marquee hire alternative Archives

The History of the Garden Party

Posted on February 28, 2023February 28, 2023 by James Mallinder

Garden parties have been a staple of English high society for centuries. From the grandeur of the aristocratic gatherings to the more humble village fêtes, these events have been a way for the English to celebrate and socialize in the beauty of nature.

The history of garden parties in England dates back to the seventeenth century when the French nobility introduced the concept of “fête champêtre” or rural party. The aristocrats of England soon followed suit, hosting their own garden parties, complete with elaborate decorations, musical performances, and copious amounts of food and drink.

The tradition of garden parties gained popularity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries during the reign of Queen Victoria. Her Majesty, along with Prince Albert, hosted lavish garden parties at Buckingham Palace, inviting members of the aristocracy, politicians, and prominent figures from society.

These events were an opportunity for the royals to connect with their subjects, showcase the beauty of their gardens, and indulge in the pleasures of good food and company. The garden parties were often held in the summer months and were highly anticipated by those lucky enough to receive an invitation.

In the early twentieth century, garden parties became more accessible to the middle class, who were increasingly able to afford homes with gardens. These gatherings became a popular way for families to socialize and enjoy the great outdoors.

Despite changes in society and the world, the tradition of garden parties has remained a beloved aspect of English culture. Whether it’s the grandeur of a royal garden party or the simplicity of a village fête, the English continue to celebrate the beauty of nature, good food, and great company.

In recent years, the concept of the garden party has expanded to include more informal and creative gatherings, such as picnics, barbecues, and outdoor music festivals. Yet, the essence of the garden party remains the same – a celebration of the simple pleasures in life, the beauty of nature, and the joy of sharing these experiences with others.

These Questions Will Make Sure You Choose The Right Party Planners

Posted on September 25, 2017 by James Mallinder

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.

What’s Their Area Of Expertise?

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.

What Services Do They Offer?

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.

What Is Included Within Your Budget?

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!

Are They Compatible With Your Party?

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.

How Many Successful Parties Have They Thrown?

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.

Do They Have References?

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.

You Need A Party Planner & A Venue Provider. So Find A Company Who Can Do Both

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.

And Compare Some Different Venue Types

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.

Now You Know The Best Alternative To Marquee Hiring

Posted on September 20, 2017 by James Mallinder

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.

Giant Structure

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.

Multi-Deck

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 Tipi

Nordic 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.

Stretch Tent

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.

Saddlespan

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.

House Party

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.

Inflatable Igloo – Yes, Inflatable Igloo

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.

But We’re Most Concerned In Making Sure You Have The Perfect Party.

Do You Need a Comparison Guide to Help You Choose the Perfect Venue?

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:

Why Marquees For Parties Are The Worst. It’s Not GBBO FFS!

Posted on August 29, 2017 by James Mallinder

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…

Build Time

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.

Sound

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.

Cost

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.

Size

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.

Style

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.

Removal Time

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.

Are Marquees Waterproof?

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 Commonly Used

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.

Hire An Igloo Disco

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: