All About Events Jacksonville, FL and Georgia Tent, Event, Party and Furniture Rentals

Dear All About Events Blog Readers,

Last blog post we talked about how the details set the tone of your wedding or event. Our subject was tables (Farm Tables are becoming very popular in Northern Florida).

But what are tables without chairs?

(The answer is shelves!)

There are many types of chairs and, despite the joke, not all uses for chairs are at tables.

For example, think about the pictures you see from your friends’ weddings. The ceremony shots always have rows and rows of chairs.

Here in Jacksonville and Northern Florida we have beautiful trees, flora and landscapes. Chairs for your events don’t have to be just white/black folding chairs. Think about natural wood chairs like those made from Mahogany and how beautifully they can fit into an outdoor wedding or event.

A classy alternative to folding chairs are Chiavari Chairs. They don’t fold, but add a truly upscale touch to any gathering. They also come in different colors so you can match with the décor of your party or wedding.

A good photographer will undoubtedly take pictures of your wedding or event before your guests arrive. Remember that chairs without people sitting in them are an important part of your overall décor and theme.

For your ceremony, or any situation where you line chairs up facing a center point, make sure that you rent an even number of chairs that can be divided evenly into rows. Nothing looks worse than having one row that is short of the number of chairs in the rows around it.

Furniture like tables and chairs are important things to consider in the early stages of your event planning. They will often determine the type or theme that you will present to your guests.

Hi All About Events Blog Readers,

Have you ever heard someone say that the key to success is all in the details? It’s true, but sometimes there are details that people don’t realize are details.

It’s easy to say that the plates or linens you choose for an event set the theme. However, most people don’t think something like a table can be just as important.

It’s true: the type of table that you choose for your event or wedding will go a long way to determining what kind of “feeling” your event will have.

For example, choosing an 8 foot rectangular table means that you are throwing a more casual event or wedding. Most times, rectangular tables are used for “picnic” or “family style” events. They can be lined up next to each other in long rows OR they can be shaped into larger rectangles.

If you’re going to rent a round table then you’re most likely throwing a more formal dinner, banquet or wedding. Round tables will always stand on their own and allow for the people sitting at them to be a bit closer and more conversational.

Currently here in Jacksonville, Northern Florida  and Georgia we have been seeing a huge trend in tables called “Farm Tables”. These tables are usually made from a nice quality wood and provide that traditional, rustic feeling. A runner down the middle of a farm table may be all you need to set the tone as you wouldn’t want to cover up the natural craftsmanship.

Of all the details to come later, the type of table you choose is an early indicator of what kind of event you’re having and the kind of event that you want!

Hello All About Event Blog Readers,

Not too long ago, we thought we would help the good people of Jacksonville and the rest of North Florida with a blog on what to consider when renting a tent. You can read it here.

Today, for your enjoyment, we’re adding a video to the cause!

Hello All About Events Blog Readers,

Today we’re going to discuss how to pick the correct sized linen for a standard 8 foot rectangular table so that your linen reaches all the way to the floor.

It’s easy, with a little math.

An 8 foot table is 96 inches long. A standard table is 30 inches off the ground and this is the important number to know if we’re going to figure out how to get the linen all the way to the floor.

Add 96 inches to the two 30 inch sides for a total of 156 inches. That is the length.

Then, we need to figure out the width of the linen.

If the table is 30 inches off the ground and a standard 8 foot table is also 30 inches wide we just need to add the numbers together. Don’t forget to account for both sides of the table.

So, 30 + 30 + 30 = 90 inches. The Width is 90 inches.

So, to completely cover an 8 foot rectangular table and make sure the linen will go all the way to the ground you will need a 90 inch by 156 inch linen.

As always, you can watch the video below for the full explanation.

Hello All About Events Blog Readers,

Have you ever been to a formal dinner (or a not-so-formal dinner) with a crowded table? You look at your place setting and you see plates, silverware, and glasses sitting there.

