How much does each table really cost?

All of our items here are rented per piece. We got a little curious and decided to price it out per table. If you need it all for your event...you're going to want to take a look at what we found!

Option 1

60” Round Table                                               $8.75

Poly Linen (White or Colored- 120”)         $16.75                  

Poly Overlay (72” square)                             $8.50

Poly Napkin (White or Colored)                  $0.70

10oz Water Goblet                                          $0.39

Stainless Knife                                                   $0.40

Stainless Salad Fork                                         $0.40

Stainless Dinner Fork                                      $0.40

Folding Chairs (Tan or Black)                        $1.07

                Total                                                      $60.88 per table

Tie in the colors of your event with budget friendly linens. Prices are per table and assume there are 8 place settings.

Option 2

60” Round Table                                               $8.75

Poly Linen (White or Colored- 120”)         $16.75                  

Poly Napkin (White or Colored)                  $0.70

10oz Water Goblet                                          $0.39

Stainless Knife                                                   $0.40

Stainless Salad Fork                                         $0.40

Stainless Dinner Fork                                      $0.40

Folding Chairs (Tan or Black)                        $1.07

Total                                                      $52.38 per table

Save a little more by opting out of an overlay. Prices are per table and assume there are 8 place settings.

Option 3

60” Round Table                                               $8.75    

Poly Overlay (72” square)                             $8.50

Poly Napkin (White or Colored)                  $0.70

10oz Water Goblet                                          $0.39

Stainless Knife                                                   $0.40

Stainless Salad Fork                                         $0.40

Stainless Dinner Fork                                      $0.40

Folding Chairs (Tan or Black)                        $1.07

                Total                                                      $44.13 per table

Some venues provide basic white poly linens. To add some color, consider adding a colored poly overlay. Prices are per table and assume there are 8 place settings.

Option 4

60” Round Table                                               $8.75    

Dupioni/Satin Linen (120”)                           $22.50  

Poly Napkin (White or Colored)                  $0.70

10oz Water Goblet                                          $0.39

Stainless Knife                                                   $0.40

Stainless Salad Fork                                         $0.40

Stainless Dinner Fork                                      $0.40

Folding Chairs (Tan or Black)                        $1.07

                Total                                                      $58.13 per table

You might notice, for the price you are paying for a tablecloth and overlay, you can upgrade to a nicer linen such as Dupioni/ Satin, Damask, Crush/ Crinkle Taffeta, Pintuck Taffeta, or Imperial Stripe.

 Thank you to our intern Ashley for putting this together!

Can a chair really change the look of a room?

Chairs are usually an after thought when planning an event. Usually one of the only concerns is will we have enough. But chairs can but more than that....if you want then to be. By far one of the most popular chairs we rent is a chivari chair. We have them available in 6 colors; gold, silver, black, white, natural and fruitwood. It adds style to an event in a subtle way. Sometimes the venues chairs are old, or outdated, or simply clash with the colors you have chosen. For any of these reasons, you may want to bring in your own. Chairs can be an accent or a neutral.

Here the chairs add color to the tent and allow the beautiful lighting to still be the focal point. 

At this event the white garden chairs didn't take away from the beautifully detailed moss green overlays, and colorful pompoms. 

The silver chivari chairs accented the centerpieces giving the whole event a cohesive feel. It also makes the event look, and feel, fancy! Try to picture this table with tan banquet chairs. The overall look is pretty different, right? So, when you are planning an event, think twice about those chairs. Might change more than you think! 

Setting Your Theme

Every event is different. You have weddings, graduations, anniversaries and birthdays. You have cocktail parties, house warming’s, reunions and fundraisers. They all have a theme; they pull in an idea or item that means something special to the bride and groom, the birthday boy or girl, or the organization that is trying to raise funds to continue their research, their work. When deciding on the theme, the first thing is trying to make it work in a way that looks nice, fun, and elegant or casual, without being too much of each. You want the look to get your point across, but you need to decide, do you want to keep it subtle or point blank and how do you incorporate everything that you want. 

You need to pick the colors, what is to be displayed on the table (from the center pieces, china, etc.) What color goes where, and do they all work together? 

Many people write specifically on weddings, they show the beauty in someone’s special day, or birthday parties where there is so much fun, where you can let your imagination go wild. Organizations that host fundraisers tend to bring out emotions in the people who attend, because many are either personally affected, or are close to someone who is, by that particular group.

I decided to focus on Autism, as it is something that affects my life on a day to day basis. Therefore, the theme that I choice for my table setup here is Light It Up Blue. On April 2^nd, Light It Up Blue is one of the many ways that groups like Autism Speaks try to help bring awareness for Autism. Many buildings, not just in America, but all over the world (Egypt, France, Canada, etc.) join together, to light up the outside of their buildings (and homes) blue, in representation of their support for this specific cause. 

