Hey Wayland, Weston, Sudbury, Lincoln, we are your tent rental company!

This blog post is meant to tell the Metro West area (especially Wayland, Weston, Wellesley, Sudbury, Lincoln, Sherborn and Dover) that Backyard Tent Rental is your best (and closest) option for tent and party rentals.  

We are located nearby in Lexington and we absolutely love working in the Metro West area.  I am currently looking to buy a home in Wayland, and I would love to do more business in the Metro West area. 

Here are some recent photos from events in your area.  Please get in touch if you have a graduation, baby shower, birthday party, bridal shower, etc. 

 

Tent on cement, what are your options?

We get asked very frequently if we can do a tent on cement / asphalt / pavement / etc... The answer is yes, but there are some requirements.  Here is some info about how tents typically get setup on cement.

First off, the type of tent best fit for this setup is a FRAME TENT (versus a POLE TENT).  These are tents that can stand up on their own without the use of ropes / stakes.  Now, that doesn't mean they do not need to be secured / tied down.  

Options for securing the tent in place on cement:

  1. heavy cement blocks or ballasts.  (requires the tent company to load their truck with very heavy blocks, many tent companies do not have this options.  They instead use option #2.
  2. water barrels (this is the option we use).  Requires access to running water at the setup location to fill up the barrels.  A 50 gallon water barrels weighs roughly 450lbs when full, so these barrels must be filled close to where the tent will be placed.  We try to bring a long hose that can reach the setup area. 
  3. staking into cement - not ideal, but can be done.  Most venues hate this option, but you can drive stakes into asphalt / pavement then patch the holes after the event.  The holes are roughly 1-2" in diameter and very easy to hide / patch / fix. 
  4. Nothing / pray for no wind.  (kidding... don't do this!)

Note:  NOTHING is safer than staking the tent into the ground.  Water barrels / blocks are helpful, but not perfect.  If a tent needs sidewalls and must be on cement, we recommend using double the amount of water barrels (2 barrels on each leg). 

cement-tent.jpg

Event seating: a seat for every butt?

One of the first things you should think about when planning a party is "Do I need seating (and tent coverage) for every single guest?"   It seems like an easy "yes,"  but think about for a second.  Here are a few common scenarios:

  • A graduation party and even though you've invited 100 guests, people will be coming and going all day, so you really only need to seat 60 at any one time
  • A wedding reception, and yes, everyone needs to be seated and covered under the tent for the dinner. 
  • A bridal / baby shower where brunch is being served while gifts are being opened. So, yes, chairs and coverage for everyone. 
  • An "adult party" (a 50th bday party, a no-kids Oktoberfest, etc) where the goal is to have very few people seated at any time.  You might want to provide seating for a few party-poopers, and provide gathering space by renting high-top cocktail tables for people to gather around.
tent and chairs for roughly half of the total # of guests. 

tent and chairs for roughly half of the total # of guests. 

Pictures of our tent lighting.

Customers often ask us what the lights look like... here you go!   We offer simple, elegant, white glass string lights.  They provide a beautiful ambiance but throw off enough light to be functional.  You will not need additional lighting. 

Keywords:  tent rental lighting, party tent lights, tent with lights

Tent Rental FAQs.

Here are some of our most frequently asked questions: 

Delivery / Setup :  we typically deliver and setup on Thurs and Fri (between 8am to 7pm) and take down on Mon, Tues.  Setup usually takes 60-90 minutes.  We try to accommodate your requests for setup times, but we typically have to wait until a week or so before your event to confirm times.  (We cant go from Newton to Hingham, back to Newton then to Weymouth for example, so we wait until our schedule solidifies to confirm times.)  We will send out an email on Sun/Mon (5 to 7 days prior) on the week of your event to confirm times.

Simplicity is the goal.  We understand that you will have to worry about food, guests, caterers, cleaning your home, etc... We try to keep things as simple as possible.  We have NEVER missed an appointment, so know that if we are running late its because of Boston traffic or an unusually long setup elsewhere, but we will be there in plenty of time for you to decorate / get ready.   For that reason, we typically don't do setups on the day of your event.  

Do I have to be home for setup?  No.  You can snap a picture from your phone of the desired location and text/email it to us, or leave markers (patio chairs, etc) showing us where the tent should be setup, or simply let us know during the booking process.  We have done 1000+ tent setups and have the experience / common-sense to make the the right call. 

Landscaping / lawn mowing before the event.  Cut your lawn a day or two before we arrive, once the tent is up, its difficult to mow around the tent poles, ropes and stakes.  If you have a landscaping service, aim for Wednesday.  The foot traffic from your guests wont kill your grass.

Take down / removal - You do not need to be home for take downs.  We ask that you leave our equipment the way you found it.  (remove any decorations, try to leave chairs stacked neatly, and not on the ground if possible). 

What about payment? If you are paying by cash or check and you have a balance due, you can leave an envelop somewhere for us to pick up.  We ask for payment on/before your setup, so you can leave payment at your home for us in a safe space (taped to back door, tucked away in your grill, etc). 

Table covers - our rental tables are wood or plastic and need to be covered.  You can buy throwaway table covers at any party store for roughly $3 each or request linens from us.  We have to sub-rent linens on your behalf, so linen rentals must be made in advance.  Linens are $10 each.  We use white linens as specific colors can often be unavailable. 

 

 

 

Baby Showers and Bridal Showers. Why you need a tent.

As a 32 year old man, I definitely cant call myself an expert at baby / bridal showers...but having set up tents for dozens (or maybe hundreds) of showers I can at least offer an opinion.  

HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY!  "Lets hope it doesnt rain."  "Lets hope isnt not too hot."  These phrases are bad news if you're planning an intimate event like a shower.  You cant ask people to come and literally "shower you," in gifts without at least providing a comfortable setting.  We have packages in the $499 to $999 range that will give you shade, plus seating and tables for all your guests, plus long tables for food, drinks, gifts, etc.