Christmas party marquee guide: sizes, layout and when to order
For a backyard Christmas party, match the marquee to your guest list: a 6x3m (18m², $249) covers up to 30 standing, a 6x6m (36m², $949) hosts about 60, and the 12x6m (72m², $1,899) handles a full 100 plus. Order by Thu 10 Dec for SEQ delivery before the 25th, earlier for other states. The full order-by table is below.
Why December parties and marquees were made for each other
An Australian Christmas party lives outdoors until the weather says otherwise, and December delivers both 33 degree afternoons and 4pm storms, sometimes on the same day. A marquee removes the gamble: shade through the afternoon, cover if a shower rolls through, and a defined space that turns a backyard into a venue. And it is still yours for Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, Australia Day and every birthday after that.
Pick your size from the guest list
| Marquee | Guests | Style | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6x3m, 18m² | 6x3m: up to 30 standing | Drinks and nibbles | $249 |
| 9x3m, 27m² | 9x3m: up to 45 standing or 18 seated | Family lunch | $349 |
| 6x6m, 36m² | 6x6m: up to 60 standing or 24 seated | The big family do | $949 |
| 10x5m, 50m² | 10x5m: up to 80 standing or 33 seated | Street or office party | $1,599 |
| 12x6m, 72m² | 12x6m: up to 120 standing or 48 seated | The whole extended family | $1,899 |
Add about 25 percent more floor area if you want a present table, buffet or dance space. Ten seconds in the size calculator settles any argument.
Order-by dates for delivery before Christmas
Orders dispatch from an Australian warehouse in about 2 business days (the 6x6m, 8x4m, 12x6m and 12x7m are pre-orders, shipping end of November 2026), then the carrier takes over: typically 1 to 3 business days for Brisbane and South East Queensland, 3 to 6 for regional Queensland and 3 to 10 for other states. Our city guides work the dates through for Sydney, Canberra and Hobart. Working back from Thursday 24 December and adding a safety margin for carrier peak season:
| Destination | Order by |
|---|---|
| Brisbane and SEQ | Thursday 10 December |
| Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra | Thursday 3 December |
| Adelaide | Thursday 3 December |
| Perth, Hobart, Darwin and all regional or remote addresses | Thursday 26 November |
Earlier is genuinely better: December carriers run at their annual peak, and a marquee sitting in the garage a week early costs nothing.
The layout that works
Put the marquee where afternoon shade will land anyway and leave the western wall on as a sun block. Drinks table just inside one entry, food along a long wall, esky station outside the tent so drips stay off the floor. String festoon lights ($149 to $499) along the eaves before guests arrive: 50m wraps anything up to the 6x6m and also suits the 10x5m and the 12x6m. One power point runs the lot.
December weather rules still apply
December sits inside Queensland storm season, so the storm season rules apply to Christmas Day like any other: 15kg minimum ballast on every leg, walls off when it turns gusty, and the marquee comes down if a storm warning lands. Pack-down is under an hour with two people, faster with the cousins helping.
Common questions
What size marquee for a family Christmas of 25?
Seated at tables, 25 people need about 38m², so the 6x6m at 36m² is one seat short at up to 24 at tables. For 25 seated, the 10x5m (50m², up to 33 at tables) is the comfortable fit. Standing and grazing, the 9x3m covers it with room spare.
Can I get a marquee delivered before Christmas?
Order by the dates above to build in a buffer. Delivery times are estimates rather than guaranteed dates, so for a fixed-date party earlier is always safer.
Is a marquee worth it for one Christmas party?
If you host Christmas most years, a marquee you own is ready again next December, and it covers New Year's Eve and every party between.
How do I light a marquee for Christmas night?
Festoon lights, one bulb per metre, warm white. A 50m run ($239) circles a 6x6m with slack to run back to the powerpoint.
