A party with southern hospitality

A holiday party at a private residence was so seamless, guests couldn’t tell where the house ended and the tent began.

When a client with an elegant southern home planned to host 900 guests for a December 2011 holiday party, the primary challenges for Eventstar Structures of Medley, Fla., were to create an intimate atmosphere inside 15,000 square feet of tenting and a seamless transition from the client’s home into the tents.

The project, an IFAI 2012 International Achievement Award competition entry, included five major tents projecting off the side of the client’s home, connecting tents where required and a tent for restroom trailers.

The first tent off the home was an octagonal entry tent that linked to the main tent via a connecting tent between two trees. Because the client didn’t want any steps into the tents, wideplank hardwood flooring was raised 18 inches off of the turf to create a seamless passage from house to tent.

The main tent featured clear tops and window walls. A connecting tent off one side of the main tent funneled guests into a two-story tent that encompassed an oak tree, stacked window walls and clear tops to create a dining conservatory. Finally, the client wanted the evening’s entertainment to be a surprise. This was accomplished with a scenic traveler curtain that opened at the appropriate moment into a 100-foot-wide clear tent. Oak trees and dripping lights complemented the outside decor.

Tents were finished with Sheetrock® walls, artwork, botanicals and large white columns that evoked a southern plantation. Furniture, pictures and rugs belonging to the client were brought into the tent decor to further give the appearance of an extension of the home.

The resulting installation was so expertly melded with the permanent residence, many guests were convinced that the client had put on a permanent addition and were in awe that a party for 900 could feel so warm and inviting.