to you by James Winter, who has spent eight years as a house DJ, six years as a producer and five years as a promoter, running his own nights in Leeds, London, and co running two successful events in Melbourne.
Igloocast, brought to you by Igloo Disco, The Ultimate Party!
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So you’ve decided to throw a party, but where do you begin?!
Throwing a party is certainly rewarding, but it requires adequate planning for a smooth sailing ride. On the big day, you want to be enjoying your party with your guests, not stuck in the kitchen swamped with last minute baking. This party planning checklist will offer you 20 necessary tips for planning a party alongside a time structured plan. Undoubtedly, the first month prior to your party requires the most brain power, so if you’re planning a party for next month it’s time to get to action. Follow this guide in a linear order for plenty of free party planning ideas.
1) First of all, let’s go back to basics. What is the purpose of this party and who is it for? This may seem blatantly obvious, but to establish this grounding will ensure efficiency for the rest of the planning. Whether you are throwing a Birthday, Christmas or a party to celebrate, be sure to have your purpose before the planning begins. Once you’re clear on purpose, it’s time to think about the budget.
2) Being realistic is key to beginning your planning. Yes, you may want to impress your loved ones with an evening of lavish but know your limits. Take your time here to mull over your expenditure and establish a budget that works for you. Try splitting your budget into venue, catering and entertainment for a workable structure. Regardless of your budget, you can get creative with DIY decorations and bake your own food. Once it has been established, the real fun begins!
3) Now it’s time to choose a time and a date. Having a date in mind is essential before searching for venues, in order to ensure availability. Timing is also crucial so that your guests can put the necessary arrangements in place to attend. The purpose of your party will determine the obvious times and date to choose. If you are throwing a party aimed at adults, early evenings would be your best option. Or if it’s a party for children, Saturday mornings are ideal. Consider the purpose of your party to establish a suitable time and date!
4) Next, location, location, location! Where would you like to throw your party? Is it suitable for the size of your party? Is this location accessible for guests? What are the public transport links? Do you need to pay for your attendee’s transport? These are all important questions to consider within your budget! Whether you are planning to throw a party in your home or rent a space, think carefully about how to your guests will travel. Once this has been considered, contact the venue with your time and date to inquire about availability.
5) So you have your budget, date, time and location! But what’s a party without people?! Time to whip out your address book and decide who to invite. At this stage, you need to know how many people you want to cater for, this will make the verdict considerably less daunting. Make sure your numbers are realistic and in alignment with your budget! Unless you want to invite every man and his dog, spend time considering your guest list.
6) The guest list can take a while, so during this brainstorming think about your theme! Having a theme can excite your guests and get them in the party mood. What is the specific purpose of your party, could you align this with a fancy dress theme? Or you could gear your catering towards a particular theme such as Mexican night? Get creative and think about how you can personalize your party.
7) The final step for the one-month countdown is to get your invitations out. Hopefully deciphering through your Facebook friends has provided you with a finalized guest list. You have your location, date and time and possible theme in order. So now you’re ready to get the word out! The most popular and efficient way to do this is online, but you could keep it traditional and have invitations sent through the post. Just ensure you have an RSVP system to ensure attendance.
You’re one week closer! You have the foundations lay down for your ‘do of the decade’ so let’s get down to detail.
8) Food and drink. Firstly, referring back to your purpose, are you planning on supplying food? A fancy three course sit down meal or a finger food buffet? Would you like canapes and snacks throughout or are you opting for a liquid lunch? Consider your timings here. Will your guests be hungry at the time of your party? If you are supplying food, keep in mind allergies and vegetarian options! Secondly, keep the liqueur flowing! Whether it’s cocktails or mocktails, make sure there is enough to go around. Drinking, whether it’s alcoholic or not is a focal point of every party. Consider your guests and make sure you offer a variety for everybody.
9) Choose your suppliers! You’ve made a final decision on food and drink, but are you going to hire party caters, in-house staff or provide homemade goodies for your guests? As commonly referred to throughout these party planning tips, check your budget! Decide if you can pencil in a cocktail waiter or whether you would prefer to order in the supplies and ask a friend. Searching for suppliers is a big task, so be sure to establish what you would need to hire and whether you would prefer to provide it.
10) Next is the décor. Why not try creating a mood board to channel your décor ideas?
From balloons to table pieces, create yourself an essentials list before you start surfing the web. No doubt you will want it all, so take your time here comparing prices and working with your budget. Once you have a good idea of exactly what you will need, write a shopping list! Spend the majority of week three researching your supplies to ensure you grab the bargains. And before purchasing online, check the arrival date! Any goods coming from China could turn up a little too late for your big day. A tip to save on your budget is to consider being your own supplier by getting creative and crafty.
