Ordering rentals often falls later in the event planning timeline than other big items like venues, caterers, and guest lists, and for good reason. A rental order often includes all the items needed for or missing from other vendors, like linens to go on your venue’s tables, dishes for your caterer to serve food on, and chairs for your guests to sit in. Because of this, there are several things you need to know and have in place before confirming your rentals. With that in mind, here are some things to know about your event before placing your rental order.

Know Your Vision

You don’t have to know exactly what you want and need, but having an idea of the vision you’re hoping to achieve is crucial to finding the right items for you. Your vision can be as simple as a color palette you like or a mental list of must-haves, or it can be as detailed as a Pinterest board of your favorite inspo pics and a checklist of every element you need. Either way, having that vision in your mind or on hand will help us direct you to the perfect items to make that vision come to life. 

Know Your Budget

Budgeting is one of the least fun things about planning an event, but it is also one of the most important. Knowing what you have budgeted for rentals not only keeps you from overspending, but it also allows us to help you find items that align with both your vision and your budget. In the event that your vision and budget do not perfectly align, we are also able to suggest creative compromises and solutions to get you as close to your vision as possible without breaking the bank. 

Know Your Dates

In order to reserve rentals for a specific date, you need to have a date in mind. Specific dates have little to nothing to do with pricing, so if you just need a rough quote in the beginning stages of planning, you don’t necessarily have to have a date nailed down. However, if you want to place your reservation and have specific items in mind, the date of your event can potentially impact item (and delivery service) availability. If we know the dates you need, we can look at availability for those dates, suggest alternative options for anything out of stock, and confirm your reservation.

Know Your Location

Knowing where your event is located is important for several reasons. Most obviously, if you are needing your rentals delivered, we will need to know where they are being delivered to. Beyond this, knowing your location can help you know what considerations need to be made to your rental. For instance, an event at an outdoor venue may require rain plans and weather contingencies that an indoor venue doesn’t. Perhaps your event is located at an out-of-town venue or off the beaten path, in which case you may want to extend your rental period to account for travel time or include transportation equipment like pallets and dollies in your rental to aid in getting your items where they need to go. Ultimately, knowing your location makes it possible to plan accordingly for any accommodations needed.

Know Your Guest Count

While perhaps not applicable for public events with an indeterminate number of attendees, knowing the approximate number of guests attending your event will help determine the volume of rentals needed. A guest count is needed for any items that are used by individual guests, including chairs, dinnerware, and napkins. If you are still waiting on RSVPs to know your exact guest count, we always suggest reserving enough items for your maximum guest count, then adjusting the numbers as needed once RSVPs are in and the final count is established. It is much easier to remove unneeded items from your order then it is to add extra items at the last minute as we can never guarantee unreserved items will be available at a later date.

Know What Other Vendors Are Supplying

This is an often-overlooked detail that can save you a lot of time and headaches later in the planning process. Does your venue supply tables and chairs? Does your caterer bring their own serving dishes and tablecloths? Does your bartending service come with glasses? Even if your vendors don’t keep specific items on hand, many include placing rental orders on your behalf in their services. These are great things to talk to your vendors about before heading to the rental shop. Knowing what items are covered by your other vendors can narrow down what you need to rent yourself while also preventing duplicate orders. 

Know the Specifics

Make a habit of noting specific details like size, style, and dimensions for items or spaces for which you need rentals. For instance, if you need to rent tablecloths, know the size of table the cloths need to fit. If you need to cover a wall with pipe and drape, know the length and height of the section needing to be covered. If you need chair covers, know the style of chair the cover is for. Knowing these things before placing your order ensures that you reserve the correct items to perfectly fit your event. Knowing the dimensions of tents, outdoor spaces, and rooms you need to fit tables, chairs, or other items in can also be helpful for finding the right size and quantity of items to fit in your space.

Know the Limits

Sometimes you have free reign to plan your event however your heart desires, but sometimes you have certain limitations you have to follow. Does your venue have a no open flame policy? Does your tent need to be installed on concrete? Does your venue only allow certain setup and breakdown times? These are the kinds of limitations you need to know before placing your rental order. When considered ahead of time, most limitations can be easily worked around by adding necessary equipment, planning extra time into setup, and finding substitutions and solutions that fit within the limits.  

Know Who’s in Charge

Events are people-driven experiences, so knowing which people are in charge of what is crucial for helping your rental go off without a hitch. Someone needs to make a list of what is needed. Someone needs to pick out the items wanted. Someone needs to place a deposit and pay the final balance. Someone needs to sign off on pickup or delivery. Someone needs to ensure the items are returned. For a small personal event, all these tasks are easily, and often, handled by one person. However, if your event is being orchestrated by a team of vendors or a committee, knowing who is in charge of what is vital for clear communication and an error-free rental experience.