What Event Rentals Do People Forget?

When you’re planning an event, the big rentals are usually pretty easy to remember. If you need a tent, that’s probably already on your list. You know your guests need tables and chairs. You have a general idea of the major pieces you need to make the event happen.

It’s usually the smaller, more practical event rentals that get overlooked.

At Baystate Tent & Party, we put together rental orders for everything from backyard parties and graduations to corporate events, fundraisers, festivals, university events and weddings. And there are certain things we find ourselves asking about again and again.

Do you need linens for those extra tables? What is the DJ using? Where are you keeping drinks cold? Do you need lighting once the sun goes down? What’s your plan for trash? Where is everyone getting power?

Not every event needs everything on this list. But before you finalize your event rentals, these are some of the things worth thinking through.

TL;DR: What Event Rentals Do People Forget?

Some of the most commonly forgotten event rentals and event-day needs include:

• Linens, especially for tables that aren’t being used for guest seating
• Extra tables for DJs, caterers, buffets, cards, gifts, registration and displays
• Lighting for tents and other areas being used after dark
• Coolers for beverages, ice and other items that need to stay cold
• Fans for warm-weather events or Heat for cooler-weather events
• Sidewalls for additional weather protection
• Trash plans, including barrels, bags, removal and cleanup
• Power for lighting, entertainment, catering and other vendors

The easiest way to catch what you’re missing is to walk through how your event will actually function, not just how many people will be attending.

1. Linens

Tables and chairs tend to make it onto an event rental checklist pretty quickly. Linens are a little easier to forget!

This is especially true when you’re adding tables later in the planning process. Maybe you originally ordered 15 guest tables, then added a buffet table, two catering tables, a DJ table and a card table. Now you have five more tables that may need linens too.

Before finalizing your order, go through every table at your event and decide whether it needs a linen.

You may need linens for guest tables, cocktail tables, buffet tables, catering tables, registration tables, bars, DJ tables, card and gift tables, dessert tables, vendor tables and more.

And make sure you’re ordering the right linen for the table size and the look you want! A linen that falls partway down a table looks very different from one intended to reach the floor.

At Baystate, we can help determine the appropriate linen size based on the tables you’re renting and the drop you’re looking for.

2. Tables That Aren’t for Guests

This is probably one of the most common things we see people underestimate.

Let’s say you’re expecting 150 guests. You figure out your seating arrangement, determine how many tables you need and assume your table count is done.

But guest seating is only part of it.

Depending on the event, you could also need tables for:

• Your DJ or entertainment
• Catering prep
• Buffet service
• Desserts
• Cards and gifts
• A guest book
• Registration or check-in
• Raffles or silent auctions
• Sponsors
• Vendors
• Merchandise
• Displays or signage
• Water and beverage stations

A corporate event, fundraiser or festival can have a particularly large number of tables that have absolutely nothing to do with guest seating.

Ask your vendors what they need before you finalize your event rentals.

Don’t assume the DJ is bringing their own table. Don’t assume the caterer has all of their prep and service tables covered. Find out exactly what each vendor is bringing and what they expect you or the venue to provide.

We’ve seen this plenty of times at Baystate: the guest table count is perfect, but once we start talking through everything else happening at the event, several additional banquet tables get added to the order.

And, of course, once you add those tables…go back to #1 and make sure you have the linens you need!

3. Event Lighting

If your event will continue after sunset, lighting needs to be part of the conversation.

For a tented event, you need enough lighting for guests to comfortably use the space after dark. Depending on the type of event and the look you’re going for, that could mean anything from functional tent lighting to something more decorative.

But don’t stop at the tent! Think about how guests will move around the entire property. Are the bathrooms outside the tent? Is there a walkway to parking? Are there other event areas people will be using after dark? Does catering have enough light to safely work?

We work on plenty of events where everything looks completely different at 8:00 PM than it did at 2:00 PM. If your event spans both daytime and evening hours, think about the property in both conditions.

Lighting is partly about atmosphere, but first and foremost, people need to be able to see.

4. Coolers

Coolers are one of the simplest event rentals to overlook.

If you’re providing your own beverages, hosting a backyard party or managing some of the food and beverage service yourself, think about where everything is going to stay cold.

How much ice will you have? Where are beverages being stored before they’re put out? Is there enough refrigeration available on the property? Does your caterer or bartender bring their own coolers, or are they expecting you to provide them?

This becomes especially important for summer events when leaving cases of drinks sitting outside isn’t much of a plan.

Coolers aren’t necessarily the first thing people get excited about renting, but they’re extremely useful when you actually need them.

