What are my options for linens through a party rental company? Linens are a huge business. You can choose any kind you like. When party planning reaches the fine tuning phases, from the perspective of party...
When party planning reaches the fine tuning phases, from the perspective of party hosts and party rental companies, the issue of linens will find its way to center stage. While linens may sound like an insignificant portion of the party rental and planning process, it actually is fairly substantial. Give a quick thought to where a party or similar event would be without the immediate availability of things like tablecloths and napkins. And be logical. How many of us could actually run to our own linen closets and procure enough tablecloths and napkins for a hundred guests? The answer is probably a minuscule number.
Keith Krantz owns and runs the Grand Central Party Rental company, located in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to his involvement with his party business, Krantz worked in international sales for 23 years. What does he have to say about the pertinence of linens and party supply rentals?
"Linens are a huge business," Krantz states in no uncertain terms. " I don't think most people really know just how big the linen business actually is. There are so many options in linens today."
And those options extend way beyond the status quo of "paper or plastic." Yes, paper napkins are suitable for some occasions. And plastic tablecloths suffice for others. But one shouldn't feel limited by any means with these less than stellar options.
"I feel that linens are one of the most important things to consider when planning an event," Krantz notes.
He raises a valid point. Think about how much more elegant an event has seemed when you've sat at a table graced with linen tablecloths and napkins. Now recall a family picnic where the tablecloth was plastic and the napkins a cheap paper product. Sure, it worked. But it did lose a sense of sophistication, didn't it? There are many different textures and materials when choosing linens.
"There's plain linen, polyester linen and several additional choices," Krantz says. "The look and feel of these linens is extremely different."
Consider the options of what can be done as a display with regard to linen or paper napkins. Paper napkins are limited to a couple of angular folds. Linen and related fabric napkins can become a presentation within themselves. There are countless ways to fold linen napkins for display. In fact, there are entire books written on the art of napkin folding. Linen napkins can become flowers and birds. They can sit demurely or stand obtrusively in the center of a place setting. While that may be going to extremes, the flair found with an ornately folded and displayed linen napkin is pretty hard to beat.
As with most selections in the party planning and rental process, the prices of these linens varies greatly, too, and often becomes the basis on which such choices are made. Paper and plastic obviously come in at the bottom of the barrel,although some fairly decent choices within these options do exist. Real linen is the highest price. The most typically used and moderately priced are the versatile, easy to clean combinations of linen and polyester.
