Party Planning Guide

Everything you need to know to help plan the perfect party

Canopies & Tents

We currently carry canopies and tents from 10’ x 10’ up to 40’ x 80’. A canopy is a lightweight structure, used to protect against sun and light rain. It does not protect against heavy rain. It can be installed by the homeowner, or by our party staff. A tent is a heavier duty structure, design to withstand more severe elements. It is a complex frame system that must be installed by our party staff. Tents can accommodate sides, for further protection against unpleasant weather and cold.

Canopies and tents can be installed on a grassy area, in a parking lot, in a warehouse, etc. They can be used for parties, wedding ceremonies, business meetings, fund-raisers… whatever your event may be. Mention any unusual conditions, so our staff can accommodate your needs.

When deciding on the right size structure for your event, several factors need to be considered. How many people will be attending? Will food be served buffet-style? Do you need a dance floor? As a general rule, for a seated dinner, you will need
10-12 sf per person, without the extras. For example, a 20’ x 20’ tent will accommodate about 40 people. Then figure in the other items. Multiple tents can be used separately or joined together to make a variety of configurations. Call with your specific needs and we can let you know which size tent is best for your event.  

Tent Accessories

Now that you have decided which size structure you will be using, you can look at other accessories that will compliment your tent and fill other needs. We have a whole line of tent sidewalls, lighting, heaters, fans and generators. Consider the time of day, weather and location to see if these items are needed.

Our sidewalls come in a “French-window” look, all white or clear-span sections. These attach to the frame system of the tent. They come in 20’ or 30’ lengths and go around corners. You can enclose an entire tent or just a portion of it.

We offer a wide variety of lighting to meet your needs. Do you want to light the entire tent or just have an ambiance glow? We have flood lights, chandeliers, globe lights and rope lights (similar to Christmas lights). These can be installed many different ways to get the look you want. No electricity at your site? Not a problem. We have generators in a variety of sizes.

If it is cold or hot outside, we can help with that! We have two sizes of propane tent heaters to accommodate the size tent you choose. We also have fans to help with those warm summer days. They come in a variety of sizes to meet your needs.

When entertaining outside in cooler weather- on a patio or deck- consider a Patio Heater to help warm things up. They need to be used in an open area with complete overhead clearance. They run on a 20lb propane tank and need no electricity. It’s a great, inexpensive way to add another space to party.

Tables & Chairs

Depending on the type of event you are having, we have several varieties of tables and chairs to choose from. The type of event will help determine the best seating arrangements.

Our tables come in many sizes and shapes. Round tables help to keep the conversation flowing. Rectangular tables are better for events that have a presentation your guests need to watch. Round tables give a more elegant look. Rectangular tables can be arranged in many ways to meet your needs.

There are some general guidelines you can follow to determine how many tables will fit under the size tent you have chosen. For round tables, allow 54” between tables for chair space and food service. An easy formula is to divide the square footage of the tent by 10 for maximum seating (Example: a 20’x20’ tent is 400 sf. Divide 400 by 10. The tent will seat a maximum of 40 people with round tables. You can place four 6 foot round tables seating 10 people each under that size tent).  Rectangular tables need about 60” for back to back seating (Example: a 20’x20’ tent is 400 sf. Divide 400 by 8. The tent will seat a maximum of 50 people with rectangular tables. You can place six 8 foot rectangular tables under that size tent).

New to our table line are Adjustable Height Cocktail Tables. They are 36” diameter and adjust to 30”, 36” and 42” heights. They can be used as intimate seating or as a tall cocktail table. For a different buffet idea, cluster three together at each of the heights for tiered serving.

Our chairs are strong folding chairs with molded plastic seat and back with a steel-tube frame. You can choose standard beige or white.

Event Essentials

The tent size has been determined; the amount of tables and chairs you need have been figured out; lighting, heating, generators, sidewalls- they have all been ordered. Now you need to fill the tent with all the little essentials that make an event special.