11) Now it’s time to think about Entertainment. You’ve visualized the décor, the food and drinks are in order but how will you keep your guests grooving? Adjust the ambience to the purpose of your party and then plan entertainment accordingly. Music should be your first protocol, would you like to hire a DJ or ask a friend to come and spin some records? Perhaps you would like to hire a band or ask a family friend for an evening of acoustics. Whatever suits your purpose, just keep in mind that music is key! If you’re planning a kid’s party, think about entertainers or if it’s a family party, ensure entertainment for everybody.
Phew, you’re halfway there! And the best part is, you’ve done most of the hard work. The two- week benchmark is the time to check detail and confirm that everything is in order.
12) Ensure you have ordered all of your supplies, and double check your delivery date! You don’t want to find yourself missing 150 plastic cups on the day of your party. Go over your list and ensure you’ve ordered all of the necessary means.
13) Follow up with any bookings, if you’ve decided to hire a DJ or a caterer, drop them an email to confirm the times and dates.
14) Spend the rest of this week creating any DIY decorations such as personalized table name cards and homemade bunting.
It’s so close…time to get moving!
15) Whether you have decided to hire caters or provide refreshments, spend this week shopping for your necessities. Everything from food and drink to party poppers, make sure you are thoroughly prepared. If you are preparing food, be sure to spend a few days prior to the party prepping this accordingly. Why not splash out on your party frock or a fancy suit? Get your outfit in order, to reduce a stressful morning of digging out your wardrobe on the big day.
16) Send out a reminder and check RSVP to all guests. You need to be certain on a final number of guests, to ensure you have enough supplies.
17) If you are hosting your party at home, why not have a trial run of the layout? Move around the necessary furniture and have a spring clean. Visualize the party and begin your decorations a day or two before the party. Pull out necessary crockery and begin to set up.
Finally, the day you have been waiting for! No doubt the party excitement and anxiety is high! Be sure to get an early night before and wake up feeling refreshed and ready to seize the day.
18) Finalize all of your decorations, perfecting the last few touches. Prepare the bar and layout space for your caterer or set up your buffet. Whichever approach you have chosen, ensure food and drink is ready for when the guests arrive.
19) Get the music pumping! Set up the atmosphere, whether you are in your home or at the hired venue. Get the music on early, so you’re already in a party mood for when the guests start arriving.
20) Have fun! You’ve spent the past month planning and perfecting this party, so enjoy it! Being a ‘hostess with the mostess’ includes attending the party. Everything has been so carefully planned that you can relax and bask in your own production.
So there you have it, 20 party planning tips to guide you through planning your party. Hopefully this guide has given you the support needed in order to throw the perfect party. (expand).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So you’ve made it! High school has come to an end; GCSE’s will no longer be the focal point of your existence! You’re ready to roam free and let the world become your oyster. You cannot contain your excitement, but it’s also the end to an era, a long one indeed. You’ve put your blood, sweat and tears into high school but it’s also the place that has shaped you. You have met your friends for life and you’ve become a team. So now it’s time to plan a night to remember with the people you will never forget…
The initial excitement of having all of your favourite people, in one place, celebrating freedom is certainly overwhelming. You ask yourself, how do we give our prom the wow factor? I can let you into a secret: it’s all centred around prom entertainment. From the moment guests arrive, you want the atmosphere to thrive, magnetising everybody to the dance floor! It’s all exciting, but try not get lost in the midst of this! Prom entertainment ideas take a lot of careful consideration. But don’t worry. This guide will give you an insight into exactly where to start!
Choosing a theme is where the fun begins. This is a chance to delve into your creativity. Before asking yourself what activities are offered at proms, let’s determine the basis. Themes can be as wild as your imagination, from Mardi Gras to Alice in Wonderland. This all depends on personal preference. For a touch of elegance, traditional black tie formal or 1920’s theme could be appealing. A masquerade ball is another option, adding an element of mystery to the evening. Determining your theme gives the foundations for your prom entertainment ideas.
First of all, prom entertainment can be as little or as large as the budget. A guest appearance of Justin Bieber or one night only with Drake sounds dreamy. But it’s not MTV cribs…so being realistic is the first step to determine costs. For prom event planning, you want to aim for cost-effective entrainment, keeping everybody starry-eyed without burning a hole in your pocket. You want people to be dancing, so let’s begin with the music.
