Party equipment hire
Party HireBars, lounges, lighting and dance floors for birthdays, engagements and parties at home or in a venue.
Party hire is the set of pieces that turns a backyard, a hall or a function room into a party: somewhere to sit, somewhere to stand, a bar, light and a place to dance. Choose what your space is missing and send one brief for all of it.
- Often hired for
- Milestone birthdays, engagements, twenty-firsts, parties at home and end-of-year parties
- Usually quoted as
- Individual pieces, a bundle for a guest count, or a styled package
- Plan ahead for
- Delivery access, power, neighbours and a wet-weather plan
- Pairs with
- Party stylists and event lighting
The party kit
Six things most parties are built from.
Few parties need all six. Start with what your space lacks, then add the pieces that change the mood.
A bar
The natural centre of most parties. A bar front with a back bar or trestle behind it keeps service in one place and gives the room a focus.
Cocktail tables and stools
High tables give standing guests somewhere to rest a drink. A few stools suit guests who would rather perch than stand all night.
Lounge settings
Sofas, armchairs and ottomans create corners where people settle into a conversation instead of drifting to the exit.
Festoons and feature lighting
Once the sun goes down, lighting defines the party. It is often what makes a backyard feel like a venue.
A dance floor
A defined floor tells guests where the dancing happens, and protects the lawn or carpet underneath.
Shade, heat and cover
Market umbrellas, heaters or a marquee keep an outdoor party going when the weather turns.
Party formats
Match the hire list to the kind of party.
The same guest list needs different pieces depending on whether people will stand, sit or dance.
| Format | Furniture | Atmosphere | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail party at home | Cocktail tables, a bar and one or two lounge settings | Festoons, candles and a feature sign | Where guests will gather, and access for delivery |
| Seated birthday dinner | Long or round tables, dining chairs, linen and tableware | Candlelight and low centrepieces | Table sizes against the room, and where speeches happen |
| Venue party with a dance floor | Cocktail furniture around the edges, a dance floor in the middle | Uplighting and light-up letters | What the venue already supplies, and its setup times |
| Outdoor afternoon party | Umbrellas, relaxed seating and trestle tables | Daylight and colour, with festoons for later | Shade, the ground surface and a wet-weather plan |
Packages
Party hire packages: what to look for.
A package can save time, as long as it fits your party rather than an average one.
Match the package to the guest list
Packages are usually built around a guest count and a format. Check that the numbers of chairs, tables and glasses match your party.
Ask what is really inside
A lounge package can mean one sofa or a whole zone. Ask for the piece list with quantities and dimensions.
Party hire supplies you might not think of
Ice tubs, drink dispensers, glassware, extra trestles and bins often sit outside the headline package. Add them to your brief if you need them.
Delivery is part of the price
Distance, stairs and after-hours collection can change a quote as much as the pieces themselves.
At home
Party hire at home: check the site first.
A backyard or living room has limits a venue has already solved. These six checks prevent most delivery-day surprises.
Access
Measure gates, side paths and doorways. A bar or dance floor panel has to fit through them.
Ground
Lawn, pavers and decking behave differently under tables and dance floors. Note any slope or soft patches.
Power
Count the outdoor power points and note where they are. Lighting and heaters need a plan for cables.
Neighbours and noise
Let neighbours know, and check local rules on noise and finishing times.
Parking
Delivery vehicles and guests’ cars both need space. Mention narrow streets or steep driveways.
Rain
Decide early whether a marquee, a covered area or a move indoors is the backup.
By venue
What to hire depends on where the party is.
The same party needs a different list in a backyard, a hall, a function venue or a park.
At home
Work to the space
Access, power and neighbours set the limits. Keep the hire list to what the space can comfortably hold.
Hall or community venue
Change the feel
Halls often provide basic tables and chairs. Hire what changes the atmosphere: lounges, lighting, a bar front and linen.
Function venue
Check what is included
Ask what the venue supplies and whether outside suppliers need approval or insurance certificates before they arrive.
Park or public space
Check the rules first
Councils often require a booking for larger gatherings and may limit structures, glass or noise. Check before booking hire.
Near you
Party hire near you.
Party hire companies usually work within a delivery area and charge more for distance, so searching for party hire near you makes sense. What matters is the area a company delivers to, rather than where its warehouse is.
Companies offering party hire across Australia each set their own delivery areas, so your suburb in step 3 of the brief lets them check distance and access before they quote. These market pages cover the areas where people search for party hire most.
Location pages
- Brisbane
- Gold Coast
- Parramatta
- Sunshine Coast
- Ipswich
- Townsville
- Cairns
- Sydney
- Werribee
- Toowoomba
- Ballarat
- Geelong
States
Brief it well
A party brief in a few lines
Short briefs work when they cover the format, the space, the pieces and the feel.
Engagement party for 60 guests in our backyard in Carlingford on a Saturday evening in March. Looking for a bar, cocktail tables, two lounge settings and festoon lighting. Relaxed and natural in colour.
Keep building the list
Pair party hire with these.
Questions
Party hire, answered.
What people ask before booking party equipment. Company terms vary, so check each quote.
What does party hire usually include?
It depends on the company. Most offer furniture such as cocktail tables, stools and lounges, along with bars, glassware and lighting. Some also hire dance floors, marquees and décor. Ask for a list with quantities.
Can I collect party equipment myself?
Some companies allow pick-up for smaller pieces. Bars, dance floors and marquees are usually delivered and installed by the hire company.
How much furniture does a party need?
Start with the format. A cocktail party needs surfaces for drinks and seats for the guests who want them, not a chair for everyone. A seated dinner needs a chair and a place at a table for every guest.
Is a party hire package better value?
It can be when the contents match your party. Compare the package list with an itemised quote for the pieces you actually need.
Will the company set everything up?
Many offer setup and pack-down, sometimes as an extra. Confirm the delivery window, the collection time and what setup covers before you book.
Build your brief
Your party, one brief.
List the format, the space and the pieces you have in mind. Party hire companies and stylists who suit the event can review it and respond.
There is no obligation to book.