Those tables need to be covered! We have a whole line of linens in just about every shape, size and color you can imagine! We, also, have napkins, chair covers, table runners- all that you need to set the perfect table. Let your imagination & creativity go wild to create your unique party look.

When having a head table at a wedding, buffet tables for food and beverage, display tables for business or trade shows- anything you need a more formal look for- we have table skirts in many colors that can be added to the linens. For a more modern look away from the traditional skirting- we have oversized one piece linens that go to the floor. Same idea- but with a clean, contemporary look.

For those times when linens aren’t the best choice for table coverings, we have a great alternative. They are disposable custom fit covers, made of a PVC plastic with elastic all around. They form fit to the top of the table. They won’t blow away and can be wiped clean. They are perfect for informal or outdoor parties and events with scattered seating times. You can choose from many sizes and colors.

Need extra trash cans? We have a great disposable alternative for sale. 

Need an archway for that special wedding entrance?  We have that!

How about a bar for beverage serving? We have a portable bar for easy set-up.

Want to have a little fun at your event? Consider adding one or more of our entertainment items for young and old alike. We have moonbounce, dunk tank, trampoline, Pitchburst Ballon game, miniature golf, basketball and sports toss.

Are you having a guest speaker, music or a presentation at your event? We have 100 and 200 watt sound systems, cordless microphones, overhead projectors- even a multi-media projector.

Where there is music, there needs to be a place to dance! We have dance flooring available in oak or a wood-look plastic. The oak flooring needs to be in a covered area or outside on a dry day. The wood-look plastic can withstand moisture. Each style comes in a 3’ x 3’ section and should be installed on a perfectly level area. If placed on grass, our flooring system is required for under the dance floor. When deciding the right size dance floor, you should figure about 4-5 sf per person. A 12’x15’ dance floor will comfortably provide for 36-45 dancers at once.

Speaking of flooring systems- we now have a great flooring system that can be used for many situations. It is made of a hard black colored plastic, in 6”x24” inter-locking sections. Each piece has skid resistance and a hole drainage system, so it can be used in any weather condition. Use it under tents, over dirt, grass or gravel,  create a temporary patio area- whatever your needs.

Food Preparation

No event is ever complete without the best part- the food! We help make the food preparation easier with some essential cooking items.

Storing food at the event site or by the cooking area is safer with the proper equipment. We have a portable 4.5 cu ft top-open freezer to store meat, ice cream or any other item you need to keep frozen until cooking or serving time. There are two sizes of refrigerators- a full size with an freezer and a “dorm-size”- as well as keg and picnic coolers, to keep food and drinks the right temperature until they are needed.

We have a variety of cooking sources, depending on your menu. Our grills are large to serve a big event. Charcoal grills are 5ft long and propane grills are 6ft long. The propane grill comes with a 40lb propane tank, which should be enough for about 8 hours of use.
We have single burner propane cookers that can hold large cooking pots or pans. We have large steaming pots and clam pots that can be used on top of the burner. Our hot dog steamer is electric and can cook up to 110 hot dogs at one time, as well as steam a couple dozen buns to go with them.

To help make your party run smoother, we have added an Insulated Pan Carrier to our Food Preparation line. It does not need electricity. Whatever you put in, it keeps it at that temperature until you open the door and serve. Cold foods stay cold. Hot foods stay hot. You can even carry it to another location. Prepare the food at home, then bring it to the party site. This item is great for Holiday meals, as well. Cook the food, clean up the kitchen, then sit down and enjoy a hot meal!

After all that food, you will need some coffee to go with dessert. We have a variety of coffee pots in 24, 55 and 101 cup sizes, as well as a 2 pot automatic drip stainless steel coffee station and pump pots. The pump pots hold about 2 liters of hot or cold beverages without using electricity. Just fill the pots and sit them on the table for easy self service.

Fun Food Equipment

Some events may need a little surprise fun food for the younger guests, as well as the older guests who still like to have fun! We have several great products for you to choose from.