Music is the universal language; everybody loves to shake a leg. So choosing the music is the top of your prom ideas list! Hiring a DJ who knows how to get the crowd rocking with the 90s classics, all the way through the “noughties” to your top 40 is a great place to start! Whether it’s Ashanti and Ja Rule that gets the guests moving, or a disco classic, a DJ can offer it all. A reminiscence of Cotton Eyed Joe from your primary school discos is bound to get the shapes thrown. Requests can be made throughout the night to please everybody: slow dances to break dancing. Therefore, a DJ offers smiles all around.
Live bands are another option to consider. Hiring a live band can offer a unique musical experience, with a particular genre or a band to cover all of the classics. If you have decided to gear the prom towards a particular theme, a tribute band could be a great option. The bottom line is, that as long as the dance floor has plenty of energy, it’s a winner!
Prom entertainment does not stop with just music! Remember the parties from your childhood…magicians, bouncy castles, games. Although you may be a little old for pass for the parcel, why not consider these childhood classics into your school prom ideas! First of all, magic at all ages is entertaining, so blow the minds of your peers and hire a tip-top magician, you never know what trick he has up his sleeve! A photo booth is another great option to consider, who doesn’t like capturing the moment in a fake moustache and a cowboy hat?! A fancy dress photo booth will get capture the Kodak moments, whilst providing endless amounts of fun.
If you want to push prom entertainment to its limits, a cabaret show may be exactly what you’re looking for. Why not lure the guests away from the dance floor, with exquisite acrobatics hanging from the ceiling or performers playing with fire? And if circus acts aren’t your thing, get glamorous and hire Paparazzi photographers. Give your guests the gift of stardom, from the moment they arrive on the red carpet to the final boogie!
So, you’ve decided how to keep the guests grooving and thoroughly occupied, but the visuals are of equal importance! In order to appeal to all of the sense, let’s discover a way to visually grab your guests. It’s all in the ambience, darling! Be sure to choose a venue that can be dressed up with fairy lights and a disco ball. Depending on your theme, you may have specifics but just be sure you’ve pencilled in a strobe! Décor is determined by your budget, from homemade bunting to chandeliers. This is where prom organising companies can take the reins in a true transformation of a venue and bring your dreams into reality.
We’ve covered what activities are offered at proms, but eating and drinking is an activity, right?! It’s certainly a crucial part of the package. Get gastronomically glamorous with a luxury chocolate fountain or a gourmet selection of canapés. Prom organising companies can cater to your needs, providing mixology and impressive pop-up cocktail bars. Whether you are interested in a banquet for the kings and queens or a platter of punch bowls, just be sure to provide enough for everybody.
So, there you have it: a guide to planning your school prom! Hopefully, your creative juices are flowing and you’re bursting with ideas. On a final note, if you would like to give your guests the equivalent of a party bag, why not try school leavers’ hoodies? You’ve provided a night to remember, so let them be reminded each day of just how awesome your class was!
Now it’s decision time, which theme excites you? DJs or brass bands? Photo booths or bouncy castles? If your mind is boggled with extravagant ideas, get in touch with our prom organising experts for professional guidance.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
In charge of organising the big company Christmas knees-up and terrified of making the wrong decision? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. To alleviate your misery, we’ve compiled a list of the six best Christmas party ideas your employees are bound to love.
For the logically inclined, here’s a great team-building exercise to get everyone involved. Working together against the clock, the idea is that you’ll solve lots of puzzles, codes and riddles. At The Great Escape, there’s a host of rooms with differing themes to choose from such as King Arthur’s Secret, Alcatraz and the scary-sounding Asylum.
As clichéd as it can be, ice skating is best enjoyed at Christmas time, and brings out the inner kid in just about everyone. Even if you just make it a part of the work Christmas celebrations, you can’t get much more festive than wrapping up warm to glide around the Christmas tree.
Everyone loves food, and possibly cocktails even more so you can’t go too far wrong by booking everyone in for a Christmas cooking and cocktails session. And just as you’d expect at a cooking school, you get fed after you’ve made your foodie delights, and maybe even a Christmas gift box to take away if you’ve got a particularly generous allowance.
What an enchanting venue a castle makes. Picture the scene: the Christmas trees will be glistening with lights, the reindeer will be munching away on carrots and attendees will love sipping on the mulled wine while it’s cold outside. A venue like this screams out for a murder mystery game and a true banquet meal.
Possibly one of the most extravagant ideas, book an entire carriage aboard the Belmond British Pullman for a luxury train trip to remember. Sommelier-selected bubbly, a customised menu created from the freshest ingredients and a ticket wallet to go away with are some of the perks if you decide to whisk everyone off their feet.
An integral part of Christmas for many and a good excuse to cosy up with popcorn and a hot toddy, a Christmas movie marathon makes for a fun and relaxed Christmas party. Choose a few of the office’s favourite films, find a good venue such as this one and make sure there are enough beanbags or comfy seats to everyone to unwind.
