Planning an event requires extreme attention to detail and excellent organizational skills. With many elements involved and fluctuating timelines, organizational skills will be taken to the next level. You may wonder when the right time to rent tables and chairs for a party is. When event planners or brides contact us, we know time is of the essence! We’re sharing what you should have in place before building your wishlist and when the right time is to book any of your event rentals.
The Checklist
It’s time to look for the right vendors! What do you need for your event? Catering? Bar service? There are so many different elements to think about. We love giving recommendations if you need help figuring out where to start! Everything from live muralists to catering—we’ve got you covered.
To keep it all on track, start by creating a checklist of all the pieces that need to be in place before event day—including the dates each element needs to be confirmed. We’re talking at least a year-long timeline if it’s a major conference or festival. For smaller events, give yourself at least six months. This way, you have ample time to reach out to vendors and can anticipate a bit of back & forth before committing.
The Budget
The budget is a vital piece of your event that needs to be set in stone (aka a set amount you’re willing to spend) before you move forward. We suggest creating a spreadsheet with every possible expense as a line item. Include two columns, one for “Budgeted Expenses” and another for “Actual Expenses,” to account for what you were prepared to spend versus what the element costs. Include a column for payment dates—the last thing you want is to pay more in fees because you missed a deadline.
If you don’t know what things cost, contact some of your preferred vendors and ask for estimates! In the estimate, you’ll have what’s included in the price and begin to see the average cost of your venue, caterer, and event rental options. Be sure to prioritize your budget by what you value! For example, if you want people to do a double take at your florals, there may have to be a little give in the catering department.
The Venue
It is strongly advised to have your venue confirmed before falling in love with specific rentals, as the event space dictates what you’ll need. If you have a venue in mind but want to visualize the space before committing, please get in touch with us! We’re happy to create a custom design board for you so you can see how things will come together. We also have ready-to-view lookbooks for a few of our favorite Austin venues to help you picture how it will all come to life.
Event Rentals
The event rentals you’ll need can include tables, chairs, lounges, decor, and tabletop pieces—anything that the venue does not provide but that you’ll want in order to put on a memorable event.
Key pieces to consider renting:
- Wedding arch or backdrop
- Tables
- Chairs
- Lounge furniture
- Cocktail tables
- Dessert tables
- Display tables
- Photo booth backdrop
In terms of when to book event rentals, know that some of our best-renting pieces, like the Ramos Bar, Old Pal Chairs, and Sazerac Sofa, are often booked out more than two months in advance. We suggest booking at least 3-4 months before your event. While we have multiple of these rentals, we want you to have plenty of options and not be limited by what has already been spoken for. If you’re eyeing our pieces, start building your Moontower Wishlist 4 months or more before the event. We suggest booking earlier during the busy season (late February to May and early September to the beginning of December). If you’re in a bind, we’re happy to try to accommodate your last minute—you’d be surprised at what we can pull together!
We hope you’re more comfortable creating your event checklist and setting your budget. Hopefully, after reading this, you will be less stressed about when to rent tables and chairs for your party. If not, reach out! We’re always ready to get this party started: info@moontowerrentals.com.