5. Fans & Heat

New England weather can go in either direction, so guest comfort is something worth thinking about when you’re planning your event rentals.

For summer events, a tent provides shade, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be cool underneath. Fans can help keep air moving throughout the tent and make the space more comfortable, especially on hot or humid days.

On the other end of the spectrum, spring, fall and winter events may need tent heaters. Even a beautiful 60-degree afternoon can turn into a pretty chilly evening once the sun goes down, so it’s important to think about the temperature for the entire event—not just when guests first arrive.

The type and amount of heating or cooling you’ll need depends on the season, tent style, tent size and expected weather. At Baystate, we can help you determine what makes sense for your setup and time of year.

You can’t control the New England weather, but you can plan for it!

6. Tent Sidewalls

Sidewalls are another item people sometimes don’t think about until they’re looking at the weather forecast.

Your tent gives you coverage overhead, but rain and wind don’t always come straight down.

Depending on the tent style, sidewalls can provide additional protection along the perimeter. They can be particularly useful during cooler months or when rain and wind are concerns.

That doesn’t mean every tented event automatically needs sidewalls installed. In beautiful weather, keeping a tent open can be much more comfortable. What matters is understanding your options ahead of time and having a weather plan that makes sense for the event.

At Baystate, we’ll talk through available sidewall options based on the tent you’re renting rather than treating them as an afterthought.

7. What Are You Doing With the Trash?

Trash isn’t the most exciting part of planning an event, but it’s something you definitely need a plan for.

At Baystate, we do offer trash bins, so those can be added to your rental order. However, we don’t provide trash bags or trash removal services, which means you’ll still need to determine who is handling the trash throughout and after the event.

Think about how many bins you’ll need, where they’ll be placed, who is supplying bags, who will empty them if they fill up during the event and where all of the trash is going afterward.

This is especially important for events on private properties or other spaces that aren’t traditional event venues. Hosting a few hundred people for several hours can create a LOT more trash than you’d expect!

8. Where Is Your Power Coming From?

Power is another piece that doesn’t necessarily appear on the initial rental list, but it can affect a LOT of the event.

Your power needs could include:

• Tent and event lighting
• DJ or band equipment
• Speakers and AV
• Catering equipment
• Fans
• Heating or cooling equipment
• Restroom trailers
• Bars or beverage equipment
• Vendor equipment

Don’t assume that because there’s a building nearby, you can plug everything into it.

Before assuming you can plug everything into the nearest building, talk to your vendors and find out exactly what they need. You also want to know what power is actually available at the property and whether it’s enough to support the entire event.

Baystate does not rent generators, but if your event needs one, we typically recommend checking with Sunbelt Rentals, United Rentals or Herc Rentals.

How Do You Know Which Event Rentals You Actually Need?

Every event is different, which is why there really isn’t one standard event rental checklist that works for everyone. A 200-person fundraiser may need something completely different from a 200-person company picnic or festival.

As you’re putting together your rental order, think through the different parts of your event and what each one will need. Guest seating is usually the obvious place to start, but food and beverage service, entertainment, registration, weather, lighting and all of those smaller details can add a few more items to the list.

It’s also a good idea to check in with your other vendors before finalizing your rentals. Your caterer, DJ, bartender or other vendors can let you know what they’re bringing and what they’ll need you to provide.

And if you’re not totally sure what you need yet, that’s okay! That’s part of what we’re here to help with. Tell us about your event, and we can help you work through the rental pieces and point out some of those easy-to-forget items along the way.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Forget the Little Event Rentals

The tent, tables and chairs may be the biggest pieces on your event rental checklist, but they’re rarely the whole order.

Linens, extra banquet tables, lighting, coolers, fans/heat and sidewalls aren’t necessarily the first things you think about when you start planning. And questions about trash, power and vendor needs may not come up until you really start working through the logistics.

You also don’t need to have every answer figured out before you contact an event rental company.

Part of our job is helping clients think through what their event actually needs. We work on backyard parties, corporate events, fundraisers, festivals, university events, weddings and everything in between, so we’ve seen a LOT of different rental lists over the years.

Sometimes it’s as simple as asking, “What is the DJ using for a table?” And suddenly there’s one more thing on the order!

Need Event Rentals in Massachusetts or New Hampshire?

Planning an event and not sure if you’re forgetting something? Tell us what you’re planning, approximately how many guests you’re expecting and where the event is happening.

The Baystate Tent & Party team can help you put together the event rentals that make sense for your event, from tents, tables, chairs and linens to lighting, flooring and the smaller pieces that are easy to overlook.

Contact Baystate Tent & Party to start planning your event rental order.