If you have an idea that you think needs bringing to life, why not consider a party in an igloo? Ours make fantastic, ‘wow-factor’ venues and can be customised in all the ways you can think of from lighting to music.
Corporate events are a great way for businesses to engage with customers and expand their audience base, and they have become big news over the past few years. There are lots of ways to run a corporate event, and they also offer several advantages for your firm. We have listed four reasons for you to take a look.
By hosting an event and building hype around it, you’re able to promote your name and help people to connect with your brand. Generating this sort of exposure is excellent if you are planning an event that will go off with a bang and it means you will be remembered for the right reasons.You want to make sure you select your suppliers, your venue and your activities so you can generate the right buzz around it in the lead up, during the event and long after. Ask yourself: “Will it get people talking?”
Meeting customers and other professionals in person is an invaluable part of hosting a corporate event as it allows you to widen your network of contacts and connect with your clients and audience on a personal level, in turn impacting on their active engagement. You get to converse with that person in front of you in ways that a Facebook post or a Tweet cannot, get to know them, and leave a lasting good impression.
Getting employees together for your event and giving them a shared aim can work wonders for morale, motivation among staff and elevate the working mood. Everyone is working hard to make the event a success, and they all share in the triumphs and setbacks you encounter along the way so they can bond as a team.
Download our brochure to find out how you can wow your guests
At the end of the day, you will want to see some results from your event, and this can eventually be measured from the number of sales and leads you generated from having a presence on that day. Just remember that while it’s tempting to just look at the sales won on the day, you also need to review the results three and six months down the line if you are to gauge the true outcome more accurately.
Corporate events provide you with many opportunities that you wouldn’t ordinarily have access to stuck behind a computer so go out there and grab them with two hands. If you’re a relatively new organisation, hosting events can be great for you to build trust with your audience.
At Igloo Disco, we like to help companies throw a corporate event with the ‘wow’ factor. Think you could do with some corporate event management tips? Check out our article which will serve as your guide.
So, you’re throwing a party and have decided to hire a party planner? Exciting times. Party planners are professionals who take charge of planning, organising and coordinating your party. By hiring a party planner you’re gifting yourself a range of benefits. Not only are they experienced in what they do, they’ll have a range of contacts, already knowing the best DJ’s, bars, security, and more, so you can relax, with peace of mind everything is being done for you.
Truth be told, organising a party can be difficult, especially if you have never done it before, and this is where party planners come in. They will come up with party ideas for you to agree or disagree with and once the initial idea is set, they will get down to the nitty gritty of organising your party. But the question is, how do you find the party planners that do it best? To help you decide, here’s a set of questions to ask to ensure you get the best party planner to not only organise your party, but make it one you’ll never forget.
To find out if the party planner is a good fit to organise your party, ask them what types of parties or events they most frequently work on. If their reply is corporate events and you are looking to throw an epic 18th birthday party they may not be the best fit.
Generally, you will want to find a party planner that frequently works on planning birthday celebrations. They will have past experience of what ideas work well, what doesn’t work well and have great ideas to present to you. At the end of the day you are in charge and it’s your birthday, therefore if the party planner has no prior experience when it comes to planning a party, you have every right to walk away – you’re the one with the money after all.
It is important to know what services your party planner is offering, as you want to make sure they can fully handle all of your requirements. Ask yourself this, what do you need them to do? Do you want them to find a venue? Find a DJ? Organise catering? Find a bar? Many party planners, as mentioned above, will have a network of contacts they work with regularly and could get a better rate on pricing than if you went to hire these people individually.
You need to find out if they are capable of organising your entire party, as some party planners offer a full service, whereas others include, on the day party planners, they will be there on the day to esnure it runs smoothly but won’t have helped you organise your party. There are also planning-only party planners, who will help you plan your party but won’t be there on the day. Therefore making sure you hire the correct party planner who will be there through the planning and on the day is important.
Firstly, you need to set a budget. The party planner has to understand this and not only stick to the budget, but make the most from it. Bear in mind that within your budget, you will also be paying for the party planner themselves as they don’t organise your party for free. Unless you somehow know a family friend who is in the party planning business who will do it for free.
A budget is important as it is very easy to go wild and spend money on unnecessary items, so be realistic and honest with your party planner. A good party planner will forecast all of the costs for you, so you can get that fire breather you so desperately need!
Before hiring a party planner, you need to make sure they will be compatible with your party, this means that they specialise in planning birthday parties and not weddings or corporate events. You need to have a party planner who can relate to your ideas and specifications, who can also have their input suggesting other options available that is still sticking to your theme and wavelength.
