Cocktail Table Hire for Small Events: What to Order When You Only Have 10 to 20 Guests

You’re throwing a small gathering — maybe 10, maybe 20 people — and you’re wondering whether it’s even worth hiring cocktail furniture for that number. The answer is yes, absolutely. In fact, small events are where cocktail tables make the biggest difference.

You Don’t Need a Huge Event to Justify Hiring

There’s a common misconception that furniture hire is only for big weddings or corporate functions. It’s not. We’ve delivered to plenty of events with just a handful of guests — intimate birthday dinners, small engagement drinks, after-work gatherings in the backyard.

Two to three cocktail tables is genuinely all you need for 10 to 20 guests. That gives everyone a place to put their drink, lean in for a chat, and feel like the event has been properly thought out.

What to Order for a Small Event

Here’s a practical starting point:

• 10-15 guests: 2 cocktail tables + 4 bar stools
• 15-20 guests: 3 cocktail tables + 6 bar stools
• Add a cake plinth ($50) if there’s a birthday cake, celebration cake, or any kind of centrepiece

Our cocktail tables are $20 each (including a black or white cover), and bar stools are $5 each. So for a group of 15, you’re looking at:

• 2 cocktail tables: $40
• 4 bar stools: $20
• Total furniture cost: $60

That’s it. Sixty dollars for furniture that completely changes the feel of your event.

What About Delivery?

If you’re within 10km of our Kingsgrove warehouse, delivery is $100 each way — so $200 return. That brings your total to $260 for a fully set-up cocktail area at a small gathering.

If you’d rather save on delivery, you can pick up from Kingsgrove for free. The tables fold flat and the stools stack, so they’ll fit in most cars, utes, or trailers without any hassle.

Even with delivery, you’re spending under $300. Compare that to buying cocktail tables and stools you’ll use once and then store in the garage indefinitely.

Small Events Where Cocktail Tables Work Perfectly

• Intimate birthdays — a 30th at home with close friends
• Engagement drinks — a casual celebration in the backyard
• After-work gatherings — drinks on the patio with colleagues
• Small dinner parties — cocktail hour before sitting down to eat
• Housewarming parties — when you don’t have enough furniture yet

In every case, a couple of cocktail tables instantly make the space feel intentional. Guests aren’t standing around awkwardly holding plates and glasses with nowhere to put them.

No Minimum Order

We don’t have a minimum order. You can hire one table if that’s all you need. No awkward upselling, no forced packages, no pressure to add items you don’t want.

We’ve been doing this since 2019 across 460+ events, and a good chunk of those have been small, simple orders. It’s genuinely what we’re set up for.

The Bottom Line

A small event doesn’t mean you have to rough it with folding tables from Bunnings. For as little as $60 in furniture (or under $300 with delivery), you can give your guests a proper setup that looks great and works even better.

Ready to sort your order? Get in touch with us to lock in your date. No minimum order, 4-day hire period, and free pickup from Kingsgrove if you’d prefer to save on delivery.