Then it happens: You reach for the water glass you think is yours and the person sitting next to you reaches for the same glass. THEN, you go for your bread and the same thing happens on the other side!

What do you do?

We have a simple solution that we call “BMW”.

Not the car. In this case, BMW stands for Bread, Meal, Water . . . in that order.

When you are sitting the “B”read is on your left, the “M”eal is directly in front of you and your “W”ater glass is on your right.

If you can spell, you’ll never have to worry which bread dish or water glass is yours again!

Watch the video below to see this tip in action!

Hello All About Events Blog Readers,

It’s time for more event advice from the experts here at All About Events.

One of the most common questions we get is about skirting for tables at events. Skirting is the cloth/linen that is put around the edge of a table. It is different than the linen that you use to cover the table.

Most times, skirting is used on buffet tables or other tables that people don’t sit at but will be used to put items like food or gifts on. However, skirting is used for the head table at weddings when the wedding party is arranged to face the guests.

To figure out how much skirting you will need for a rectangular table is fairly easy.

In general, you need to figure out the size of your table (usually 6 feet or 8 feet). Let’s move forward for an 8 foot table.

The length is 8 feet.

Standard width is 2.5 feet.

The formula (for our fellow mathematicians out there) is 2L + 2W. There are two sides for the length and 2 sides for the width. Just take them and add them.

So, for a standard 8 foot table, you will need 21 feet of skirting.

Watch the video below for further explanation!

Hello All About Events Blog Readers,

We hope that you had an excellent New Year! We’re excited for the year to come and we can’t wait to share it with all of you.

We know that one of the last things anyone wants to do is set the table. Over the holiday season we’re sure that more of us have to set it than usual (and hopefully setting the table allows you to avoid doing the dirty dishes afterwards!)

We wanted to give a quick reminder to everyone on how to properly set a table. It’s easy.

• First, place the plate in the exact center (that one is easy!).
• Next, to the right of the plate place your dinner knife.
• On the right side of the knife put down your spoon.
• To the left of the plate put a napkin (unless you are placing the napkin on the plate in a napkin holder or a folded design).
• On the far left side of the napkin place your salad fork, and right next to the plate, place your dinner fork.

That’s the easy part, but here’s where it gets a little tricky:

• The water glass should go directly above the knife. Then, to the right of the water glass place your red wine glass first and white wine glass.
• Finally, place your bread dish over the forks . . . and don’t forget to put a butter knife on it!

Okay, maybe it wasn’t that tricky, but that’s how to set a table for any event!

Hello All About Event Blog Readers,

Living in Northern Florida is pretty nice . . . especially when the rest of the country begins to prepare for its battle with snow over the next 6 months. Yeah, we know that a white Christmas can be sweet, but a sunny January-April isn’t that bad either.

Over the years we have provided rentals for plenty of outdoor events, and not all of them have included tents! We’ve seen a few things go very well, and we’ve seen a few things go horribly bad!

Here are a few tips for you when you’re having an outdoor event to think about:

• The Backup- Please, please, please have a backup plan. We know it’s beautiful for 364.5 days a year but if you don’t have a backup plan we can guarantee that it is going to rain the exact moment your event starts. Have an indoor fallback position, or make sure your tent rental has sidewalls to protect from the sideways gusts!

• The Invasion- You know who else loves parties and events besides your guests? Insects! Mosquitoes, ants, bees and bugs that we may have never even heard of love food (the type we serve and human beings themselves). Here are some quick tips to deal with some of our 6 legged party crashers:

Bees- Use Marigolds. Bees hate Marigolds. If your party is somewhere you can’t plant Marigolds, do it. If not, use Marigolds in your centerpieces or decorations. You can also pour some flat soda into some discreet containers and place them on the far outskirts of your events. The bees will go for the sweets every time.

Ants- If you have picnic tables and chairs, put some double sided tape around the legs. Ants will stick to the tape! Chalk around the legs of the tables also works. If you can prepare the day before sprinkle some cayenne pepper down the anthills or spray them with a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar.

