We specialize (but take absolutely no sadistic pleasure) in asking panic-inducing questions in order to unearth the overlooked details and ensure that your vision is a smooth and complete one. We poke and prod into your careful planning until the eye-twitching starts, and then we poke it a few more times. You know, to be thorough. . .
However, to help shield you from that moment of panic produced by unknown table sizes and unanticipated coffee urns, here is a brief guide to some of the information you may want to have when you come to visit us. Don’t worry if you haven’t got all of the details, though. Our familiarity with the many venues and vendors in the area gives us the knowledge to help you fill in the gaps on the spot.
1) Information about your venue:
- What are the dimensions of the space?
- Are there kitchen facilities? If not, are you permitted to bring cooking equipment (barbeques, propane ranges, etc.) on site?
- Are there adequate washroom facilities, or will you need to consider renting portable washrooms?
- Are you permitted to attach decor to the walls or ceiling? Can you remove any existing décor?
- Are you permitted to use candles or confetti in the space?
- Is there access to power? Are there electrical sockets positioned conveniently around the space for lighting and sound equipment? Or, especially if you’re outdoors, will you need to consider renting a generator?
- What time are you able to start loading equipment into the space and when does everything need to be removed?
- Is a delivery vehicle able to drive right up to the site, or will items need to be transported from the truck
to the site?
2) The question of staking:
If you are renting a tent for your event, we will ask you whether it can be staked or not. What we are asking is if it is okay to drive four-foot long iron spikes into the surface of your event site. Sounds scary, but the reason for this is purely safety-related. All of our tenting must be safely anchored to the ground. We prefer to stake all of our tents because it is the safest and most reliable way to anchor a tent. It’s also the most aesthetically-pleasing option. We are able to stake through grass, gravel, sand, and even asphalt. If you have a surface that cannot
be staked, we do have options for above-ground anchors, either white water barrels or concrete blocks. If you’re unsure about whether your site can be staked or not, we recommend checking with your venue, contacting a “call before you dig” service to check for underground utilities, and having us perform a site inspection.
3) Some venues/caterers will provide all of the equipment including serving pieces and tableware and others will require you to rent everything down to the coffee spoons. Some basic items to ask about are:
- Tables (quantity, size (length, width, and height), wood or plastic)
- Chairs (quantity, colour, and style – important if you’re thinking about chair covers)
- Linens and napkins (quantity, colour, size)
- Tableware (quantity and style of: dinner and side plates, bowls, flatware, wine and water glasses, cups and saucers)
- Service pieces (coffee urns, cream and sugar dispensers, water pitchers, serving bowls and platters, serving utensils, chafing dishes, and bar equipment)
Something else to keep in mind is what sort of event you want to have. Will it be formal, casual, fun, elegant, come-and-go, cocktail reception or sit-down dinner? What sort of meal will you serve? Will it be a self-serve buffet, plated and served by staff, or served family-style with bowls and platters on each table? You don’t need to have your ideas pinned down when you come to look at rentals. The above list can be used as a guideline for those who have no idea where to start or an inventory for those who are well on their way. More often than not, being in our showroom and seeing all of your options is more of a discovery session than anything else and we’re happy to offer ideas and suggestion to help you decide which direction to take.