The most successful events feature a relaxed, outgoing host or hostess, yet planning an event can be anything but relaxing. To ensure that you will enjoy your event as much as your guests, it’s essential to be prepared. Keep yourself calm and organized with checklists of things you need to do and items you need to assemble. Remember to check with a party rental company serving Annapolis as far in advance as possible to ensure you can reserve the party rental supplies you want.

Begin Planning Early

As a busy host, early planning is essential for minimizing your party-related stress. If possible, choose a date that is at least a few months away from the date you begin planning. If you’re planning a wedding, you’ll likely want a year or longer to plan. When you begin planning, create a timeline of when you should have certain steps accomplished. For example, choose a deadline for finalizing your party rental arrangements and mark off a day on your calendar to send out the invitations. If you plan to invite guests who must make travel arrangements to arrive at your event, then you should send out save the date cards about six to nine months before the date. Several months before the event, you should follow these cards with a formal invitation that contains the details. On the other hand, if you’re planning a holiday celebration, fundraiser, or corporate gala, a notice of a couple of months should be sufficient.

Keep Organized Records

Losing the guest list, seating chart, or party rental agreement will only add to your stress. Prevent these problems by keeping all of your to-do lists, notes, and other documents in one folder or binder. If you wish to be especially well-organized, you can separate the documents in your folder into two sections: One with finalized arrangements and the other with to-do items.

Select Party Rental Items

From dining sets to décor and serving platters to candelabras, you run the risk of going over budget if you try to purchase these items outright. It’s financially prudent and beneficial for your stress levels to contact a party rental company for everything your event will need.

It’s always best to plan holiday parties well in advance, especially if you would like to arrange a large gathering of guests or if you prefer formal affairs. There are many questions you must answer during the planning process and many details to consider—from the color of table linens you’ll use to the number of chair rentals you’ll need. Fortunately, choosing rental equipment for a party in Washington, D.C. makes your planning process much more efficient.

Who will I be inviting?

Developing your guest list should be among your first steps to take. You’ll need to finalize the guest list before you can identify the right venue or make decisions about rental equipment. Consider whether you’ll allow your invited guests to bring a “plus one.” Mail out invitation cards well in advance and make it easy for your guests to RSVP by suggesting that they email their response. Be sure to set an RSVP deadline to allow you enough time to hammer out the details of your event.

Am I planning a sit-down dinner?

Once you’ve decided on your guest list, you’ll need to consider the nature of your holiday party. Are you planning a formal sit-down dinner or a casual get-together? Whichever option you choose, you’ll likely want to arrange for the party to be catered. Meet with several caterers in your area to discuss your event. They can suggest menu options for you to consider. Once you have worked out the details of the catering, you can contact a party rental supply company to reserve all of the necessities. At the very least, you’ll need flatware, glassware, and serving platters. You may also wish to rent elegant dessert stands, particularly if you’re planning a holiday buffet. Champagne and wine buckets are practically a must, along with crystal punch bowls. Coordinate with your caterer to find out which dining items you’ll be renting.

What entertainment options should I arrange?

Entertainment is the highlight of every successful holiday party. By renting a dance floor, you can invite your guests to let loose and celebrate. If you plan to arrange live entertainment, you may also need to rent a platform for the musicians.

Are you looking into your options for party rentals serving Annapolis for your upcoming event? If so, then it’s important to think about the theme of your party before making any final decisions about your table linens, flatware, and rental equipment . Selecting a party theme involves the consideration of several factors.

First, if you already know what dishes and drinks you’d like to serve at your event, then try building your theme around your menu. Next, think about the details that would be needed for any theme that you’re considering, and then decide whether you have the time and budget to accommodate them. If you’re unsure whether your guests would like the party idea that you’ve been considering, then factor in their interests and try to choose something in which all or most of them would be interested. Finally, don’t be shy about thinking outside of the box, because you can build a party around just about any theme that you can imagine.

