Take your party to the next level with our portable bars

More great news for customers looking to rent a classy looking, fully functional bar for their next party, wedding or corporate event. We have purchased several LaCrosse Stow-Away Portable Bars (and supporting an awesome Wisconsin business at the same time!)

The bar transports easily and includes a whole host of options to meet your bartending needs:

• Heavy gauge, black vinyl clad aluminum exterior and bar surfaces
• Stainless steel work surfaces
• Stainless steel ice bin with drain that holds up to 95 lbs of ice
• 24” removable stainless steel speed rail
• Undermount shelf for storage

Perfect for the aspiring mixologist to impress his or her friends at a backyard party or for professional bartenders at your wedding or large event.

Here is a video showing all the features!

Elite Tent Rentals featured in Company Magazine

Elite Tent Rentals is proud to be featured in the April issue of Company Magazine – a local business publication in Green Bay and the surrounding areas. The article provides background as to how we got into the tent rental business (spoiler alert – it has something to do with Shark Tank) and highlights our growth over the past 2 years in the event rental industry.

Practical Uses for Layout Designs

In wrapping up our Design Layout series, we wanted to provide useful reasons why we so strongly endorse the use of Social Tables to see your event unfold!

Besides the practical use of spacial placement – layout designs can be helpful for so many other reasons.  The 2-D and 3-D renderings that Social Tables provides are instrumental in event planning from beginning to end.  Below are just a few of the most popular reasons clients love the use  of our layout designs:

1) Seating Chart Assignments

2) Vendor Setup Instructions — vendors are able to more easily know where placement of items go which eliminates headaches and last minute changes

3)  Service Guide — provides a guide for your service staff in delivering plated dishes and specialized service to VIP guests

4) Vendor Input and Management — allows all vendors to see the vision of the event and to provide input prior to the day-of set up

5)  Increases clear communication among all parties which increases efficiency — the layout is available and therefor everyone is on the same page, limiting questions and instructions

6)  Helps justify budget – once you can visually see where your money is going, it puts every purchase in to perspective

The list could be endless but one thing is for sure — Social Tables provides a better guest experience and eliminates the headaches that so many brides and event planners share.  We can promise you won’t regret seeing your event rendered!

Using Social Tables – 3D Renderings

For the second installment in our Social Tables series, we will take the 2-D layout images and transform them into 3-D. Having a 3-D image allows you to visualize what the event will truly look like upon entering the tent.  Often we find that this is when revisions are made as seeing space in 3-D form is much different than viewing tables on paper.  The best part is that it’s not too late at this point in the planning to make these revisions.  With Elite Tent Rentals, you have up until 10 days prior to your event to add or subtract from your order as well as to change your tent needs!  Keep in mind, that we need to have the inventory to accommodate these requests but the use of Social Tables catches these changes much sooner in the process. The images below show a true depiction of the layouts that we previously made for a 100 guest, sit-down event.  The 3-D renderings feature a tent over a round table layout as well as a layout with 8-foot banquet tables.

Our software allows you to do walk-throughs of the event and viewings from all angles of the room.

In our final blog in the series, we will talk about the next steps and how brides and event coordinators can maximize the layout through Social Tables for more than just visual spacing.

Social Tables – Using our Design Software

One of the amazing advantages of using Elite Tent Rentals for your event is the ability to see your event layout before the day of the event. We are proud to be able to offer a service that allows you to look at your vision as it unfolds. Through the use of Social Tables, we are able to put together a floor plan that can be emailed to you directly and is editable throughout the planning process.

The first step in the layout process is gathering information about the day.  I like to refer to it as your “wish list”.  This information includes how many guests you plan on inviting, what kind of tables you have them seated at, what other items you envision having under the tent and the aesthetic that you want to achieve that day.  Based on that information, we begin to render a layout that fits these wishes.

As an example, for an event hosting 100 guests plus a dance floor, DJ and a bar area – a simple layout has been put together showing both the use of banquet tables vs round tables.  This layout allows you to conceptualize the day and how it will flow under the tent from an aerial view.   The template is only a starting point.  Changes and revisions can be made easily to enhance your vision of the day.

Having a snapshot of the layout is not only great for visualizing your use of space — this snapshot can also be a guide for wedding coordinators, servers, vendor setup instructions and even seating charts.

In our next blog post, we’ll be discussing the next step in the rendering process.  Taking the 2-D image – adding a tent – and viewing it as a 3-D image.