How did I decide on my setup? The colors in the Autism ribbon are red, blue, and yellow. Colors that can be very fun together, if done right. The table has poly blue linen with a white striped organza overlay. The napkins and the chair sashes bring in the yellow. I have used the clear glass silver beaded charges, white castle dinner plates and a blue pebbled salad plate, along with the blue wine glasses for the table setting. The clear glass charger and solid white dinner plate are used so the blue, which is the main color of the setup (noting the theme, Light It Up Blue), doesn't over power the table. The red, I felt, if used too much with the blue and yellow, could pose the potential for having more of a carnival theme, rather than something elegant. So the centerpiece, which is from a new collection through Hamilton, is an angel with the Autism ribbon draped around her. And within that ribbon is the red, a subtle touch, without being too strong. 

China, Glassware, & Catering Tips!

Dishes and glasses

I’ve noticed lately people are mixing and matching different pieces of china. I love it. Square dinner, rectangular salad and a round dessert plate looks great. Cobalt blue dishes and glasses have been pretty popular too. Don’t know how many to order? My best advice- ask your caterer. Chances are, they have done this for many years and have a better idea than I do. I worked for a few caterers for a while and can tell you very little about amounts. Buffet dishes- count on people to have seconds. If there are 100 people, I would say order 20 more dinner plates as a “just in case”. Worst comes to worst, your waitstaff can wash some. Bar glasses- this is a definite “Ask your caterer”. There is a certain formula consisting of what kind of beverages, how many different beverages and how long it is served.

Catering companies:

I have worked for large and small catering companies and I can come out saying this: They all cook great food. Some bigger companies can charge more because they are well known but keep in mind 90% went to the same school to cook. I have seen a lot of smaller companies take a quote from a larger company and make the same food for a better price. Make sure you shop around before making the final decision on your caterer, this is a huge part of your event people will remember. Some companies include dishes, glasses, linens, etc and some do not. This is affected in the price. If you see that your caterer has up charged some of these things, keep in mind: They are taking responsibility for these items. Glass and dish breakage is common, so is rips and holes in linens. Your caterer is also the one setting up, cleaning and putting away all of these items so the up charge may be worth it. There is a lot your caterer does behind the scenes that you may not notice during your event that makes your day flawless. 

-Briana

Tables, Linens & Chair Cover Tips!

Tables:

I get asked the question all of the time what size/shape tables I recommend most. I think depends on the look you’re going for. Tuscan style seating is very popular lately. Rectangular tables are placed back to back to make it look as if there is one long table. You can use the standard 30” wide or we also have a 48” wide. For conversation wise, I love them. I think it makes a wedding or event more intimate. People are sitting closer and they are more apt to talk to different people. Use low or tall thin centerpieces on these tables so that people can see across from one another. Round tables come in various sizes. Some like a bunch of 36” rounds that seat 3-5. If you are on a budget, I happen to like the 60”rounds that seat 8-10. Less tables, and less linens. It is also much easier to find linens for these tables as this is the most popular size. If you are using decorative chargers on these tables I would only seat 8. Square tables have become very popular lately too. We have 48” and 60” squares. I love to see when people mix round a square tables at an event.

Linens:

Where do I start? I could go on forever. I literally can’t get enough of them. Some people ask me if I would recommend linens to go halfway down on a table or to the floor. If it is a wedding, I would 100% say to the floor. You do not want to see aluminum table legs. Your guests will not trip on them. In the past few years, linen fabrics have expanded so much. Poly is our most basic. Just because it is our most basic, doesn’t mean I haven’t seen the most beautiful events with basic poly linens. If your venue or caterer provides cloths to the floor, it might be a good idea to take advantage of it, even if they are white or ivory. Adding an overlay or runner is a great way of adding color to the event.

Wedding and Event shows can be a little deceiving. Believe me- I LOVE David Tutera. He is a God in the design world. The linens that are donated to David are from Cloth Connection. They have the most stunning fabrics and frills the eye has seen. Keep in mind, these are very expensive. These same looks can be created with fabrics we have in stock, at a less expensive price.

Online linen shopping: I will give you one piece of advice. If you are online shopping for wedding linens or chair covers, keep in mind that they are going to come in a box and folded up into a package the size of a facecloth. They will have a lot of wrinkles. If you are daring enough to do so, get them shipped in a while before the wedding and be ready to have the time to iron/ steam out every one of them.

We buy our cloths from large manufacturers that can create any size necessary we need. They use commercial quality cloths and when rented from us, they will come clean, pressed on a hanger and bagged. We have a huge variety of cloths that gets larger everyday. Something you don’t see? I can guarantee you I will find it.

