Relief From High-Heel Suffering
After a long Oscar night, host Seth MacFarlane's official after-party included a station from Tkees, which encouraged guests to check their heels (similar to the way they would at a coat check) and pick up a pair of flip-flops—in gold, appropriate to the occasion.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Shelter From Rain
Guests arriving at USA Network's event atop the High Line in New York last summer found a receiving line of umbrella-wielding staffers, who provided shelter all the way to the entrance of the covered bash.
Photo: David X Prutting/BFAnyc.com
Sun Protection at the Ready
At Lacoste's Coachella pool party in the blazing desert sun, cigarette-style girls, clad in Lacoste gear, passed Kiel's sun-protection products.
Photo: Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Lacoste
Wet Weather Accessories
When the weather unexpectedly turned sour at South by Southwest this year, ponchos from Warner Brothers served as protection from the rain as well as an opportunity to promote CW television series Arrow.
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved
Relaxing Hammocks
Bonnaroo attendees could relax in hammocks and enter to win V.I.P. passes in the "Great State Lounge" hosted by State Farm. The insurance company also provided what it called "Bonnaroo Roadside Assistance"—free services such as help with flat tires and dead batteries.
Photo: Erika Goldring
Yoga Sessions
At the WWD Beauty C.E.O. Summit in Palm Beach, yoga on branded mats on the lawn allowed guests to relax and unwind.
Photo: Sonja Garnitschnig
Hair Services for Grubby Festival-Goers
More than 80,000 people traveled to a remote 700-acre farm in Tennessee June 7 to 10 for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Knowing the attendees would be outside day and night listening music on multiple stages, brands such as Garnier Fructis provided practical services such as free hair-washing and styling in a 40- by 40-foot air-conditioned tent.
Photo: Erika Goldring
Hand Wipes and Toothpicks
Things tend to get messy at food festivals, tastings, and other events with lots of grub, so Delta provided toothpicks, hand wipes, and mints at the 2010 New York City Wine & Food Festival, a smart way to get the brand in front of attendees.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Convenient Transportation
During Upfront Week in New York last year, Turner Broadcasting held back-to-back late-night events and, to help transport guests from the Adult Swim party to the shindig for TruTV, provided a fleet of pedicabs offering free rides.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
Custom Fragrance Gifts
For a recent press event in Los Angeles, Paul Frank brought Starring Fragrances for a station that gave guests the chance to take home custom fragrances, made on the spot according to their individual tastes.
Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision for Saban Brands/AP Images
Easy, Stylish Phone-Charging Access
At the FN C.E.O. Summit in Miami, guests could charge their smartphones in a luxe lounge—a stylish, discreet solution to manage the task that everyone wants as a convenience at events. The centerpieces during the education sessions were framed instructions on how to reference the summit on social media and log on to the hotel's Wi-Fi network.
Photo: Javier Sanchez
Flip-Flop Takeaways
MSNBC also had a flip-flop station at its White House Correspondents' Association Dinner after-party, providing relief for folks who had been on their feet all evening.
Photo: Beth Kormanik/BizBash
On the first day of the conference, passed breakfast selections included smoked salmon on miniature bagels.
Photo: Gene X Hwang/Orange Photography
Guests also noshed on yogurt with fruit and granola. The miniature parfaits were passed on trays decked in cute, checkered napkins.
Photo: Gene X Hwang/Orange Photography
Other vendor-passed breakfast selections included compressed watermelon salad in cones, deviled eggs with bacon and smoked paprika, mini "St. Francis" quiches, assorted danishes, plus "super food" bubble smoothies in flavors such as pomegranate and honeydew.
Photo: Orange Photography
Colorful tubes held breakfast-smoothie shooters.
Photo: Natalie Jenks/Orange Photography
One server, dubbed the "Rocket Man," had a backpack filled with coffee.
Photo: Roar Events
Lunch on day one was served family-style and presented on a lazy Susan. Food options included assorted artisan rolls and pita triangles with hummus, olive tapenade, lemon thyme, and olive oil.
Photo: Gene X Hwang/Orange Photography
On the second day, guests sat down to a "Napa-style picnic lunch." Snack options included baskets of rolls, pitchers of pink lemonade, and Mason jars filled with cookies.
Photo: Natalie Jenks/Orange Photography
Day two had a packed schedule, so guests who couldn't sit down for lunch had a grab-and-go option.
Photo: Natalie Jenks/Orange Photography
Guests filled small bags with Bavarian pretzel sandwiches with roasted turkey, honey mustard, and spinach.
Photo: Natalie Jenks/Orange Photography
Grab-and-go options also included Mason jars filled with Italian pasta salad.