You have to find out if they will listen to your ideas of how you want your party to be, or if they will try to cut corners and make life easier for themselves. You wouldn’t want someone who isn’t on your wavelength, not understanding your style or the vision you have in mind.
Ask to look at their track record or portfolio, if they haven’t thrown many parties before then maybe it’s a good idea not to work with that party planner. A party planner with a good track record who has thrown many birthday parties that have gone down a treat with previous clients, then you know this planner is trusted and clearly good at their job.
References from previous customers offer a great way to get an insight of what they are like to work with and if they do a good job. This can be if they are reliable, if they listen to your ideas, if they will stick to your budget and so on.
Hiring a party planner is a great way for you to chill out on the lead up to the big day instead of worrying about the finer details. A party planner will do all of the organising for you and will think of items you may have missed such as having a music permit if you are using a rented field. If you ask all of these questions, then you will be on the right track to hiring an amazing party planner who will make your party one to remember.
Here at Igloo Disco, we can plan and organise your birthday party held in one of our amazing pop-up nightclub igloo’s. We pride ourselves on supplying a stress free party planning service, so you can relax and enjoy the build up, until the day of your party.
If you are thinking of hiring a pop-up venue but you’re not too sure of where to start, we have come up with a venue comparison guide. Check it out below.
If you spotted someone using a marquee for a celebration years ago, you’d have probably looked at it and said, “I want one of those for my party.” Fast forward to the here and now and the novelty has probably worn off a little, mainly because everyone seems to be using them for absolutely anything but don’t worry, there are great alternatives to marquee hiring.
Maybe it’s The Great British Bake Off moving to Channel 4 that put you off marquee hiring for good. Or factors like the build time of a marquee (and how long until the team comes back to remove it), the cost as well as the capabilities in bad weather, no wonder you’re looking for an alternative.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of different types of venues that can suit all of your needs. You want something you’ll never forget? How does a pop-up nightclub in your own garden sound? There are many fantastic venues available, so let’s go through them all and see which venue is the perfect one for your party.
You’d have people talking about your party for the sheer size of the giant structure, making your traditional marquees look ordinary. You don’t need to worry about the horrible and unpredictable UK weather blowing it away either, and you’ll be having one serious party based on the size and the capacity.
These are the kind of thing you might have been in at a big country fair, racing meet or polo final. They’re sturdy and impressive.
You’d usually find the incredible multi-deck structures at car or horse racing events, but there’s nothing stopping you from hiring one for your party. The top floor is a frame marquee while the lower floors are temporary decking, and it all contributes to an epic night nobody attending will ever forget.
One floor could be the dancefloor and nightclub, whilst the other could be a place to relax and watch the action with a cocktail.
Nordic TipiNordic Tipi’s have proven to be popular choices at parties, festivals and weddings, where the tipi-shaped tents can be attached to other tipis to create much bigger tents. The larger the tipi, the more guests it can hold, and the unique structure makes it very memorable.
They’re a popular and well-known alternative to marquee hiring at private parties.
If you want more freedom and creativity with your venue, then a stretch tent is a great choice. This structure is a large tent which uses stretchy fabric to give it a unique shape, so your exterior is one that will totally stand out and leave people seriously impressed, and it’s why you see them used frequently at public events and festivals.
The saddlespan tent offers a lot more versatility because of the size and the style on offer. You see them at gigs, corporate events and parties because of how innovative the design is compared to other structures, and will definitely give you a music festival vibe in your garden.
If you’re in the middle of a heatwave and want the outdoor feel but with additional shade, these are perfect.
Hiring a venue isn’t a necessity, as you can choose to turn your own home into a nightclub where you don’t have to worry about things like the weather and heating or insulation. If you invest in unique decorations and transform your house into something special, you’ll avoid hosting another standard house party.
Just remember to lock away that heirloom dinner set and put some carpet covering down.
How often do you see turn up to a party and expect to see a massive igloo waiting for you? If you truly want to party in style and leave your guests gobsmacked, hiring an inflatable igloo is the latest trend you need to hop on compared to other structures.
You won’t even need to worry about keeping your neighbours up, thanks to the great noise retention. It also sets up in just a few hours. It has that wow factor you’d desperately want and has plenty of other benefits compared to other structures you might be considering – not least, the fact that each igloo comes with a team of experts who make sure you have a party you’ll never forget.
If the idea of a pop-up nightclub in your own garden is something you love the sound of, you need to make sure you’re picking the perfect venue that will suit all of your needs.