Laying Out Your Tent

Most of our clients have never planned an event under a tent, wedding or otherwise, and it can be hard to envision the final product.  Luckily we fully understand, we are equipped to help, and most importantly we really enjoy doing so.

Here are the steps we go through together in order to size your tent, lay out your event, and turn your vision into reality.

1.  Determine how many people you expect, what type of seating you prefer, and any extras you want under the tent (dance floor, stage, buffet lines, cocktail area, etc.).  You do not need to know concrete answers for all of these decisions right now but a general “wish list” helps us recommend tent size, which is the first piece of the puzzle.  For banquet tables, we typically recommend about 10 square feet per seated guest, and then for round tables we suggest 12-14 square feet per seated guest.

2.  Using our lay out software we create a rough draft mock up of one or two possible options based on your initial “wish list.”  All layouts are sized to scale so that all extras are represented exactly how they would fit in the given tent space.

Two examples of this are below.

3.   We work through all the changes with you to fine tune the lay out.  We can meet in person or pass emails back and forth depending on your schedule and what works best for you.

4.  Once we feel we are close to the final product we use our advanced layout software to create a 3D image of the space.  This software give us the opportunity to do a 3D walk through of the tent giving you the best possible idea of how you and your guests feel in the space.

A  screen shot of the overhead view of this advanced layout software is below.

5.  At this point we make any last changes needed, edit the layout, and finalize the plans.  This would also be a great point to bring in any other event planners, decorators, or florists (if they haven’t looked at the layout already) to get everyone on the same page.

6.  Turn all of our hard work and planning into reality.

One thing to always keep in mind is that we are here to help.  Everyone’s vision and event is different and the great part about tents is that they work as a blank canvas for you to make your own.  We love trying new layouts and are not afraid of something different or out of the box.

Frame Tent vs Pole Tent?

When planning your outdoor event needing a tent is a given, but what type of tent is the best option for your vision to match the end product?  Do not have a clear vision in mind yet?  Let’s start with some general questions to help get to that point.

1.  What type of event are you planning?  If it’s a wedding, is it for the ceremony, reception, or both?
2. What type of ground will the tent being going on?  (Grass, sand, asphalt, blacktop, etc.)
3. Other than guests, what would you like under the tent?  This would be anything from tables and chairs to a stage with a band.  Remember to be specific and list out everything you envision.  This list doesn’t have to be concrete but everything under the tent requires space and planning for these items is important to making sure the size and style is the right fit.

Next let’s discuss the basic differences between our two styles of tents.

Classic tent look and feel	No Center poles
Center Poles located in the middle providing the structured tent peak(s)	Aluminum Framework in the ceiling of the tent provides structure and support
No Tent liner needed	Flexibility to go on any type of ground
Lower rental costs	Can be weighted down instead of staked
Shorter set up and take down time	Easier for planning the tent layout and flow
Most popular for use on grass or other areas where we can stake

Both type of tents must be anchored to be safely installed – however if staking isn’t an option, you would want to select a frame tent.

There isn’t always are a right or wrong tent option, sometimes basic personal preference is the biggest deciding factor and we are here to help with that.  The best thing you can do is ask questions and do not be afraid to be specific with your event vision.  A tent, whether Pole or Frame, is really a blank canvas to make your own and our experience can turn your vision into something your guest will not forget.

Popular wedding layouts

We always get asked questions about the best table, chair and dance floor layout for different sized tents from brides and grooms. So, we thought we would post a few of our favorites to get the creative juices flowing. We can use these as a starting point for your wedding – or we are happy to customize something! Just let us know.

40×60 with mix of rounds and banquet tables, dance floor, DJ table and buffet lines ~ 180 guests

180 guest layout with rounds and banquet tables

40×80 with King’s Table, mix of banquet and round tables, buffet lines and sweetheart table (SH) ~ 240 guests

40×80 with King’s Table

40×80 with a mix of banquet and round tables, buffet lines and head table ~ 275 guests

40×80 with a mix of banquet and round tables, buffet lines and head table ~ 275 guests

40×100 with a mix of banquet and round tables plus buffet lines, bar and head table

40×100 with a mix of banquet and round tables plus buffet lines, bar and head table

40×100 with a mix of banquet and round tables plus head table, DJ, dance floor and cocktail tables

40×100 with a mix of banquet and round tables plus head table, DJ, dance floor and cocktail tables