Mosquitoes- Run and hide! We know citronella candles and all that good stuff helps, but they always find a way. The easiest way to avoid them is to have an event during the day. If you have to celebrate into the late hours of the night if you can get through dusk the mosquitoes will become less bothersome.

• The Plunge- If you’re having an event near a pool, please make sure that it is well lit or sectioned off. We all know there is a danger of someone having too good of a time, not realizing where they are and taking an unexpected swim. That’s not fun for anyone.

• The Thaw- There’s a pretty good chance that everyone loves ice cream and cool desserts. We don’t know many who like the sticky, melted goop that ice cream becomes when the Florida heat takes it out. Unless you have refrigerated cases on-site, don’t bring the cold, melt-prone items out until they are ready to be served.

• The Sink- Grass looks beautiful and, for most men that’s where it stops, but ask the women wearing heels and they’ll all tell you nightmares of their heels sinking into the earth. To avoid broken ankles there are actual products that women can purchase for their shoes . . . just make sure that on the invitation you let people know that your event will be on grass so they can prepare.

*Image from Birchwood Inn (www.birchwood-inn.com)

Hello All About Events Blog Readers,

We get asked one question all the time when it comes to renting a tent for a wedding or an event: What will the tent look like?

Our response is always simple: Whatever you can imagine!

A tent is a blank canvas. You can make it look like whatever you would like and, even better, you can put it almost anywhere you’d like.

Think of a tent as a venue that you can customize any way you’d like and put anywhere there is enough room for all of your guests.

A talented wedding/event designer can transform the inside of a tent into the dream you have always wanted your wedding to be.

Whether it’s Italian String Lights hanging from the ceiling, chandeliers or drapes, a tent can become anything you want it to be.

We’ve set up tents in backyards (just like in Steve Martin’s Father of the Bride), on beaches or lakeside for an instant waterfront view and in places that have special meanings to the bride and groom.

Tents give a versatility that you can’t find in a ballroom, hotel or other venues. We’ve worked with event planners who prefer designing in tents because it gives them an opportunity to truly work with the bride and groom to create something that is new and exciting.

So, when you ask what a rental tent will look like, we can say, with absolute sincerity: It will look like whatever you can imagine!

Hello All About Events Blog Readers!

We’re going to go out on a limb here and assume that this may be the first time you’ve needed to rent a tent. There’s a first for everything and we can’t all be experts on tent rentals!

We want to make sure that you consider some very important things when you’re considering a tent rental for your wedding or special event:

Surface

Not all surfaces are created equal! Grass is much different than concrete. Tents can be heavy. A soft surface like grass (especially after a rain) may need some extra preparation to make sure that your lawn isn’t destroyed. Likewise, we’re sure you don’t want us jackhammering into the tiles around your pool to put a stake in.

Let us know where you’re putting your tent so we’ll be able to prepare accordingly.

Number of People

You can rent a big-top tent whenever you’d like, but it might be overkill for a quaint, backyard luncheon with the garden club!

The number of people who you expect at your event will determine the size of the tent. We’ll talk about seating in a moment, but always make sure you at least have enough room to fit everyone if they are standing. In general, you need 6 square feet per guest. You don’t want someone standing out in the rain . . . or in the blistering sun either!

Type of Event

Is this a wedding or a rodeo?! Will people be sitting down at tables for a meal or walking around and chatting during cocktail hour?

These are very important distinctions for you. For example, people who are standing only need 6 sq. ft for their personal space. However, if you put rectangular tables in there with chairs, you’ll need 8 sq.ft/guest and for round tables, it’s 10 sq.ft./guest.

Don’t forget if you have serving tables and bars, those take up room as well.

Style

Not all tents do the same things. If you are having an elegant backyard wedding (think of the tent in Steve Martin’s Father of the Bride) it will be a lot different than if you are renting a tent to cover you at a farmer’s market.

For example, you can add sides to the tents with windows to give a bit more of an elegant feel. There are even some tents with skylights in them for those beautiful weather evenings and events!