Event rentals 101: Tips & Tricks

From our Planners

So, you’re new to the whole rental process? WelcomeLet‘s walk through some of the basics of renting materials for your event. We spoke with a few planners we work with consistently to get as many ideas as we could for you to better understand the process! We asked the owner of Milk Glass Productions, Carly Wilde, why she thinks clients should rent party items instead of buyinghere’s what she said: 

“It's a lot of work to store, transport, unpack as well as set up and breakdown rentals especially when you are trying to enjoy your event day. It doesn't make sense to buy even though it's the same cost to rent. You are paying for the convenience so you can take in the moment. A lot of times people think they will be able to handle it but it is very time consuming and labor intensive. Don't try to do it on your own, the opportunity cost of your time isn't worth it! Trust the professionals.”

Photo by @fromthehipphoto

Determine Your Rental Needs

Your rental needs will vary depending on a range of factors, two of which being your venue and caterer. Sometimes they’ll supply everything you need, but when they don’t, you’ll need to rent. These items can range from chairs and linens, to dinnerware, barware and dance floors. The first thing you need to do is make a list of all the rental items you will need. Our event designers are a great resource if you need any assistance with this! It’s possible that your vendors will offer basic dinner plates, flatware, or chair options, so it’s always worth thinking about whether you’d like to upgrade or stick with the package you’re given.

Planner

Pro Tip

“We find it's best to walk yourself through the event from start to finish as if you were a guest. For example: "I'm going to get off the bus and there is water (who is providing the water dispenser, what glass are they drinking out of (is this from the caterer, venue or do I need to rent?)". “I'm going to be eating hors d'oeuvres and need to throw out a toothpick/cocktail napkin, are there garbage cans/bags or do I need to rent this?". So really breaking it down to really detailed moments based on vendors, timeline, menu to make sure you are thinking of everything!”

“I always start from the bottom up with linen first, then flatware, then plates/chargers, then glassware. My biggest tip is to do multiple combinations and take lots of photos so that later that day you can go back and look. I guarantee that one of the photos will make your heart skip... That’s the right rental combination!”

Book Your Rentals in Advance

The best way to book your rentals it's to come into one of our showrooms and work with an event designer. They can help guide you through the process as well as give you real-time inventory availability. We always advise you to come in and put your rental order together as soon as possible. This is because we only have a set number of rentals in our inventory, as well as drivers and trucks to deliver those rentals.

Planner

Pro Tip

“Extras are never a bad thing! We love having 1-2 extra guest table linens just in case, as well as 5 or so extra tabletop items in case anything happens in transit or during setup!”

“Reserve the highest number of possible items you could be expecting because we can always remove rentals but cannot guarantee availability to add on items.”

Know Your Contract

Though your sales representative should walk through these details with you and remind you about payments due. It’s important to read all your vendors’ contracts in detail to avoid misunderstanding something or potential mistakes.

Reservations

To make a reservation with Colorado Party Rentals we require a 50% deposit. All contracts without payments are considered “quotes” and no rental items or dates are held until this deposit has been placed.

Making Changes

You can adjust your order up to 10 days prior to your order in Denver or 14 days prior in our Santa Fe and Colorado Springs stores. Changes to an order after these dates may be subject to fees. An increase in numbers or items adjustments are not guaranteed.

Cancellations

To receive a full refund on a non-tent rental order you must cancel your order at least 10 days prior to your scheduled delivery date. Any cancelations after that date will result in a loss of your total payment. An exception to this is if you are renting a tent. Tents have a cancellation policy of 30 days to receive a full refund. You may cancel by phone or by emailing your sales representative. There are some specialty items ordered from third parties that will have separate finalization dates, your sales rep will let you know about these and note them on your rental order.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions! We don’t expect you to know everything about the rental process. We are the experts, and it is our job to guide you through things! Reserve your items as soon as possible, to ensure you get the items you want and you can accomplish the look you envision. You can always adjust the order later!

Inspect Rentals Upon Arrival

One of the most vital tips we can give anyone who orders event rentals is to quality check each item and ensure that the quantities are correct. Though we have multiple touchpoints where our crew should catch inaccurate counts or items that are not up to our standard of quality, things can occasionally slip through the cracks or get damaged on the way to your event. At Colorado Party Rentals we do everything we can to ensure you receive your rentals in excellent condition and if we don’t, then we are committed to remedying the situation as fast as possible. If you do find inaccurate or damaged materials, please call us as soon as possible on our store's main line. The more time we have to figure out a solution for issues, the better!

Planner

Pro Tip

“Of course, we need to be mindful of venue hours, but earlier deliveries are also always ideal to ensure a smooth setup once catering arrives!”

“Keep your damage waiver on your rental order and hire other reliable vendors, this will ensure you don’t have to pay the full replacement fee for normal wear and tear on rental items. (Negligence and extreme damages not covered).”

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