There’s a great deal to consider, so take a look at this helpful guide and see all of the pros and cons of all of the different types of structures in a lot more detail here:
Everyone has seen a marquee, and the majority of people have been to an event held in one whether that’s at a wedding, party or at the local agricultural show. They have lost the wow factor as they are used numerous of times over and over again; yes, they look pretty (if they are done up correctly) but there are quite a few disadvantages of using marquees for parties. Here are some reasons why party marquees, in our opinion, are the worst…
Marquees are large fabric structures which rely on timber poles and rope to be erected. As the process of putting up a marquee is intricate; it can take between 2-3 days for the marquee to be up and functional. Therefore, if you are hiring out a field, you may have to hire it for a good 5-6 days which can easily become costly.
Even if you are having it in your garden, it means that you will have people traipsing in and out of your garden, using your facilities within your house for almost a week. Lets just say you will go through a lot of cups of tea whilst the marquee company are setting up.
If you are having a marquee set up in your back garden, make sure you invite your neighbours as the canvas fabric used with a marquee isn’t soundproof. If you are wanting to party the night away, make sure you let whomever will be affected by the noise aware that there will be loud music playing from your garden until all hours, unless you want neighbours banging down your door throughout the night or facing confrontation next time you cross paths putting the bins out.
When it comes to marquees the cost varies as you may be tricked into thinking it’s cheap; however, most companies charge extra for the lining of the marquee, extra for the flooring, extra for any furniture etc. That means the total cost of an actual functioning marquee is likely to be in the £1000’s.
Many marquee companies may point you in the direction of hiring a DJ but will not do it for you; plus as marquees are outside, it’s down to you to hire portaloos and a functioning bar. Therefore, making the cost of your event even higher.
Overall you will be paying for a field to rent for over 5 days if you can’t use your back garden, the marquee, a DJ, a mobile bar, portaloos, and you may also have to pay the marquee company for their time putting up and taking down the marquee, which means the nice idea of having a birthday party in a marquee is going to be costly and time consuming.
Marquees come in a variety of sizes which all depends on how many guests you want to attend your party – obviously, the more guests the bigger the marquee. The bigger size marquee you decide to get the more it will cost.
Given that the British weather is very hit and miss, insulation may be necessary as, even in the Summer, temperatures can drop and the rain can lash it down. They aren’t necessarily made for the Winter season as, even when lined with the canvas sides, they will not keep much heat in. As you have to pay extra for the canvas lining, larger marquees will be a lot more expensive to hire out, and even smaller marquees can be costly if the canvas lining is needed.
If you are throwing a party, you want it to be the best and stand out from anyone else’s you have been to or are going to in the future; you want people to remember your party and, sadly, they aren’t going to do that if you use a marquee for your venue.
Marquees are very popular as they are the most known pop up venue that you can have in your garden or a hired field. They all look the same and, unless you spend a lot of money decorating it (if the marquee company allow you), they are pretty dull.
Depending on the marquee company you use, you may end up with a marquee that has previously been used at an agricultural show, therefore, could turn up full of mud and smelling like animals which won’t be pleasant for your guests, but, hey, at least your party will be remembered for smelling like and looking like it’s just come off a farm.
With the setting up time being between 2-3 days, the removal time can take just as long, again that means you may have marquee installers still lingering around 3 days after your party has finished.
After a marquee has been taken down the job doesn’t end there for you. As marquees are set up using poles and lines, your garden will be left looking tattered with large pole hole marks. The marquee company will only remove the marquee they will not tidy up or fix your turf after the party; they see that as not their responsibility.
A marquee is resistant to rain but with the British weather we can get rain with gail force winds from nowhere. Marquees can stand the odd downpour; however, they are vulnerable to high winds. I’m sure you’ve all seen the You’ve Been Framed Videos of marquees blowing away with traumatised guests inside.
If this Summer season is anything to go off, rain is inevitable even when the sun is supposed to be shining. Do you really want to take that risk and pray there are no high winds the day of your party?
The weather can also affect the setting up process. High winds will prolong the set up time to the point where the party may have to be cancelled due to the fact that the marquee isn’t able to be put up safely and securely.
Marquees are used a lot for weddings, birthday parties, country fairs, and more. They are a common site across the UK as people don’t really know too much about what else is available. They are good at creating a venue outside for guests to be catered for, dance and have a good time, however if you are looking for something to stand out a marquee isn’t what you are looking for.
When it comes to your birthday party, you will want something different; something that you and your friends will remember for a long time. We have the answer; why not hire an inflatable igloo nightclub for your garden or field. Our igloos come with all the add-ons such as DJ’s, bars, facilities, floors etc and it takes a few hours to set up and take down. There are so many benefits to hiring an igloo disco.
