I'm throwing a bridal shower for a friend in April. I'm expecting around 25 people, and I was thinking about renting supplies. Do you have any tips or recommendations?
Janette R. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and party planner extraordinaire, Melissa Haggerty from Spectacular, Spectacular answered;
The Dilemma: You’ve decided to host a party and suddenly so many people have said yes, you don’t have enough margarita glasses for sipping or forks for guests to sample that yummy potato salad you’ve worked so hard on!
The Solution: Rent It! In every major city across this country (as well as many not-so-major cities), there are companies with more wares than you could ever imagine to help with hosting parties of any size. And did I mention they also do the washing up?!! Yes, they take away the dirty dishes… that, in itself, is enough reason for me.
- Lead-time varies. Clearly if you need a lot of one thing, it’s best to get your order in early. Otherwise, in my experience, most companies can accommodate last-minute, panic orders quite easily.
- Lastly, it’s always best to try and ‘buy local.’ Delivery charges vary (and often fluctuate with the cost of gasoline); companies tend to charge based on the distance from their warehouse to your event. To save a few dollars, you can pick up and drop off yourself, but in my world, that tends to be one more thing I’d rather not worry about!
Here’s a list of some of the best companies to rent from. Whether it’s glasses, ice tubs or standing heaters for your balcony, most of these places have enormous variety to choose from. I created this list based on value, selection and the always-crucial customer service:
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Montreal: |
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Vancouver: |
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Based in Toronto, Melissa Haggerty is the Principal Wedding & Party Planner at one of the country's most creative and sought-after Event Planning firms. See examples of their award-winning work at: www.SpectacularSpectacular.ca
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