What's old news to the event industry can be a new discovery to clients. After all, not everyone is familiar with the term “gobo.” Celebration Party Rentals in Lee's Summit, Mo., has a growing event design business, and its products regularly surprise clients, vice president Steve Weaver notes. Weaver's staff “gets a kick out of saying we need to change our company tag line to: ‘Yeah, we do that,’” he says. Here, rental experts discuss what items bring that element of surprise.
Custom Logo'd Carpets
“Many people don't realize carpeting can be an art form” says Steve Kohn, president of Edison, N.J.-based Miller's Rentals. “It doesn't just roll out — it can be custom fitted and wrapped around just about anything.” In fact, Miller's Rentals, which can create a logo'd carpet in only 24 hours, recently rolled out a 10,000-square-foot carpet for the premiere of “Mama Mia” in New York. “Like anything else in this crazy business, some weeks we rent several, other weeks none,” he says.
Rotating Mirrored Disco Sculpture
A rental company stocking a disco ball wouldn't surprise anyone. But what about a disco ball-inspired sculpture of a couple? This customized centerpiece from BTB Events in Fountain Valley, Calif., “is covered in glass mirror squares and rotates on a motorized platform,” notes Colinne Hemrich, special events coordinator. The BTB team rents the glitzy piece 15 to 20 times a year.
A 20,000-square-foot Tent
Laurel, Md.-based Select Event Rentals “is often seen as a standard tent company offering an extensive line in custom linens and tabletop decor,” president Kelly Andres notes. So the sheer size of the company's Roder Expo Series tent — with no internal poles obstructing space — is a little shocking to clients, in the best possible way.
LED-lit Acrylic Bars
Celebration Party Rentals started manufacturing LED-lit acrylic bars when management determined it “needed to bring some new and exciting items to Kansas City,” Weaver says. The LED lights change colors to match the event, and Celebrations rents these flashy items on a weekly basis. The demand is so high, the team plans to manufacture more this year.
Custom-built Gold Chandeliers
While renting chandeliers for tents isn't unusual, Monroeville, Pa.-based PartySavvy has three that cannot be rented — or purchased — anywhere else. In 2002, PartySavvy worked with a wealthy client who had a specific vision for her party. To achieve this, she had a lighting company make original two- and three-tiered lighting fixtures, which PartySavvy eventually added to its stock. The chandeliers have since become popular rental items. “We almost always use them in tents that are lined with gathered ivory fabric liners,” notes president Dan Skena. Some clients decorate them with ribbons or flowers to change the look, he adds.
RESOURCES
BTB Events
714/415-3333
btb-events.com
Celebration Party Rentals
816/525-8568
www.celebratekc.com
Miller's Rentals
732/985-3050
www.millersrentals.com
PartySavvy
412/856-8368
www.partysavvy.com
Select Event Rentals
800/439-8729
www.weparty.com
