InTents June/July 2023 - 19

COUNSELING CLIENTS
Although clients may be familiar with
the discomfort posed by high heat and
humidity, this doesn't always translate
into an awareness of the heat-related
dangers posed by various types of tents,
says Layson. For example, clients will
frequently request a clear-top tent-a
structure Layson says Party Pro Tents
won't install unless the area is shaded
" 100% all the time. " Once educated,
clients are appreciative and opt for
another type of structure, she says.
Rodriguez says Marianne's Rentals'
This all-white tent, with walls on four sides and full draping, was used for
an August 2020 wedding ceremony. The tent was cooled by a large A/C
unit that was turned on Thursday, the florals were installed late Friday
night and the ceremony was held Saturday. Photo courtesy of Aaron Snow
Photography and Marianne's Rentals.
clients love clear-tops and assume if the
event is being held at night, they'll be
comfortable. But they're not considering
how the installation, setup and floral
arrangements can be negatively affected,
she explains.
" We try to advise them as best as
possible, " Rodriguez says. " Most of our
high-end planners and venues are good
at listening to our advice. When you have
a client insist, that's when it can become
difficult. We will put additional wording
into the contract to make sure it is clear
we're not recommending what they are
choosing and that there are no refunds if
they choose to cancel the week of. "
Marianne's Rentals carries blackout
tops for all of its white tops and in the
summer months it tries to steer clients
in this direction. Clients are also made
aware that during periods of high
heat, more time may be necessary for
setup and takedown and that they may
be required to bring in more fans or
upgrade to air conditioning.
" If the event is in a tight turnaround,
they will need to be able to handle the
additional labor charge, " Rodriguez adds.
Roberts counsels clients to avoid
sidewalls.
" I have to explain that the heat
inside of the tent will be elevated
with sidewalls and the number of
people inside the tent. We offer fans
FOILING THE HEAT
he formal wedding, reception and outdoor cocktail hour
for 400 guests was originally scheduled for May 2020
but delayed until August because of COVID, recalls Jennifer
Rodriguez, CERP, general manager at Marianne's Rentals in
Oklahoma City, Okla.
August in Oklahoma isn't an optimal time to hold an outdoor
event, especially a reception taking place under a clearspan tent,
with clear walls and an open patio on one side (there was also
an all-white wedding tent with full sidewalls and air conditioning,
and additional tenting for the bathroom and kitchen). Rodriguez
and those tasked with pulling off this event had multiple concerns
around the clear top, as did the florist who worried the flowers
wouldn't survive within it.
The strategy? Installing the reception tent with a white top, and
then replacing it with a clear top before the event. The white top
was replaced Wednesday night, and huge tarps were used as
coverings to prevent sun exposure and to help reduce the inside
temperature. United Rentals delivered large air conditioning units
for the reception and wedding tents with a dedicated generator
and a backup generator. The air conditioning was turned on
Thursday evening in the reception tent and ran through Saturday
night after the wedding. The florist arrived at the reception tent
Friday at midnight, working through the night. " The afternoon of
the wedding, around 5 p.m., we had a standby crew on-site and
they pulled the tarps off the top of the tent, " Rodriguez recalls.
" We came back on Sunday to empty the tent and to make sure
anything that could be damaged due to the clear top was pulled
out of the tent first thing. Overall, this installation took three weeks
to complete and two weeks to fully remove. "
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InTents June/July 2023

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