When planning a party, choosing to get rental equipment is a smart way to organize a relaxed and fun event. However, if you’re preparing to host a party, then you have more to consider than renting tables, flatware, and glassware near Washington, D.C. Watch this video for tips on being a good party host.

Select guests that will get along, but who are likely to develop lively conversations with one another. If you’re expecting any children to come to your party, then move your breakable items into safer locations. Also, choose food options that are suitable for the event, but that can also be made in advance. Finally, ensure that your guests are introduced and provided with a drink within a few minutes of their arrival.

Winter weddings are beautiful and majestic. However, they may take a little extra planning than a wedding in spring or summer. Your winter wedding may require renting heaters, reserving a backup venue, and bundling up in the winter weather. Thankfully, you can still have a beautiful and joyous wedding experience with the right planning and party rentals in Baltimore . Here is your brief guide to planning a winter wedding:

Invite your guests well in advance.

Winter is one of the busiest traveling times of the year because of the many holidays people celebrate. If you want certain people at your wedding, or you want a big wedding, then send out your invites early. Give your guests plenty of notice to plan their travel times, holiday parties, and work schedules around your wedding.

Advise your guests on winter wear.

Even if you have guests predominantly living in the same location of the wedding, you still need to inform them of the weather conditions. Your guests need to know whether they should be bundling up for an outdoor ceremony and reception, or if they can get away with a light jacket for an indoor event. Keep checking on the weather, and remind your guests as the date gets closer.

Secure a backup wedding venue.

Especially in the Maryland and D.C. areas, you must be prepared for snow, freezing temperatures, and other weather conditions that may thwart your wedding plans. With weather in mind, keep a backup wedding venue in reserve. If your ceremony or reception are located outside, then you absolutely must have a backup venue in case it is too cold for guests, and yourself, to comfortably enjoy the event.

Reserve your rental equipment early.

Due to winter being such a busy time, it is crucial that you reserve your rental equipment as early as possible. Other people will be planning holiday parties, so you need to ensure you have all of your serving platters, china, table, and chair rentals booked and under contract. Consider reserving other rentals as well, such as a dance floor, heaters, and various table linens.

Part of planning your wedding reception means you have to merge the two families and friends through a seating chart. There are many resources to help with this task, including your party rental company. Your rental company can help with renting china, chairs, and table rentals near Baltimore , so be sure to ask for advice when you need it.

Make the Chart Simple

This is your wedding, and you already have a multitude of other concerns running through your head. There is no point in stressing over a seating chart when many of your guests will not stay in their seats throughout the reception. If you have a lot of mixed groups or a large venue, it is helpful to have a simple seating chart, but do not go out of your way to make sure certain guests sit next to or stay away from other guests. They won’t be sitting in their seats for much longer than the dinner and toasts, so there is no need to take a long time planning the seating chart.

Think About the Table Space

When planning out your seating chart, you need to know the amount of table and chair rentals that your venue will hold. You also need the size and shape of the tables to help determine the seating chart. Table rentals, whether they are circular or rectangular, can typically hold six to twelve chairs. Depending on the number of guests you have and the size of the venue, you will have to determine how many guests can sit comfortably at one table. Speak with your rental company and your venue for advice on seating space.

Assign Tables, Not Seats

There is little need to assign specific seats for your guests. Instead, assign a group of guests to a table number and they can figure out where to sit at the table. The only time you may consider assigning seats is when your guests have dietary restrictions or each guest has ordered from a predetermined menu.

When picking a wedding location and date, you should consider what kind of rental equipment you will need . Renting in Annapolis does not need to be a difficult affair; just consider the time of year your wedding will be, and how much certain venues and items may cost.

As you can see in the short video, there is no right or wrong date or location to have a wedding. However, try to consider your guests and their availability. Just before holiday weekends can be a good time, but be aware of rental equipment availability. Depending on the holiday, many companies might be renting out their serving platters and table rentals for the weekend, so be sure to book early.