Chair covers:

I have to start off by saying we do not rent them. I am not against them by any means but there is a lot of work in them. Companies that do this for a living- trust them. Believe me, the day before your wedding you do not want to tie 200 matching bows and steam out wrinkles. As I said above, getting them online (except for the spandex ones) is a nightmare. If you do decide to get them online, keep in mind every venue has different style chairs. Order one in advanced to make sure it fits and covers the chair completely. They could run you $4.00-$5.00 a chair. I usually tell customers if the venue has a place to store the chairs, we have garden chairs in 4 colors for $4.00 each and ballrooms for $5.50 each.  

Choosing The Right Tent!

Choosing your tent:

First of all measure the space you have to work with. Decide which part of the area is most level. Find out if we can stake on the property or not. There may be sprinklers, septic, or other things underneath the lawn so be sure to ask. We stake about 4'-5' in the ground. To find the maximum amount of space you need (this also depends on the type of tent) add 10' to the length and width of the tent size. Example: For a 40'x60' century tent, you will need a maximum of 50'x70' area.

A canopy is a lighter weight structure that needs to be staked into the ground. It is good for a light rain or shade, but I would recommend not using in inclement weather. The biggest size we have in a canopy is a 20’x40 foot. Because its lighter weight, the poles break down small enough to fit the entire package in the trunk of a car. They are also very easy for a customer to set up and break down themselves. These are a lot less expensive then Century, Frame and Sailcloth tents but do not have many options to personalize your event.

A traditional wedding tent, called a Century tent, is a high peaked tension tent. They are made from 100% light block vinyl. These come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They mostly come in white and have center poles that hold the tent up. Because they are tension tents, they have to be staked. We add 10’ to the length and width of your tent for total area we need so that there is enough room for staking. These tents are very clean and contemporary looking. These, personally, are my favorite to work with. The options alone are endless. They also can be draped with a flowing fabric inside the entire tent called a tent liner. The liner truly gives the tent a more regal feel.

A frame tent is a more industrial looking tent. They are free-standing so there is polling on the inside to hold up the top. They do not have high peaks but do increase the square footage of the tent due to having no center poles. Frame tents can be put just about anywhere, asphalt, decks, patios, and also over pools. If we cannot stake in the area, we use 55 gallon water drums with white vinyl covers to secure the tent down safely. If you are hanging lanterns in the tent, frame tents are easier to use because of all the polling inside. If we cannot stake in the area and you need to use a frame tent, don’t worry, they also have fabric liners we can put inside to hide the poles.

Marquee Tents are what I call “walkway tents”. These come in 6’ or 10’ widths and can be installed just about anywhere, at any length. Like frame tents, they are free standing and can be either staked or water barreled. We can also use a “gutter”, which is a long piece of vinyl to connect the marquee tents to another tent or a building. They are very nice for an entrance and when raining, guests can appreciate their dry walk from inside the house to the tent.   

We also have what is called a tidewater tent. The tidewater tent is a lighter sailcloth material which lets in more light. The upside to these is they look beautiful at night because the light can shine through. The downsides include: less square footage because of the rounded ends and on a hot sunny day, these tents do not provide adequate shade for guests and can be rather hot.

Sidewalls: 

We have clear, solid, window, and mesh wall. They come in sections so you can also use a mix of them. You may want to the view on one side of the tent with solid wall but have a waterfront view for clear or window wall on the opposite. On a hot sunny day I would suggest to not have any. All of our tents come with 90 feet of clear or solid sidewall for free. My suggestion, take it just in case. The sidewall clips on like a shower curtain and if the weather on your big day all of a sudden gets inclement, you can put up at least one or two sides of your tent with walls so that rain or wind does not come in.

Tent accessories: 

We have a variety of things to keep up with our seasons in the ocean state. There are fans, heaters, and other items to help with the climate. Anything we do not have we have great vendors we work with in the area who do.

Fire Codes:

Every city in town in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut has different fire and building codes you must abide by when setting up a tent. Be sure to call your local fire department to see what types of things you may need. All of our tents and liners are certified flame retardant to code and we can provide you certificates if needed. We also have certified safety equipment if also needed. If you are asked to pull a permit, keep in mind some cities need days and some weeks to process a tent permit. We can handle all of this for you, ask for details.

Décor:

The liners that I spoke of above are beautiful. If you want to take on the project of doing any fabric décor yourself, keep in mind all of the material you use needs to be certified flame retardant. I suggest a décor or lighting/production company to handle this for you. It can get tricky.

Tent Lighting...where to begin?!

With lighting a tent, there are many options. Here are some to start your tent lit to your dreams!

Chandeliers add not only light but style! The soft light they give off adds an element of romance. 

Another popular option in a tent is onion lights. They are very modern and nautical. They look great in sail cloth tents!

Traditional uplighting can be beautiful as well. I always recommend pairing it with perimeter lighting, it give it a softer feel.  These can lights can be put on a dimmer so that once the dancing begins, the lights can go down!

All three are great options to create a great atmosphere for your event. No matter what lights you choose, don't forget you need power!