Event Planning
Things to remember for your special day
To make sure your event goes off without a hitch Blood’s has come up with some important things to remember.
Plan ahead – It is very important to cover the details well in advance of your event. It is never too early to book your tents, tables, chairs, tent flooring and lighting as these items can be in a more limited supply. Items like linens, dishware, glassware and silverware are usually finalized 1 – 2 weeks in advance, when the final guest count comes in. You should try to give our event coordinators a close proximity on counts of all items needed as early as possible and then update them in the final weeks before the event.
Don’t assume – Do not assume anything is included in the cost of what you are purchasing or renting. Just because you see it in a photo does not mean that an item or service was included at no cost to that client. The special event industry is just that, Special. No two events are ever the same and clients generally want to make their event unique. Don’t be afraid to ask if an item includes set up in the cost. Many event rental companies rent tents that do not include set-up but some do. Blood’s does include set up on items like tents, lighting, dance floors, staging and tent flooring. We do not include free set-up on other items like tables, chairs, linens and dishware but we can do this service for a nominal fee.
Think of your guests too – When you are planning an outdoor event it is important to stay within a budget, but you should also consider your guests’ comfort. While you may consider waiting until the week of the event to check the weather to see if it is going to rain, you should know it is extremely difficult for most reputable rental companies to work a tent into their schedule with only one or two days notice. Remember: tents offer shade from the hot sun as well as protection from the rain, and older guests and children are more likely to be bothered by the sun than other guests. If you are also offering food at your event, food safety is of the utmost importance. A shaded tent area can be 10 – 20 degrees cooler than direct sunlight areas, which helps keep food cooler. Having food under a tent also helps to keep particles from overhead trees from falling on the food.
Choosing a site – When it comes time to decide where to have your event the site is probably the most important place to start. Because of the natural slope of the many hills in this region, many properties are not flat. This can offer breathtaking views during the event but it can also prove to be a nuisance. Some sites can be harder to work with for events due to overhead restrictions like trees or power lines, and some have underground restrictions like septic systems, power lines or rock that would need to be drilled for the tent stakes. If you choose to have your site be at the bottom of a hill or if the site has a hill next to it, it will have water run-off during any rainstorms. While you may be lucky enough to have a nice event day, water run-off from prior days of rain can make the event site very wet. If the site is a must for your event, consider flooring the tent to keep you and your guests out of mud and water. Remember that Blood’s offers free on-site inspections to help you determine if your site is viable. If you are not sure of underground utilities, you should call Dig Safe at 1-888-344-7233. They, for free, will come and do an underground site inspection to find buried utilities.
Think of the vendors – When you decide on a good location for your special event, think about all of the people that you need to work at the site for you before, during and after your event. The set-up crews that need to arrive 1, 2 or 3 days in advance to deliver the tent, portable toilets or even mow the grass will need access to the site with big vehicles. It is possible for some equipment to be brought in with smaller vehicles but it can be costly. While most people treasure their lawns greatly, things like tents, tables, chairs, dance floors and flooring weigh thousands of pounds and if they have to be moved by hand or carried long distances, it will take extra time for set-up. The day of the event is important to consider when finding the location for the caterers to set-up and serve from. Most caterers, for food safety and efficiency reasons, need their catering truck nearby to keep food cold before, during and after set-up. It is not always logical to have the service truck far away from where the staff are working as the caterer will have to bring in more staff and will, more than likely, charge more for their services. It is very important to make sure these details are worked out well in advance of the day of the event.
