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Thursday, December 8, 2011

Recent Party / Art Show

We worked with one of our clients to transform an empty brick building in Liberty Station into a great party space. We supplied and installed the lighting (interior), drapes, tables, chairs, staging and dishware. 






Holiday Table


Monday, December 5, 2011

2nd Annual SoNo Fest a Success!

Yesterday in North Park was the 2nd Annual SoNo Park Holiday Fest & Chilipalooza.  Thousands came out for chili, craft beer, live music, kids activities, shopping - and a lot of community fun.  Paula and I were again proud to be co-chairs of this event, called "one of the best neighborhood events of the year" by one community leader.  Besides raising money for the school our boys attend, the most gratifying thing was just seeing so many people come out and having a good time.  There was a great picture in the U-T today (aptly named "A Chili Day in North Park"), and below are a few other early picks from the event.

Party Production Rentals was a sponsor of the event and provided the majority of the rentals. 


A view of Thorn Street not long after the event started

The Beautiful View was a crowd-pleaser on the North Park Stage

A few members of our awesome event committee

The Creepy Creeps on the South Park stage

Friday, November 25, 2011

Where North and South Park Come Together

The 2nd Annual SoNo Park Holiday Fest & Chilipalooza will take place on December 4th, 2011 from 11am to 5pm at the intersection of Thorn and 32nd streets in North Park.  And once again, Party Production Rentals will be a sponsor and the rental provider of this event.  The event features a chili cook-off, craft beers, live music, shopping and food vendors, and a kid zone. 

The unique flavor of this street fair is in part due to the "Chilipalooza" - where North and South Park restaurants compete for the "Best of the Fest" chili.  Attendees buy hand-blown chili bowls from San Diego Diego Ceramic Connection to sample the great chili selection. 

It promises to be a great time, so be sure to come out.  The owners of Party Production Rentals - Steve and Paula Cook - are the event chairs.  Proceeds of the event benefit McKinley Elementary School's arts and music programs. 


Sunday, November 20, 2011

Ultimate San Diego Wedding 2012

BridalInsider.com and Star 94.1 have partnered Party Production Rentals and other San Diego vendors to  give one deserving San Diego couple the chance to win the Ultimate San Diego Wedding, A Brilliantly Beautiful Brunch. This wedding, set to take place on January 25th, 2012 is any Bride & Groom’s dream come true.

To see this year's finalists and vote, go to:  http://www.star941fm.com/pages/wedding/vote-entrants.php

For more deails on the Ultimate San Diego Wedding, visit http://bridalinsider.com/the-ultimate-san-diego-wedding/.


Saturday, November 12, 2011

Casa del Prado Balboa Park - Wedding

Balboa Park has a lot of venues for parties, weddings and events.  One of the most dramatic has to be the courtyards at Casa del Prado.  Here are some pictures from a midday wedding and reception we did this year.

We set up the reception in the inside courtyard

The upstairs balcony provides some great photo opps

The courtyard between the Casa del Prado and the Junior Theater is quite dramatic

Sweetheart table for the bride & groom
There are no chairs set up in these photos... the client had the caterer move the chairs from the ceremony area to help their budget...

The client used succulents as centerpieces

Belly bars helped make a nice area for the cocktail hour

The tables were set up in a star shape out from the center with market umbrellas for shade and effect

The archways provide a nice view of the event and a barrier from the park's foot traffic

Carrier Classic

Party Production Rentals was proud to be a part of the first Carrier Classic yesterday on the USS Carl Vinson.  President Obama was in attendance as the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Michigan State Spartans.

We weren't directly involved with the game, but one of our crews was excited to be there of the pre- and post-game action.  We provided some dance floor that was used to simulate a surface similar to a basketball court for one of the special exhibits on the deck, in addition to belly bars.

These pictures are from sbnation.com.  For some more great pictures of the event, click here.

 


For more on this unusual sporting event, see these articles:


Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Covering a Stage Helps Keep Off the Elements

We recently put up a stage with a canopy over it for St. Patrick's Church (and school) in North Park.  Having a canopy over a stage is a nice way to keep the heat (or other elements) off when acts will be performing outside.  This was a 16x24' stage with a 20x30' canopy over the top.  Lighting helps spotlight the musicians and is critical for evening performances. 


