Working out how much furniture to hire is one of the trickiest parts of planning a party. Too little and your guests are left standing around with nowhere to rest a drink. Too much and your space feels cramped (and you have paid for furniture you did not need). This guide gives you a simple way to get the numbers right.
Start with the style of your event
The first question is not how many guests you have, it is how they will spend their time.
- Cocktail or standing events are built around movement and mingling. People drift between groups, so you do not need a seat for everyone. High bar tables become the natural gathering points.
- Seated or relaxed events (long lunches, milestone birthdays where older guests will sit) need more stools, because people settle in for longer.
Most backyard parties, engagements and work functions sit somewhere in between, which is exactly what bar tables and stools are made for.
A simple rule of thumb
For a typical cocktail-style party, plan for:
- One 1.2m bar table for every 6 to 8 guests. Each table comfortably hosts a small group with room for drinks and nibbles.
- Two to four stools per table. You are not seating everyone, you are giving people the option to perch. A mix of seated and standing keeps the energy up and the space open.
So for a few common guest counts:
- 20 guests: around 3 bar tables and 8 to 10 stools.
- 50 guests: around 7 bar tables and 16 to 20 stools.
- 100 guests: around 13 bar tables and 30 to 40 stools.
These are starting points. Adjust up if you have a lot of older guests, a long event, or a seated meal, and adjust down if it is a short, high-energy gathering.
Think about your space, not just your headcount
A great setup leaves room to move. As a guide, allow roughly one square metre per standing guest once you account for tables, a drinks station and walkways. If your backyard or venue is tight, fewer tables placed well will feel better than cramming the space full.
It also helps to create a few zones: a drinks area, a food area, and a couple of clusters of bar tables where people can land. Our white timber high tables are a clean, neutral base that suits any theme, indoors or out.
Do not forget the practical bits
When you hire with Little Black Door, pricing is per item, per night, and a small refundable bond applies (returned after we collect everything in good condition). We deliver and collect across South East Queensland from our Wynnum warehouse, so you can tell us your venue and guest count and we will help you land on the right numbers.
Get the numbers right for your event
Still not sure? Tell us your guest count, your event style and your location, and we will put together a quote with the right mix of tables and stools.