Be like Kem off Love Island and celebrate your big day in an igloo.
If you are still unsure about the types of venues you can have outside and the pros and cons of each, we have created an easy to read eBook which goes into detail about every popular outdoor venue.
If you want to find out more click the button below:
Your special occasion is one that you’ll want to remember for the rest of your lives. Make sure it’s for all the right reasons, not because you didn’t consider these life-saving factors when deciding on your garden party gazebo hire company.
Stop, think and decide if the gazebo is the right choice for your garden party in light of these three points:
If you’re now having second thoughts about whether the gazebo is the way to go, jump to our comparison guide to see all the different pop-up venues you can use for a garden party.
If you’re still confident that the gazebo companies you’ve been comparing (and hopefully compared at least three of them and not just gone to Dodgy Dave’s Marquees and Gazebos, whose number you got off the Buy and Sell board in Waitrose) will give you everything you need, at least read on to see why these points are so important.
How forgiving will your neighbours be if the party ends up going on later than planned and they’re trying to get some rest, whilst you and your guests are just getting into the swing of things?
A few jugs of Pimms and bottles of fizz have gone down nicely and now your kids aren’t the only ones dancing around the sound system. The BBQ’s getting fired back up, and you and the other not-so-oldies are all ready to get on the shorts when the young ones head into town.
But Barbara from next door has sent Clive round to complain. He’s already unhappy somebody parked across the edge of his drive earlier in the day, even though he wasn’t going out, and somebody left the gate at the end of the lane open.
Now he’s annoyed some people are having fun. No wonder you didn’t invite him.
Either way, you’ve got two options: shut the garden party down and take it inside the house; or carry on regardless, with the sound emanating out from the sides of the gazebo, and have a very sour faced Clive and Barbara refusing to take your next Amazon delivery.
There are other options which mean your outdoor party can remain outdoors and your house can remain a non-party zone.
The other thing to think about when planning your garden party is the weather. I know you’ll have thought about whether it’ll be sunny or whether it’ll be raining, but what about the wind?
Under windy conditions, if you aren’t careful before you know it, the gazebo can go airborne. A strong gust can get under the structure and it’ll take off even if it’s pegged into the ground.
Besides the hired gazebo potentially getting damaged and costing you x-amount in repair bills, once it takes off the flailing legs could do some real harm to you and your guests.
Make sure your hired gazebo is well and truly secured with weights and factor these into your price calculations and comparisons.
How long has your gazebo hire company said it’ll take to set up the gazebo, a few hours? And the same again to take it down? That’s great.
But, when are they coming to do both of these? If they aren’t setting up and removing the hired gazebo on the morning of the party and the morning after, respectively, the true setup and removal time is multiple days.
Once the gazebo is setup in your garden, it’s your responsibility. We were speaking to a cricket club recently who hired a number of gazebos for a big match. The hire company could only install them on the Thursday before the game, a whole three days and nights beforehand.
The club thought they’d secured them, but on Friday night, a little storm came in and destroyed all but two of the gazebos. They had to patch the rest up and have volunteers sleep in the clubhouse each night until the gazebos were back with the hire company. They ended up losing money on what was supposed to be some fundraising hospitality areas for the big match.
Make sure you find a gazebo hire company who is willing to install the structure on the morning of the party and remove it the morning after. Anything else runs the risk of you getting caught out by a rough half hour of weather.
Gazebos can be great for garden parties. They’re relaxed and offer a nice bit of shade. But they have plenty of downfalls.
Why not consider all the different temporary structures you could hire for your garden party that we have put into one handy comparison guide. Whichever you have any more questions about, be it a Nordic tipi, an inflatable igloo or a classic marquee; ask one of our party planners for some free advice.
You’ll only get one chance to celebrate this party, make sure it’s absolutely perfect.
Download our brochure here to find out how you can wow your guests
Turning 18 is amazing. You are usually still at college or sixth form so are surrounded by your friends day in, day out, you still live with your parents so luckily don’t have to think about the boring stuff like bills and how to work a washing machine; plus it’s the age where you can finally go out, legally drink and get into nightclubs without worrying about getting in. Therefore, throwing an epic 18th birthday party is key to enter adulthood with something you’ll always remember.
Having a birthday party means you can celebrate with your friends and family all in one place, and everyone there has come to celebrate your birthday. The hard part though is figuring out how you want to celebrate your birthday, therefore we have thrown together a list of epic 18th birthday party ideas.
When Summer comes so does festival season. People love festivals, as they attract hundreds of thousands of people from across the world. There is a festival for everyone as each festival holds various artists from different genres in music.
