Companies break out the barbeque

August 1, 2013  |  Industry News, Trend Watch

A recession casualty, company picnics may be on the verge of a comeback. Fifty-five percent of U.S. companies plan to host a company picnic in 2013—a number that has held steady in recent years, and is down from a pre-recession 64 percent, according to a June report from the Society for Human …
The value of a walk-through

August 1, 2013  |  Event Production, Trend Watch

To pull off a glamorous event, start with a site inspection and logistics. By Melissa Paul Generally, any venue or property deemed “off-premise” is going to involve a tent. Or two or three or more. As an event planner, I cannot stress enough how important a site inspection or walk-throug…
Eye-catching tent graphics

June 1, 2013  |  Features, Trend Watch

Tent graphics distinguish outdoor events. By Holly O’Dell There are many techniques to dress up a tent: fabric swags, pendant lighting and LED light shows, to name a few. Add printing on tents to the list of ways to distinguish an event. Whether your client is a multinational corporation that …
Tables and chairs go au naturel

April 1, 2013  |  Features, Products, Tent Décor, Trend Watch

Functional and aesthetic—tables and chairs provide structure and warmth to an event. By Amir Hussain Tables and chairs are the bones of an event. They provide the foundation upon which the rest of the event can be built. While glitz and glam still have their place, these important furnishings …
Inviting tent interiors

April 1, 2013  |  Tent Décor, Trend Watch

Use interior design concepts to create intimacy in big spaces. By Melissa Paul Wide open spaces in tents offer extensive opportunities for expressing your creativity. But for many party planners, the qualities that make tents appealing can also create significant challenges. The event area may seem …
Dance floors take center stage

December 1, 2012  |  Features, Products, Trend Watch

Portable dance floors and event staging reach new heights of performance and creativity. By Danielle Beurteaux Staging and dance floors are integral to an event’s architecture. But in the past, function took precedence over form. As long as dance floors and stages did the job, no one really no…
New year, new trends for 2013

December 1, 2012  |  Tent Décor, Trend Watch

Event planners expect to see more customization, exquisite tent liners, rich colors and a rebounding economy in 2013. By Kelly Treadway Every new year brings new and exciting trends in the tent rental and event industry. We’ve asked event pros to predict what tenting decor trends we’ll s…
Turn it on with lighting

October 1, 2012  |  Features, Trend Watch

Lighting trends that enhance colors and textures. By Maura Keller Lighting illuminates our surroundings and enables us to perceive color and texture. But tent lighting has not always had the decorative value that it has today. In the past, the choices were few and the styles limited. Today, tent pro…
Use small items to make big impressions

October 1, 2012  |  Products, Trend Watch

Bring event spaces to life with smart use of decorative accessories. By Melissa Paul It’s often the little things that make the biggest impression. Accessories add to the atmosphere of a party space and should always reflect the event concept or corporate brand. The subjective world of accesso…
Into the woods: Pop-up lodging in luxury tents

August 1, 2012  |  Trend Watch

Shelter Co. brings luxury tent and event planning to the great outdoors. As creative director with Alison Events of San Francisco, Calif., Kelsey Sheofsky knows how to stage a luxurious event. Now, she and husband Mike are applying that knowledge to the “glamping” (glamorous camping) tre…