Backyard Marquee Hire Melbourne: A Complete Planning Guide

We love a good backyard party here at Marquee Monkeys. There’s just something so personal and intimate about transforming your home into a dedicated party space, and making so many more memories from the comfort of your own backyard.

There’s only one caveat when it comes to planning backyard parties: will it transform enough to suit the occasion? Or will the final results just be akin to some lawn chairs arranged in a circular formation around a garden gnome?

Transforming your backyard into a bona fide party environment can be tricky, but it certainly isn’t impossible. In fact, our partymakers here at Marquee Monkeys have had plenty of success simply by setting up some of our hire marquees with a little design and event planning flair.

If you’re looking to experience all the fun of backyard marquee hire for your next Melbourne celebration, then let this guide be your first touchpoint in your own event planning journey. Here are all of our expert tips and tricks for ensuring your backyard party complete with a backyard marquee, goes off without a hitch.

Our fan favourite backyard marquees for hire

Navigating our catalogue of backyard marquees for hire can feel a little confusing at the beginning of your party planning process, so let us point you in the right direction. Here are our most popular marquees for hire specifically for backyard events.

6M marquees

Being amongst the smallest marquees we have on offer, our 6M marquees are well-suited to backyard celebrations. These marquees measure at 6 metres wide and come in a variety of depths, spanning from 3 metres deep (seats up to 15 people; stands 25 people) to a whopping 18 metres deep (seats up to 90 people, stands 120 people).

Note: if your backyard is wider than it is longer, then one of our 10M marquees may also suit your space. Specifically, our 10x3m marquee can be easily installed in a backyard that may provide width over length or depth. 

Clear span marquees

If you want to keep your trees, garden beds and sculptures as part of your party decor, then look no further than our collection of clear span marquees. These clear roofed marquees for hire help you maintain full access to natural light, which makes these marquees a must-have for events in Melbourne, where overcast skies can dampen a party atmosphere in more ways than one – did anyone say ‘unexpected showers’?

With a clear marquee, however, you can enjoy all the clouds with exceptional weather protection, helping your guests stay dry all evening. What’s not to love?

Party tents

Alongside marquees, we have a wide variety of party tents for hire, with designs to suit all party themes and styles. If you have a particular vision in mind for your backyard party, then be sure to inquire with our events team to find the perfect party tent for your celebration.

How to choose the right size marquee for your backyard party

Now that we’ve outlined our favourite backyard marquees for hire, you’ll need to figure out what size marquee you need for your event. Let’s look at some of the core considerations you’ll need to keep in mind when selecting the right marquee for your backyard party.

Consider backyard dimensions

Start with the most prominent consideration first: the size of your backyard. If you have a backyard that’s smaller than 6x3m, then you’ll definitely need one of our smaller party tents rather than one of our marquees.

Contrastingly, if you do have the space for any of the marquees across our range of sizes, then consider how you’d ideally like to use the rest of your backyard space if you were to install a smaller central marquee. Will you have different zones outside of the cover of your marquee, like a space to play backyard cricket? Here, it can be a good idea to map out your party space in full to determine how marquees of different sizes may alter your overall outdoor event space. Even just a basic diagram is enough to work off of here.

Work off your guest list

We’ve included est. capacities for all of our marquees and tents for hire here at Marquee Monkeys to make it even easier to determine what backyard marquee size is right for you. Simply finalise your guest list and figure out what numbers you can expect in terms of your attendees, and select the marquee that best aligns with those numbers.

Consider party theme and occasion

No two backyard parties are the same, so when you’re planning and decorating your party, consider what marquee or party tent will be the most organic fit for your event. Consider your party’s theme when picking between clear span, or even white or black marquees, and think about what decor you’d like to adorn your marquee with as well.

Pro tip: check out our detailed list of must-have essentials for any outdoor event to help move along this part of your backyard party planning process.

What to consider when planning a backyard party in Melbourne

With all these considerations made, you probably know what backyard marquee is the right fit for your party. So what next? From here, let’s tick off a few other boxes that you no doubt have left on your party planning checklist.

Guest list and RSVP confirmations

If you haven’t done so already, then definitely chase up the last of your RSVPs. Knowing what numbers you can expect will also help inform other aspects of your party, like ensuring there are enough tables and chairs as well as food and drink amenities for all attending guests.

Catering, entertainment, and other party staff

Speaking of food and drink for your party, you’ll want to make sure your catering per head is aligned, but also that you have adequate party staff for larger events. This may not be as big of an issue if you’re planning for a buffet-style dinner service, for example, but if you’re looking to establish table service, inadequate wait staff may see your guests getting hangry fast.

The same goes for entertainment. Do you have a full lineup for your event? Do you need a stage and audio equipment for performers or will they be roaming? Getting these questions answered early can help save you a lot of stress as you iron out all the other details surrounding your backyard party.

Furnishings and flooring

On top of tables and chairs, your event space should also include ample standing space for attendees to chitchat with canapes and drinks. Again, mapping out your event space can be ideal here, as you can get a stronger sense of the overall layout of your backyard and how it should look when the event is in full swing.

Investing in comfortable flooring is also ideal – just to make sure that guests can navigate your event space without risks of getting dressy shoes like heels stuck in the grass. Thankfully, we have a wide variety of modular outdoor flooring options available for hire, including some dance floor options for those looking to boogie down at their backyard shindig.

Outdoor heating and lighting

Hosting an outdoor party in Melbourne means that lighting and heating are also essential investments. We have a variety of outdoor-rated lighting and heating amenities available for hire alongside our party tents and marquees, so be sure to check those out as you prepare your backyard party.

Local council permits

Finally, some outdoor events that exceed an attendee capacity may require hosts to secure an event permit from their local council offices – the same way that you would when looking to plan an outdoor event at a local park. We recommend heading to your council website, or you can even consult with our team if you’re located in Bayside, Stonnington, or some of the other council districts where our event planners have oodles of experience.

Elevate your next backyard bash with a backyard marquee hire

Planning a backyard party has never been easier with our range of backyard marquees for hire. If you’re considering hiring any of our marquees for your next backyard event, then don’t hesitate to check out our price list, and get in touch with our dedicated events team at info@marqueemonkeys.com.au or by phoning 1300 934 414.