How to do it at The Gallery
Part 7 of 7 of the free birthday and milestone parties guide from The Gallery on Montana. How a milestone birthday works at The Gallery on Montana in San Antonio: dinner in the dining room, photos in the salon, music in the yard, up to 40 inside.
Book a tour · 701 Montana St, San Antonio, TX 78203
The house and the yard
The Gallery on Montana is a house on San Antonio's East Side filled with a working art collection, with a big yard out back. It holds up to 40 people inside, and the yard has held more than 100, which fits most milestone birthdays well, from a dinner of 20 to a yard party with music.
The salon. A lounge corner for the guest of honor and the photo everyone posts.
The yard. Picnic seating under an umbrella, mural fences and open lawn for kids and music.
The front sign. The sign out front is the arrival photo everyone takes.
Up to 40 people inside, and the yard has held more than 100. The Gallery never sells, provides or stores alcohol and has no bar; hosts may bring their own alcohol, served by a TABC-certified bartender they hire, with service ending by midnight. The Gallery does not cater.
Through November 1: shoots and meetings from $55 an hour, events from $60 an hour. Golden hour runs a little more. Peerspace shows the final price.
How the rooms work for a birthday
- Dining room: the long table under the tall windows for dinner.
- Salon: welcome mocktails and photos against the wall of gold frames.
- Studio room: a quieter spot for gifts, dessert or a slideshow.
- Yard: music and mingling on the lawn, by the red pavilion and mural fences.
- Front porch: the arrival spot for balloons and the first photo of the night.
Pick a layout for your shape
| Shape | Inside | Outside |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner party | Dinner in the dining room, photos in the salon | Dessert on the porch |
| Open house | Grazing in the dining room, guest book in the salon | Seating in the yard |
| Yard party | Gifts and cake in the studio room | Food truck, music and lawn games |
| Hybrid | Dinner inside first | Everyone moves to the yard for music |
Inside is best for up to 40 people at once. If your list is bigger, plan for the yard to carry the crowd and use the rooms for food, photos and the quieter moments.
Photo spots that are already there
You do not need much decor here. The art does most of the work. Plan the guest of honor's portrait in the salon against the gold frames, the arrival photo at the sign out front and the group shot on the lawn by the mural fences.
Because the walls are already full of art, skip anything that hangs or tapes over it. A balloon garland on the porch, flowers on the table and a simple welcome sign are usually all the decor a birthday here needs.
Food, drinks and what to bring
The Gallery does not cater, so bring your own caterer or food truck and plan a fun non-alcoholic drink menu too. Ask on your tour where a food truck can set up.
The Gallery never sells, provides or stores alcohol and has no bar. Hosts may bring their own alcohol, served by a TABC-certified bartender they hire, with service ending by midnight. Browse photos of the space to picture your layout.
- Your caterer or food truck and their serving gear.
- Drink dispensers, ice and cups.
- Trash bags and a plan to take them out.
- A speaker, or your DJ.
- Decor that adds to the art rather than covering it.
How booking works
The Gallery books by the hour on Peerspace. Four hours fits most birthdays: an hour to set up, about two and a half hours of party and 30 minutes to pack out. Book five for a seated dinner plus dancing, and hold a backup date when you book.
- Pick your shape and guest count.
- Request a booking or a tour.
- Walk the rooms with Nathan and plan your layout.
- Book your hours and send vendors the address and times.
A sample birthday here
Guests arrive at the porch for a photo by the sign, then move into the salon for mocktails and portraits. Dinner is at the long table in the dining room. About 90 minutes in come the toasts and the cake. After that, the music moves to the yard and people mingle on the lawn until the wind down.
For a bigger yard party, flip it: guests gather on the lawn with the food truck and music, the cake comes out in the studio room or on the porch, and the salon stays open for portraits and quieter conversation.
Quick facts. Up to 40 people inside, and the yard has held more than 100. Books by the hour on Peerspace. The Gallery does not cater and has no bar.
See it first
A tour is the fastest way to plan. You will see the rooms, the yard and where food and music fit, and you can picture the night before you book.
Bring your guest count, your shape and your food plan to the tour. Nathan can show you how other hosts have used the rooms and the yard, and you can leave with a layout in mind.
Tip: See it first. Book a tour so Nathan can walk you through the rooms and where a food truck can set up. The private events page explains how events book.