Throwing a holiday party? 15 tips for saving time and money
Need to cook two turkeys for 35 people but have only one oven? Perhaps you can rent a second. Hosts’ options in party rental gear keep expanding, and even basics, such as tables, chairs, plates and glasses, might be easier or less expensive to rent than to borrow or buy. Here are 15 things for the party planner to keep in mind.
Having your order dropped off at home saves time and sanity. The Pico delivery fee is $65. Town & Country, which has showrooms in Pasadena, Van Nuys and Santa Barbara, will deliver for $99.50 with a $300 order. Delivery fees generally include setup of equipment and pickup. You can expect a Monday through Wednesday drop-off for a Thanksgiving order, with pickup on Friday or Saturday. Side benefit: Less party clutter before and after the big event.
(Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)An 8-foot-long table can seat 10, but it likely won’t be wide enough to set down serving dishes. When the cost is about $9 per table, why not just order an extra to use as a buffet? The other issue: room planning. “People think they can fit 20 people into a dining room that fits eight,” said Brenda Collosi of Town & Country. “This is the most frustrating thing for clients during the holidays.” Figure out if you need to rearrange a room, and note that most delivery people are not allowed to move furniture.
(Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)Town & Country’s Brenda Collosi suggests three glasses per person because guests tend to drink different wines or lose track of their glass. (Face it, those wineglass charms don’t work once the party starts rolling.) Yes, you could buy cheap glassware from Ikea, but then what? Renting gives you the option of one all-purpose glass or different sizes and shapes for red wine, white wine, Champagne or water. The breakage fee for a wine glass is usually about $2.50. The rent-extras rule also applies to place settings. “It’s better to have extras for people who might stop by,” Collosi said.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)Perhaps the best part of renting is that plates, glasses, cutlery and linens do not have to be washed before they are returned. When the party’s over and the last guest has left, simply rinse tableware, put it back in the plastic crates for pickup and toast your savvy party planning.
(Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)