Hmmm,
I'm thinking she wants her trees to be the introduction and your stuff to blow their doors off.
If yours is out front, that impact is lost.
But by the same token, if only a few folks are going to be able to enjoy it, it hardly seems to be worth the effort.
You might suggest setting yours up out front and having a kickoff party. Your stays off until her friends have come over and been entertained for a bit. Then all of you go out together for a lighting of the lights.