If your birthday falls within the Summer season hosting a festival themed garden party could be one to consider. Festivals are a great place to let loose, listen to great music, have a drink and dance around with your friends. Having one in your garden can include all of that just minus the camping part.
Another great thing about a festival is the dress code. No need for high heels and tight dresses or for guys smart shoes and shirts, you can wear wellies, put glitter in your hair and use face gems, but don’t forget your rain coat as the British weather is unpredictable.
With a festival themed party how extravagant you go is up to you. You could keep it simple by just playing some music within your garden or you can hire a party planner who will sort out a DJ, bar area and decorations.
Igloo Disco presents : HYC in the Park 2015 (unique pop-up events) from Igloo Disco on Vimeo.
Not everyone is going to want a boozy birthday party with dancing, some of you may want to do something completely different. There are many places to go if you want to feel an adrenaline rush but some of these places you may visit more than once within your life. For something to really remember why not try a skydive with a few of your bravest friends. Skydiving creates such an adrenaline rush and it is a once in a lifetime experience.
If that is too extreme as you don’t fancy jumping out of a plane driving around a racing track in a supercar is also great at creating an adrenaline rush and will also be a very memorable experience. Here you can time your friends laps giving it a bit more of a competitive streak.
Everyone on TOWIE and MIC does their fair share of clubbing, but they never slum it in the general area or even just a booked table. They go strictly VIP. Celebrities will hire out the VIP areas in clubs which will come with complimentary bottles of Vodka and Champagne. If you’re looking to party like your favourite TV star then hiring out a VIP section of a nightclub could be for you.
A VIP booth is a great way to stand out from the crowd as you can party the night away with your friends in your own private booth usually overlooking the main dancefloor. Within the VIP area you will be treated like royalty with drinks and mixers on tap, you will also have a private seating area just in case you want to take a break from dancing the night away.
This is a great way to experience what a nightclub is all about within the privacy of your friendship group, however you can bring people back to your VIP booth if you wanted. You can even hire pretend-paparazzi to capture your arrival at the club.
If you are into shopping this one is perfect for you. Hire out a luxury Mercedes Jet Sprinter which can hold you, your friends and family members to take you around London for the ultimate VIP shopping trip. These Sprinter’s are used by celebrities like Kim and Kanye as they offer space and comfort as well as style, therefore making them the ultimate vehicle to use for your VIP shopping trip.
Within the Sprinter you can enjoy bottles of Champagne with your friends and family while you ride around from shop to shop. With a chauffeur driving you can relax and let them drive you around the city. No hiking around between the shops and no rides on the hot and sweat tube.
Birthday shopping is necessary even if it is only for an outfit for your party or night out, therefore why not make a day of it with your friends and enjoy travelling around in luxury.
Now you have turned 18, a summer holiday with your friends is on the cards, so why not go and enjoy some sun and sand for a long weekend now instead?If you are looking for the ideal party holiday, then Ibiza is the location for you. With celebrities partying it up in clubs such as Ocean Beach and Amnesia you never know who you might see. At clubs like Ocean, you can hire out a bed which includes bottle service.his is a great place to relax, enjoy the music and dance all day and on into the night. A holiday for your 18th birthday is something to remember and you can come home rocking a great tan.
If you aren’t too keen on the idea of a party holiday the world is your oyster as there are many places for you to visit all within just a few hours flight.
Simply head to your Sky Scanner app, find a city you like the look of and then get online to find a luxury apartment for you and your friends to take over for the weekend.A holiday can be whatever you want it to be but it is a great way to celebrate turning 18.
When we say pop up nightclub, we don’t mean a bog standard marquee from DavesMarquees.com. But, if you are wanting to stay closer to home and celebrate with more friends and family in a very unique way, hire an entire pop up nightclub.
Hiring an inflatable nightclub will be remembered not only by you, but by everyone who came to celebrate your birthday. An inflatable igloo disco is the answer.
Hiring an inflatable igloo may sound like one of the craziest 18th birthday party ideas, but this is a very different type of marquee which can be set up in your garden. You only get chance to turn 18 once so you don’t want to do something ordinary.
The igloo is a fully functioning nightclub and depending on the size you can hold a vast amount of people within the space, come rain or shine. You can throw a party inside an igloo with a bar and DJ to make your night worth talking about. With an igloo you can break out of the ordinary marquee in your garden and have something different and unusual.
With an igloo in your garden you can have a winter themed party, or you can be ironic and use it along with other inflatable objects and create one wild party.
With an igloo disco the possibilities are endless as you can use it for so many different themes. Our igloos are hired for use at big festivals so we can help you use one for that if a nightclub isn’t your favourite option..
