Graduation parties split into two formats: the casual garden party and the formal sit-down dinner. This guide covers hire equipment for both, with quantities for 50 and 100 guests.
Graduation parties split into two formats: the casual garden party and the formal sit-down dinner. This guide covers hire equipment for both, with quantities for 50 and 100 guests.
Graduation parties split broadly into two formats: the casual garden party, usually hosted at home by a family, and the more formal sit-down dinner hired out to a venue. The hire equipment for each is quite different. This guide covers both, with quantities for 50 and 100 guests.
\n\nThe garden graduation party is the more common option for family-hosted celebrations. It typically runs as a buffet or grazing setup across a summer afternoon, with guests moving between the garden and the house rather than following a structured meal.
\n\nThe outdoor furniture needs to do two things: provide enough seating so that older guests and anyone who wants to sit can do so, and create a focal point around the food and drinks. Rectangular trestle tables work well as serving tables and can also be dressed with a cloth for a cleaner presentation.
\n\nFor 50 guests at an outdoor graduation party, two 6ft trestle tables side by side form a generous buffet spread. Add a third for drinks if running a self-serve bar. Rectangular trestle tables are lightweight and easy to move around in a garden setting.
\n\nFor guests who want to sit and eat, round tables in the garden with chairs encourage groups to settle. A 5ft round table seats 8; for 50 guests with a mix of seated and standing, 3 to 4 round tables gives enough capacity without filling the garden with furniture.
\n\nFolding chairs are the most practical option for outdoor graduation parties. They are stable on grass, easy to move around, and take up no space before the event. For 50 guests with a mixed standing and seated format, 30 to 35 chairs is a sensible quantity.
\n\nIf the garden is large enough for a lounge area, a small amount of outdoor lounge furniture creates a relaxed seating zone away from the food tables. A garden sofa and a low table in a corner reads well in photographs and gives the party a more considered layout.
\n\nFormal graduation dinners take place at hotels, function rooms, or private dining rooms. These events have a structured timeline: arrival drinks, sit-down dinner, speeches, and sometimes dancing. The hire requirements are closer to a wedding dinner than a casual party.
\n\nFor a 100-guest formal graduation dinner, allow 110 banqueting chairs or Chiavari chairs, 10 x 6ft round tables at 10 per table, tablecloths and napkins, and a full glassware set per head.
\n\nFor a garden party, linen on serving tables is a practical detail rather than a decorative one. White cloths on trestle tables keep the food surface clean and present better in photos. For a formal dinner, full round tablecloths (120-inch for 6ft tables) and matching napkins per guest are the standard. Browse the linen range for available sizes and colours.
\n\nFor a garden party with prosecco and soft drinks, champagne flutes and highball glasses cover most guests. Order 2.5 glasses per head to account for guests going through multiple glasses over an afternoon. For 50 guests, that is around 125 glasses total across both types.
\n\nFor a formal dinner, allow one wine glass, one champagne flute, and one water goblet per guest as a baseline. For 100 guests, that is 300 pieces of glassware for the dinner, plus additional for arrival drinks. The full glassware range covers all standard shapes and styles.
\n\nGarden graduation parties that involve a self-catered hot buffet need chafing dishes. For 50 guests eating across a 90-minute window with 4 to 5 hot dishes, 5 to 6 chafing dishes is a workable number. For outdoor cooking, a gas BBQ suits a graduation garden party well, particularly for an early summer event where the weather is warmer.
\n\nFor formal dinners with an outside caterer, confirm equipment needs with the caterer before placing any hire order. Most professional caterers supply their own hot holding equipment.
\n\nSummer graduation ceremonies fall in June and July, when the weather can go either way. For garden parties, a gazebo over the food and drinks area provides insurance against light rain without requiring a change of plan. The gazebo range includes 3m x 3m units that fit over a trestle table setup comfortably.
\n\nEvening garden parties benefit from patio heaters, which extend the usable outdoor time as temperatures drop after 7pm, even in summer.
\n\nGraduation season falls squarely in peak hire season. June and July are the busiest months of the year for event hire across England and Wales. For events in these months, confirm your hire order at least a month in advance. Popular delivery slots, particularly Fridays and Saturdays, book out quickly. Use the delivery calculator to check costs to your venue or home postcode.
\n\nGarden party, 50 guests: 30 to 35 folding chairs, 2 to 3 x 6ft trestle tables, 3 x 5ft round tables, linen cloths, 125 glasses (mixed champagne flutes and highballs), 5 to 6 chafing dishes.
\n\nFormal dinner, 100 guests: 110 chairs, 10 x 6ft round tables, 10 tablecloths, 100 napkins, 100 wine glasses, 100 champagne flutes, 100 water goblets.
See also: school prom hire guide and summer garden party hire guide.
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