Side note: St. Pat's was having their annual festival, with which I was very impressed.  It's a volunteer effort by the parents to put this 2-day (all day) event on.  It's fairly small as festivals go, but they had lots to do:  bands all throughout the day, kid's activities, shopping, good food, a beer garden, and more.  We stopped by with the kids (it's also our church), and they had a great time.  Check it out some time. 

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Halloween Is Coming!

Here's a fun table Paula put up in our showroom in honor of Halloween!

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Photo Shoot at Stone Farms

We've been working with Stone Brewery on some events up at their Stone World Bistro and Gardens, which is their restaurant in Escondido.  It's a great restaurant and a wonderful venue for corporate events, parties and weddings (especially if you're goal is to do something a little different).  We've also found the staff a pleasure to work with, which helps make a planning an event a much smoother, enjoyable process. 

Stone is very focused on sustainable practices including getting all of their organic produce locally.  As part of this effort, they recently acquired a farm not too far from their Escondido location.  They are planning to make it into a venue in the near future, and we did a photo shoot with them to start to publicize it.

Paula - along with Lori from Branches Floral Studio - did the table design.  Iliana Morton was the photographer. The first picture below is one of hers.




We planned to do a little more with lighting on that wonderful tree, but wouldn't you know it, that was the day of the power outage - so we had no power for lights. 

Backyard Wedding for 250+

If you have the space - and especially the setting - a backyard wedding can be a really special event.  We recently did a wedding in the Crest area of El Cajon that took advantage of the great views and the large yard this house had to offer.  The clients wanted to transform their dirt pad into an elegant yet comfortable venue for their daughter's wedding.

We put up 2 canopies in an L shape to wrap around their house and provide enough coverage for the 250+ guests.  We covered the ground with over 4000 square feet of green turf, which really transformed the dirt pad.  Inside the canopies, we strung ping-pong lights with paper lanterns, which creates a festive environment and gives off plenty of light. 

  





They had a sufficient budget to do the event right, but as always, there were trade-offs in the areas that were more important to them.  For example, they opted for basic plastic chairs and dressed them up with chocolate brown sashes, but went with a satin tablecloths and napkins for elegance.  They opted not to drape the inside of the canopy (ceiling), but had us cover the canopy legs in white as a more visual element.  This is a delightful family, and we enjoyed working with them to help them meet their goals. 

Overall, I think we were successful in achieving the feel they were going for.  According to the bride's mom, we had exceeded their daughter's expectations... and that, after all, is what it's all about.  

Party Production Rentals provided all the party gear you see in the pictures... canopies, tables, chairs, dance floor, lighting, linen, flatware and china - all except the flowers and centerpieces (though we offer centerpieces as well). Let us know if we can help you plan your dream backyard event. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

We're In!

Today was the first day our Party Productions Rentals office was open in our new location in East Village in Downtown San Diego.  Our phones worked all day - thank goodness - after a rough few days.  Our new phone company neglected to tell us that coverage would go in and out for a few days before the "port" of our phone number was completed.  And after no less than 3 calls and 2 hours with tech support, it seems like our phones are now solid. 

We're really excited about our space.  Not only are we right next to the freeway in a cool part of town, but our building is a historic structure built in 1908 called the Snowflake Bakery Building (at least the front half is that old anyway).  We're still in the process of some upgrades and cosmetic improvements, but we've seen great progress thanks to our contractors, our crew - and 3 straight days of painting by Paula.  Here's a shot of our temporary sign in front of our 16th Street entrance:


In addition to getting our permanent signage, our contractor still needs to re-paint the eave over the door.  One cool thing... the garage door to the right leads into an event space that the company who's leasing it has been pouring money into. 

Here's an early shot of our showroom space (although that yellow wall didn't exist 2 weeks ago). 


The guys also made good progress on the warehouse today, organizing the dozen+ truckloads we've brought over in the last week.  We've got only a few more to go and we'll be completely in (though the organizing will continue!).