Photo: Natalie Jenks/Orange Photography
Lounge Furniture Rentals in Toronto
Tired of the all-white leather look? Leslee Bell of Decor & More is creating lounge areas with rental furniture that incorporates textured fabrics such as suede, chenille, herringbone, and wide whale corduroy, along with throw pillows featuring stripes, abstract patterns, and animal prints.
Photo: Courtesy of Decor & More
Vintage China Rentals in Toronto
Vintage China Hire offers an eclectic mix of vintage and antique tableware for events of as many as 120 people. Vintage China Hire has also partnered with Loic Gourmet to offer catered afternoon tea packages for a minimum of 12 people.
Photo: Courtesy of Vintage China Hire
Rustic Rentals in Toronto
Contemporary Furniture Rentals has a variety of items ideal for pulling off a rustic look, including barrel stave chandeliers, coffee and cocktail tables made from reclaimed wood, and its new Farmhouse dining chairs (pictured).
Courtesy of Contemporary Furniture Rentals
Modular Staging Systems in Washington
In an effort to prevent large staging and exhibit structures from ending up in landfills, Arlington, Virginia-based design firm Beth Singer Design has developed modular staging systems that can be reused, reconfigured, and resized. The portable, lightweight frames are easily customized with a variety of wrinkle-free fabric skins.
Photo: Courtesy of Beth Singer Design
San Francisco-Themed Centerpieces
Event planning company Well Rehearsed offers its ready-made Streets of San Francisco centerpiece collection for rent or purchase. The 10 reusable designs in the line incorporate some of San Francisco’s most iconic landmarks, imagery, and neighborhoods.
Photo: Sabine Scherer Photography
Media Display Rentals in San Francisco
Blueprint Studios rents a variety of modern display furnishings engineered to contain the latest technology, including media towers, coffee tables, and bars fit with LCD displays. The company’s Museo collection also includes its new iPad station that can be branded and customized.
Courtesy of Blueprint Studios
Vintage Rentals in San Diego
Rental company Archive Rentals has a showroom in San Clemente offering vintage items, handmade furnishings, and antiques for events. The company’s vintage Western- and camp-themed rentals (think reclaimed wood tables, picnic linens, horse tack, canoes, and retro Airstream trailers) are ideal for summer events.
Photo: Alesandra Dubin/BizBash
Floral Design in San Diego
Searching for modern-looking, green-minded centerpieces? Britton Neubacher-Caligure of Tend Living often eschews florals in favor of succulents, air plants, and cacti, to create organic-looking arrangements. Neubacher-Caligure also offers how-to workshops.
Photo: Scott Caligure Photography
Portable Pop-Up Rentals in Scottsdale
Scottsdale-based company BizBox offers solar-powered, portable pop-up buildings that can be used as mobile showrooms, food shops, retail stores, or tradeshow display centers. The sleek units can be purchased or leased, and feature glass walls, display panels, and a wraparound deck, all of which can be set up in about 20 minutes. The newest model features full-glass siding.
Photo: Courtesy of BizBox
Lamp Rentals in Scottsdale
The new SculptLamps from Scottsdale-based SculptWare can work as centerpieces or cocktail-table accents. Available to rent in two sizes—14 inch, $45, or 30 inch, $65—the lamps include remote-controlled LEDs that can glow in 13 colors.
Photo: J2PHOTO
LED-Lit Dance Floors in Arizona
Available to rent for events in Arizona starting at $9,000, Just Light That offers pressure-sensitive interactive LED-lit floors in sizes up to 24 by 32 feet that can be synced to music. The floors can also display logos, animated images, scrolling text, or static branding.
Photo: Courtesy of Just Light That
Modular Fabric Panels in Pennsylvania
Lititz, Pennsylvania-based production and scenic goods company Atomic Design has introduced its modular Buule and Laser panels. The 5-foot-wide fabric panels have zippers so you can customize the length and width of your backdrop. For easy shipping, a 50- by 30-foot drape fits in a 24-inch cardboard box that weighs 70 pounds.
Photo: Courtesy of Atomic Design
Unique Table Rentals in Orlando
Add a rock ’n’ roll vibe with tabletops from Max King Events that are made to look like acoustic and electric guitars. The tops can be used on 30- or 42-inch stands. The handcrafted tabletops are available in 12 designs. Prices start at $85.
Photo: Courtesy of Max King Events
Floral Design in New York
The Little Glass Slipper is a new floral shop in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, owned by Cary Pereyra, who creates arrangements that offer a dose of aromatherapy. Her creations can include botanicals like echinacea for a weak immune system or mood-boosting lavender for seasonal depression.
