Some emails you have to read three times before you let yourself believe them. The one telling us that Sweet Dreams Events was a finalist at The UK Small Business Awards 2026 was exactly that kind of email, so you can imagine my face when a second category followed, then a third. We are now a finalist in three categories, representing Surrey at the national final in Birmingham on Saturday the 19th of December. I wanted to tell you properly what that means and who it really belongs to.
What are The UK Small Business Awards?
They are national awards celebrating the small, independent businesses doing lovely work right across the country. Finalists represent their own county, which is why you will see Surrey next to our name. One of our three categories is Best Small Business, the one that feels closest to everything we are trying to be. On the night of the final, the National Top 10 will be announced live on stage at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, with the whole evening streamed free online for anyone who fancies watching from the sofa.
From six teepees to eighteen
When we started, we had six teepees and a great deal of hope. Word spread faster than we ever expected, much of it from one mum telling another at the school gate, so we kept adding teepees until we reached the eighteen we have today. The collection grew alongside them, from Boho Chic and Glitterball Disco Dreams to Mermaid Lagoon, Wizarding Academy, Match Day Magic and our December favourite, Elf Academy. I still teach during the week, with over twelve years as a primary teacher specialising in SEN, which means the weekends are when the car gets packed and the fun begins. It is a family business in every sense of the word, run by my husband and me from our home in Reigate.
What goes into every teepee sleepover party
I like to think the judges saw the same thing parents notice the moment they open the door. Every setup is styled by hand, from the cushions on each bed to the fairy lights glowing above the teepees. Each child has their own teepee, their own cosy bedding and a breakfast tray waiting for them in the morning, which never stops being a joy to watch. The part nobody sees is the work beforehand, when bedding is folded, trays are laid out and every little detail is checked twice before it goes in the car. It is that care, more than anything else, that I hope comes across in every home we visit.
From our shop
Can't wait for 2027?
The Sleepover Pack has invitations in ten themes, eight games, award certificates and a six week planner, all for £5. Download it tonight and bring a little of our magic to a sleepover at home.
Shop the packThank you, from the bottom of my heart
None of this happens without you. Every family who invited us into their home, every mum who shared a photo or left a review and every friend who passed our name along has played a part in it. We are rated five stars on Google and recommended in the Muddy Stilettos Little Black Book, both of which come down to the kindness of the families we have looked after this year. If you have ever booked us, recommended us or simply liked one of our posts, please know this finalist place is as much yours as it is ours.
What happens on the 19th of December?
The final takes place on Saturday the 19th of December, which also happens to be the night of our very last teepee sleepover of 2026. It feels like a rather fitting way to finish the year. I will share the result on Instagram the moment we hear, so do come and keep your fingers crossed with us. If you are hosting a festive sleepover of your own before then, The Christmas Sleepover Pack has Elf Academy invitations, Christmas picture bingo and a hot chocolate bar sign ready to print at home.
Planning a sleepover birthday party in 2027?
Our 2026 dates are fully booked, so we are now taking bookings for 2027 across Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, plus parts of Berkshire. Our sleepover teepee hire is £45 per teepee, with one teepee per child and a minimum of two. Delivery, setup, styling, bedding, fairy lights, a breakfast tray for every child and collection the next morning are all included, while a 25% deposit secures your date. You can browse every look on our themes page and see exactly what is included on our prices page. If a slumber party would make the perfect Christmas present, our Two Teepee Sleepover gift voucher covers a two teepee sleepover and can be used towards any 2027 party within twelve months.
For setups, theme inspiration and the big result on the 19th, come and say hello on Instagram or Facebook. You can also save your favourite setups on Pinterest for when the next birthday comes round.