New to our fun food line is a Chocolate Fountain! This is sure to be a hit at any event for any age- weddings, children’s parties, anniversaries, family reunions- anywhere you want to see instant smiles on people’s faces! The unit we have is a small version. It comes with a 7 pound tub of chocolate that is included in the price. It is a special blend of chocolate that is made for fountains- and is delicious! As a general rule, this amount should feed about 80 people. However, this is just a general rule- each event is different.

Another favorite new item is a frozen drink machine! It makes frozen ice-y drinks in a wide variety of flavors. The machine has two separate containers, each holding about 3 gallons each, so you can serve more than one type. You can make kid-friendly flavors such as kola, orange creamsickle, blue raspberry and cherry. Then, there are the more adult-friendly margarita, pina-colada and strawberry daiquiri.

Everybody loves popcorn! We have added a new unit to our Fun Food line-  an Old Fashion Popcorn Cart! It is a freestanding model, bright red with 1920’s detailing. It makes a great addition to any party. We have Popcorn Paks and Bags available for purchase. The Popcorn Paks contain everything you need to pop- oil, salt, butter flavoring. Each pak makes about 12 bags of popped corn.

Sno Cones are great anytime of the year, but especially on warm summer days! All you need are ice cubes and a little pressure on the handle and you have snow! Add one of our several flavors- and that’s it! The concentrated flavor paks come in several flavors, such as cherry, grape, orange or root beer- or use our frozen drink mixes for a great adult version!

When you think of fun foods, the first thing to come to mind is Cotton Candy! We have an easy to use unit with all the supplies you need- Sugar Floss and Paper Cones. Couldn’t be simpler! Each container of floss yields about 65 cones. Cherry Berry, anyone?! Or how about Boo Blueberry?

Serving Essentials

When having an event- be it a party, wedding, business meeting, etc- presentation of the food is very important. It can change an event from a casual party to an elegant occasion. Whichever way you want to go, we can provide all the serving items you need to make it a memorable event.

Your table setting can go from simple to elegant just by adding china, flatware and stemware. Our china pattern is a classic white plate with gold trim. It comes in a 10” plate, a 7” salad/dessert plate, a 7” bowl, a cup and saucer. There are also serving pieces, which include an oval meat platter, vegetable bowls, a creamer and sugar bowl. The flatware is stainless steel and comes in a dinner knife, dinner fork, salad/dessert fork, tablespoon and teaspoon, as well as serving pieces. For stemware, we have a short wine glass (best for red wine), tall wine glass (great as an all-purpose wine glass or for white wine), a champagne flute and a stemmed water/all-purpose glass. We, also, have glass serving pitchers.  As an alternative to these items, we carry a disposable line of plates, flatware and glasses. The plates are not your typical paper products. They look just like real china and etched glass plates, but can be disposed of after use (no clean up!) The flatware looks exactly like silverware until you touch them. They are plastic! For glasses, we have plastic specialty glasses such as Margarita and Smoothie.

Another item that adds elegance and fun is a champagne fountain. You do not need to serve champagne to enjoy this great piece. It can accommodate children’s fruit punch, iced tea, wine or other adult beverages. It comes in your choice of aluminum (which holds 3 gallons) or gold (which holds 2.5 gallons).

When serving your food buffet style, there are several food warmers/chafing dishes to meet your needs. The larger 8 and 9 quart units come in a polished or brushed finish, with either a full or split pan. The split pan allows you to serve more choices with fewer warmers. There is also a 4 quart round chafing dish, which is great for sauces, vegetables and side dishes, or for warm desserts such as cobblers. The warmers will need sterno fuel, which we can provide. Each one should last about 2 hours. The larger units need 2 cans, the round uses one.

When serving your buffet dinner, do not forget to have plenty of serving utensils on hand. We have gravy ladles, meat forks, pastry servers, solid & slotted spoons, spatulas and tongs.