Photo: Courtesy of the Little Glass Slipper
Clear Table Rentals in New York
Taylor Creative Inc. is now carrying Kartell’s invisible coffee table. A match for Louis Ghost chairs, the sleek Lucite tables rent for $150 each, and there are 16 available. Also new to Taylor’s inventory: Kartell’s invisible dining tables.
Photo: Courtesy of Taylor Creative Inc.
Graffiti-Inspired Furniture Rentals in Miami
The new graffiti-inspired “Tag It” line from AFR Event Furnishings includes items such as leather sofas, chairs, acrylic tables, and ottomans that guests can permanently leave their mark on with Sharpies. The furniture items, which are for sale only, can be displayed in the office post-event.
Photo: Courtesy of AFR Event Furnishings
Colorful Plate Rentals in Miami
Atlas Party Rental carries a variety of new brightly colored dishes that can add a splash to tabletops. The eye-catching purple-and-turquoise Luxe charger (pictured) rents for $8.
Photo: Nadia Chaudhury/BizBash
Unique Centerpiece Design in Los Angeles
Little World Design specializes in sculptural, botanical objects and installations. Owners Heather Pando and Manuel Acosta favor long-lasting materials, like branches, seed pods, feathers, moss, stones, linen, and even real butterfly wings.
Photo: Manuel Acosta
Unique Table Rentals in Los Angeles
Holo-Walls offers interactive LED liquid tabletops filled with pressure-sensitive fluids that are designed to fit on 30-inch round cocktail tables. The illuminated, chrome-edged tiles are available to rent from $100 each; matching Liquid Fusion dance-floor tiles are also available, starting at $50 per tile.
Photo: Courtesy of Holo-Walls L.L.C.
Vintage China Rentals in Los Angeles
The Vintage Table Company offers vintage china, glassware, and flatware sourced from estates, thrift stores, and flea markets, for a completely mismatched tabletop look.
Photo: Wildflowers Photography
Unique Table Rentals in Los Angeles
Town and Country Event Rentals now offers the Cielo Blanco 4- by 8-foot dining table, available with custom fabric insets.
Photo: Courtesy of Town and Country Event Rentals
Linen Rentals in Las Vegas
California-based La Tavola Fine Linen Rental has opened its first Las Vegas showroom. The company offers 11 linen collections, as well as coordinating pieces, like napkins and seat cushions.
Photo: Sean Dagen
Rustic Tabletop Rentals in Houston
For place settings that tie into the rustic, all-natural trend, rent Swift & Company’s 500 new Capri wood chargers for $7 per piece. Crafted from reclaimed wood and made by hand in the company’s Houston workshop, the chargers’ patinas and distress marks make for a striking tabletop element.
Photo: Photography by Design
Lounge Rentals in Dallas
Event rental company Suite 206’s new Savile Row collection—from $55 to $350 for individual pieces—is inspired by the London street famous for its bespoke men’s tailoring shops. The masculine-looking furniture collection includes pieces such as the Wayly chair (pictured) and the tufted Ted settee in gray, silver, and black.
Photo: Courtesy of Suite 206
Rustic Rentals in Boston
New England Country Rentals is a full-service Boston-based event rental company. The inventory includes bars, lounge furniture, china, flatware, chairs, glassware, and vintage decor items, but the company specializes in rustic custom-made tables, chairs, and benches.
Photo: Kristin Teig Photography
At the Delegates Party during the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, Best Impressions Caterers displayed shrimp cocktail and seared ahi tuna on stainless-steel shelves.
Photo: Jay Weinmiller/weinmiller.com
At Target’s “Shops at Target” launch in New York, Creative Edge Parties served desserts on tiered rolling carts.
Photo: Anna Sekula/BizBash
During cocktail hour, guests at the American Heart Association’s Broward Heart Ball in Fort Lauderale could pick up food from a retro Automat-style machine.
Photo: Serendipity Studios
At the MSNBC party after the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Occasions Caterers served crisp bacon on tiny hooks attached to a metal structure.
Photo: Tony Brown/imijphoto.com
Pinch Food Design presented hors d’oeuvres on platters that hung from branded helium-filled balloons at the AOL Digital Content Newfront, the company’s April event introducing its new digital shows.
Photo: Phillip Angert
During a dinner at Stella McCartney’s SoHo store in January, guests dined at an AO Production-designed table that had a moat carved into the surface. The shallow channel was equipped with a conveyor belt that pulled floating toy boats holding food past seated guests.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Photo: Sarah Yates for Birds of a Feather
Photo: Courtesy of A Joy Wallace
