InTents June/July 2021 - 26

weather-anything to make the outdoors
more comfortable.
For all their events, weddings included,
Chughtai says her two companies
are seeing an emphasis on creative
guest-spacing strategies, devising
imaginative furniture layouts to help
accomplish this. As such, she anticipates
innovative seating chart signage and
seating styles to be among the hot accessories
this year, along with fun ways
to include remote virtual guests.
Isbell says Celebrations! strives to
A nighttime view of the Anchor Aurora
sailcloth tent installed by Tents for Rent on
a basketball court. Cafe lights and a white
dance fl oor, also provided by the company,
beautifully illuminate the celebrants. Photo
courtesy of Tents for Rent LLC; Jim Batty.
taking, renting more spacious structures
(sailcloths are popular choices) for small
guest counts.
" We're not seeing most customers opt
for any COVID mitigation options this
year, " he says, adding that last year, open
walls and wash stations were common
rental requests. " We're offering a full refund
if there are cancellations or changes
due to COVID. This gives customers the
conidence to order early. I don't see
any major changes in the types of tents
ordered for weddings. "
Isbell says Celebrations! has made tent
walls from mesh to encourage airlow.
Because there has been strong demand
from hospitals, restaurants, gyms and
others for small-to-mid-sized tents, he
says the company has had to get creative
when tents are needed for weddings and
other events so no one goes without.
" Our main focus for wedding tents
that doesn't cut into our main tenting
inventory is the sailcloth or the
Tidewater®
series tents, " Isbell says.
" These are absolutely beautiful and ideal
for weekend events and weddings. "
He also expects demand for accessories
like privacy dividers, sanitation stations,
mobile restrooms and outdoor kitchens to
be stronger than usual, as well as misters
and polar coolers in the summer and
patio heaters and ire pits during colder
24 intents june-july 2021
educate customers on how to ensure
their guests have fun while still staying
safe and following whatever guidelines/
restrictions are in place at the time of the
event, for example, showing them how
to follow table-spacing plans or where to
locate protective barriers.
A Day in May is also staying on top of
the requirements-challenging in an environment
where COVID-19 restrictions
are constantly in lux, says Fritz. Those in
effect when planning the wedding could
shift to something else entirely at the
time of the event. But as she observes,
when people are choosing to get married
in the time of a pandemic, they're choosing
to accept change. Even so, Fritz is " really
happy " clients are able to celebrate in
the capacity they're able to. It's just nice
to be working again, she says.
And if the outlook for 2021 is looking
decidedly sunnier than 2020, next year
could be even brighter, says Chughtai.
" We can foresee that 2022 is making
way to larger events and weddings, with
clientele planning for post-pandemic
events with no restrictions, " she enthuses.
" I can see the buzz of excitement coming
back for the events and marketing
industries, and the sense of a newfound
appreciation for connecting and engaging
with people. "
Pamela Mills-Senn is a writer based in
Seal Beach, Calif.
InTents June/July 2021

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