Come by and see us if you're in the area!  Our address on 16th Street is 705 16th St., Suite 200, 92101. 

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Photo of the Quarter

Every time we publish a newsletter, we feature a photo that a client submitted to us.  This photo is from a brunch that Jerilyn Hammerstrom did in her backyard using specialty linen from Party Production Rentals and her own china. The effect is a fun, eclectic look that made for a great setting.  The base linen underneath is gold satin, and the overlay is a cream pin tuck linen. 


If you have a photo from an event that you set-up using rentals from Party Production Rentals that you'd like to share, you can win a $50 gift certificate from Party Production Rentals.  Email it to info@partyproductionrentals.com with your contact info, date of event, and what type of event it was.

Attractive and Easy Centerpieces

Centerpieces are a nice addition to a table at any party, or for that matter, at any meal.  Paula has an easy way of creating fun centerpieces that always give our tables the right feel.  Not only that, they are very cost effective if your event is on a tight budget.  You buy garden flowers from your local home center and plant them in fun pots.  Here are a few examples:



What you need to do:  Start with the pots.  If you have some fun pots at your house already, that's a good place to start.  If all you have are old terracotta pots, you can dress them up nicely with a little spray paint and a bow.  If you don't have any pots, you can get them at Home Depot or other home stores for a few dollars.  Look for close-outs or you can dress up the simple terracotta pots.  (Other ideas for dressing up the pots - let your kids paint them or glue things to them, it'll give it a fun, whimsical look.)  Not all the pots need to match.  In fact, having different pots often looks better.  Eclectic is definitely OK here.

Once you have your pots, you just need some flowers and potting soil.  Again, Home Depot is a good place for this, but anywhere garden supplies are sold will work.  Find potted flowers that are a color and style you like.  If you're doing a lot of centerpieces, you could get a flat of flowers without spending much (such as impatiens).  You can mix the colors and styles for a fun look.  You simply pot the flowers, filling in with extra potting soil, and your centerpieces are good to go!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Party Production Rentals Is Moving

We are excited to announce that Party Production Rentals is moving to a new location in East Village!  Our new, bigger location is the latest of the investments we’re making to better serve our clients.  Our new location will be at intersection of the 5/94 freeways, just 10 minutes form our current facility and more freeway accessible.  The move will happen late August through early September.

 
Why are we moving?
We've been investing in new equipment and our business is growing, and so we need more space to support the growth.  As anyone who's seen our current warehouse can attest, we're bursting at the seams. This bigger location will enable us to better serve our clients by having space for more inventory, better maintenance facilities, improved freeway access and better systems.  In addition, it will be a better work environment for our staff.  This location enables us to be close to our many South Bay clients, and more centrally located for our other clients.

What is the new address?
The showroom/office address is 705 16th Street, Suite 200, San Diego, 92101.  Pickup (will call) orders can be picked up at the back of our warehouse at 710 17th Street.

Will the phone number change? 
No, our main phone number will remain 619-585-3605, and our web site will remain www.partyproductionrentals.com.

What is the last day to pick up orders at 657 Palomar Street, Suite J in Chula Vista?
The last day to place orders for pick up at our current location is August 26th. The last day to pick up those orders at our current location in Chula Vista is Friday, September 2.  We'll then be closed on September 3rd, 4th, and 5th for Labor Day Weekend - and to finish moving.  The orders can be returned to 657 Palomar Street, Suite J in Chula Vista, but they must be returned no later than Tuesday, September 6th.  We will be completely out of our current building by the September 6th.  Any late returns will be charged a late fee and must be returned to our new location.

Will there be any interruption to our services?
No, we will continue to offer our services as usual.  However, our showroom will be moving the week of Aug 29th and there will be no items available for viewing.  Our office will be open to place orders and receive payments, take questions, etc. We hope to open our new showroom by September 8th.  Work has already starting in getting the space ready.

