Five Tips for Having a Great Table Renting Experience

Are you planning an elaborate event, such as a sweet sixteen backyard party, a mitzvah, or wedding? If so, you probably have about one thousand items on your to-do list. You have to organize the menu and catering services, the schedule of events, the entertainment, hire a DJ or a band, and the list goes on.

One thing you are probably not terribly concerned with is the task of table renting. Table renting seems pretty straightforward, and can\’t take more than a 15 minute phone call to orchestrate. Well you are right, the task of table renting isn\’t terribly complicated, but choosing the right options has a huge impact on the design, the ambiance, and the comfort of your guests at your event. To help your table renting experience go smoothly, here are five tips you should keep in mind:

1. Designate a \”Master of Table Renting Ceremonies.\” You are probably going to be running around like a chicken with your head cut off on the day of your event. To make sure that you have the right type of tables, to accommodate right number of guests, and that they are in at the right place at the right time, designate someone to oversee the process.
   
   
   This person should be responsible from end-to-end to make sure the whole process goes smoothly: they should take care of orchestrating the table rental agreement, providing payment for it, setting up delivery or picking them up, being onsite for them when they are delivered, and are making arrangements to have the tables and chairs picked up after the event has concluded. Having a single person to take care of all of your table needs on your behalf will help make your entire event planning process go smoothly.
2. Know your table stuff. Since the size and placement of the tables has a huge impact on the comfort of the guest and their merriment throughout the night, we recommend that you pay a visit the table showroom of the table rental provider and scope them out before you choose what type of table to get.

   Additionally, seeing the actual tables firsthand early in the planning process will help you design table top arrangements that adequately fill the space without taking up too much room, and make arrangements for the linen rentals, if they are not included with your table rentals.




3. Get quotes from several providers. We\’re willing to bet price is a concern that impacts all of your event planning decisions. A good way to make sure that you get a good deal on your table rentals is to get quotes from several table rental providers.
   
   Keep in mind that the cheapest option is not always worth the money. Make sure that the quotes get are all-inclusive (some additional fees for set up, gratuities, or administration) and get a breakdown of what your table rental expenses actually gets you, so that you can do an apples-to-apples comparison of the costs. Don\’t be afraid to ask if the provider is offering any specials, sometimes the answer is no, but if they do, you\’ll be glad that you asked.
4. Understand the zoning restrictions of your venue. Some event venues have complicated restrictions that the table delivery people will need to accommodate. For example, if your special event is being hosted at a historic mansion, the zoning requirements for the historic area may restrict trucks from being parked in front of the venue (a necessary part of dropping off your tables), or there may be specific hours in which they can bring your tables and chairs to the site. Checking with the administrator of the venue is a good way to make sure that you aren\’t caught by surprise on the date of your event with trouble getting tables where they need to be.
5. Ask about add-ons. As we mentioned, many table rental services also provide linen rentals, and tent and chair rental services. In many cases, the more services that you get from a single vendor, the more negotiating power you have to get a great deal! Not to mention, using the same vendor for all of these little details makes your life easier, and ensures that everything is cohesively orchestrated.

Do you have any other table renting tips? Please shout them out below!