Will delivery fees change?
Delivery fees will largely stay the same as we are not moving far.  However, our fees are based on travel distance, and customers in the immediate vicinity of our current office may see a nominal increase.  Delivery fees for downtown San Diego and the surrounding areas may see a decrease. 

We'll be sending additional communication to our clients in the next week, but please don't hesitate to email us or call (619-585-3605) if you have any questions

Monday, July 25, 2011

Don't Be Afraid of Using Ivory and White Together

People often assume that white and ivory shouldn't go together when planning their party decorations.  "I don't think I should use ivory napkins with the white chairs," or "I need white chair cushions - not ivory - because our colors are white, red and black."  The reality is, you can combine white and ivory, and it looks very elegant.  People often worry about having to match things exactly, when sometimes the result is "too matchy-matchy" (as Paula - who is an artist by background - likes to say.)

It's quite common - especially in weddings - to see a combination of white and ivory used together to a very nice effect.  Here are a few pictures of a recent reception we did at the San Diego Botanical Gardens




Sunday, July 24, 2011

San Diego Magazine Photo Shoot

We were recently asked by San Diego Magazine to participate in a photo shoot they did at Presidio Park.  The photos will be featured in an upcoming article that will first been seen on their blog.  We were excited about the opportunity to showcase some of our equipment.

While we can't show any of the actual photos until the article is published, here are a few "behind the scenes" pics.  This also shows a little bit of Presidio Park, which is another beautiful venue for weddings and events. (I linked the Yelp reviews page as I think it's a better way to get a feel for the venue than the city parks page.)



Saturday, July 23, 2011

Bridal Bazaar July 31st

We'll be at a wedding show at the San Diego Convention Center next Sunday, July 31st.  If you're planning a wedding the San Diego Bridal Bazaar is a great place to get ideas and find vendors and venues.  So if you attend, be sure to stop by the Party Production Rentals booth (#807) to say "hi."

Here's a picture of our booth from the last Bridal Bazaar we attended.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

More Event Pics, Now on Facebook

Keeping up with social media can be exhausting at times as you are constantly needing to have new content.  However, it can also be fun.  Personally, I like to blog.  I got my start when Paula and I took our 2 boys on a 6 week trip in our VW Vanagon camper ("Rusty" the boys named him - see Rusty's blog).

Between running our business and keeping up with my boys, I didn't have the energy to create a Facebook page for our business.  Our operations manager Kim felt like we needed on (and I think he was right), so he's started one (see it here).  He's still building the content, but it'll also be a good place to see pictures of our events as well as get ideas for your own.  I encourage you to "Like" it if you're on Facebook. 

And now the battle is on to see who can come up with the best content... it's a good kick in the butt for me to add some more party and event tips up here, so stay tuned.

Meanwhile, here are a few pictures from events today from 2 great outdoor venues that are perfect for summer afternoon weddings and parties - Presidio Park and Mt. Helix.

Birch Acquarium - Miracle Maker's Event



A few new nights ago we had the honor of attending the Rady Children's Hospital Miracle Maker's Appreciation Event at Birch Aquarium. "Miracle Makers" are corporations or community groups that raise more than $5,000 in a year to help fund the great work that goes on at Rady Children's Hospital. 

We've been to these events in the past, but this year's event was especially exciting for us.  First, Max and Jake's Big Race - an organization we run with our friend Jerilyn Hammerstrom (Max's Mom) - was recognized at the event for be a top "Community Miracle Maker."  Through Max and Jake's Big Race, we've raised over $150,000 for Rady Children's Hospital over the last 4 years. 

Second, our rental company - Party Production Rentals - was used to provide all the rentals (tables, chairs, linen, umbrellas, P.A., glasses, etc).  Normally we don't get to see the events our team sets up, so it was fun to be able to stay and enjoy the great party with the rest of the guests.

And third, it was at Birch Aquarium, where the view and the exhibits provide a beautiful and enjoyable backdrop for many types of events.  We've not only provided rentals for a number of events there, we've  attended many events there.  The guests always seem to enjoy the space, and we certainly did the other night.

Here are a few pictures of the set-up.  Let us know if we can help you with an event at Birch - or your next event for your non-profit organization.