In-Tents

Stunning Southampton Wedding!

2011-09-30T12:40:00.002-04:00

The rain, torrential at times, made the 12-day installation for this project slightly challenging, but that's what we do! However come wedding day, the skies cleared up (a bit) and everything turned out beautiful!

A plywood sub-floor was built over 4 feet high in order to place the dinner tent (a 50'x165' clear Navi-Trac) on the same level as the pool and cocktail area, creating a seamless environment for the guests. Dwayne Holmgren from Raul Avila Inc was the mastermind of that creation. From the flow of the event, to the decor and special touches throughout, it was truly an elegant design for the family's special day. I can't wait to see what he has in store for his next project!

Here are a few photos of prep and event day. Click any photo to view a larger version.

Chappy Island Wedding

2011-09-08T13:48:00.001-04:00

Last month we had the pleasure of providing the reception tent and ancillary services for a beautiful wedding on Chappaquiddick Island off of Martha's Vineyard. Event planner, JoAnn Gregoli from Elegant Occasions orchestrated the logistics of this event and pulled off a spectacular wedding that the bride, groom and family will remember forever. It's often times difficult enough to plan a wedding considering the detail and stress that comes with the job for an event planner, but this was a bit crazy when it came to the actual planning and logistics.

If you've ever been to Martha's Vineyard in August, you know there aren't many other places more crowded than that small island. You would also know that it's very difficult to even get a single car on the ferry to Martha's Vineyard without a reservation made well in advance. Not only that, but once on Martha's Vineyard, we then had to take a MUCH smaller ferry (shown above) to get to Chappaquiddick Island. Well, now consider the fact that we had some 20 truck loads of equipment that had to get on the ferries at staggered times through the week leading up to the wedding. Of course we weren't the only vendor either. There were catering trucks, lighting, decor, etc. And how about lodging? Have you tried to get a single room on or near that island in August? Try getting rooms for all these vendors and crew!

Have I mentioned that President Obama was there the same week?!!?

JoAnn and her team were spectacular by pulling this all off without a hitch! Steve Frost, owner and president of Stamford Tent & Event Services also did a great job managing the event, during moments that he wasn't making sure that the beaches on the island were...um....let's say, supervised. His mobile office shown below.

This project featured an 80'x100' Century Tent with a fully leveled sub floor, topped with our custom-made hardwood floor in the English Chestnut variety, along with English Chestnut steps and railing.

Click on any of the photos below for a larger version:

Steve's "Mobile Office"

MetLife Stadium

2011-09-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

The new Giants Stadium (that’s right Jet fans, GIANTS Stadium) was initially named the New Meadowlands Stadium for the 2010-11 season. The National Football League's NY Giants and NY Jets now call MetLife Stadium home after the insurance company purchased the naming rights. The 25 year partnership was announced this past Friday at Bryant Park, with members of the Giants and Jets in attendance. The event was squeezed in before hurricane Irene.

MetLife will most certainly host some attractive events during this time, with one VERY big one that comes to mind, the 2014 Super Bowl. It should provide quite the ROI for the insurance company in regard to nationally televised exposure and a variety of other opportunities that come along with hosting our country's most celebrated sporting event.

MetLife plans to take full advantage of the entire fan base and that should mean some exciting opportunities for football fans in the Tri-State in the form of ticket offers, face-to-face meetings with players and coaches, field passes, trips to away games, signed memorabilia and more. They have big plans to build a fan-focused sponsorship approach. It’s not just a big dog house for Snoopy when the football teams aren't playing.

I raise this piece of news initially because we were honored to provide tenting for the event, but also because I am a devout Giants fan, along with the President & Owner of Stamford Tent, Steve Frost and other fellow employees. It was great fun to be a part of this epic news and also to welcome MetLife to our crazy little world of sports fanaticism.

A few of our tents at the Bryant Park event.

NY Quarterbacks, Mark Sanchez and Eli Manning.

Snoopy welcoming Giants RB, Brandon Jacobs.

Jets coach, Rex Ryan speaks to the crowd as players and Giants coach, Tom Coughlin look on.

Former Giants WR, Amani Toomer standing in front of one of our frame tents.

You Talkin' To Me?

2011-08-22T16:28:00.008-04:00

Thirty-five years after Robert DeNiro delivered those now famous words in Taxi Driver, he is filming a movie with a star studded cast - "The Wedding" which is scheduled for release in October 2012. The movie is being shot at a number of locations in the Greenwich, CT area and we at Stamford Tent have been chosen to be part of this upcoming film.

We've been cast in the role of "Wedding Tent".

In addition to us and Mr. DeNiro, the rest of the cast includes Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Katherine Heigl who happens to be from New Canaan, CT and Topher Grace, a resident of Darien, CT. De Niro and Keaton play a divorced couple who pretend to still be married for the wedding of their adopted son. To round out the CT contigent, the Director Justin Zackham and Producer Clay Pecorin both graduated from Greenwich High School.

To prepare for our future Oscar winning role, we constructed a leveled plywood subfloor to some 8 feet tall at its highest point. Not your typical sub floor since cameras were being rolled up and down the floor, even the slightest infinitesimal movement which would never be noticeable to a person walking on the floor, would equal a slightly shaky Robert, Diane and Susan on the big screen. You could now feel comfortable performing laser surgery on that floor, if you were so inclined.

On top of the floor we have installed a 33'x81' Spinnaker Tent, from our series of sailcloth tents. A very exciting project to be a part of and we can't wait to see it on the big screen!

Below are a few photos of the installation in process, but unfortunately we'll all have to wait to see the finished product in the theatres. There is also a photo of Bobby (as I now refer to him since we're all Hollywood types) as he exited a restaurant in Greenwich after filming a scene. Click any photo for a larger version.

Boogie Wonderland

2011-08-16T11:02:00.000-04:00

Earth, Wind & Fire performed in Connecticut earlier this month and we were contracted to build the stage and green rooms for their performance. Unfortunately we weren't able to take live shots of the actual concert but I'd like to share the structure itself. It's a naked (so to speak) 15m x 15m clearspan structure and simple 9'x40' canopies on either side with picket fence.

The fully leveled plywood sub floor is over 10' at its highest point and had to be leveled from both sides (length and width) which is somewhat complex, but our guys run into this on very regular basis.

On a separate note, although Earth, Wind & Fire has been performing for what seemingly is forever, their music is timeless!

Hamptons Magazine's Hot List

2011-07-15T16:11:00.003-04:00

The vastly talented, dashing and debonair Director of Sales & Marketing at Stamford Tent & Event Services, our very own Rick Bisesto has been bestowed with the honor of being included on Hamptons Magazine's "The List" in the July 4th issue. Being mentioned alongside Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, Fran Drescher and others is not only appropriate (ha!) but a great honor for Rick.

A big thanks to Hamptons Magazine!!

We're having some fun with this at Stamford Tent headquarters on this beautiful Friday! Enjoy your weekend everybody!

Cover of Hamptons Magazine July 4th Issue

"The List" in July 4th Issue

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Summer in the Hamptons

2011-06-28T19:52:00.005-04:00

Since we've launched our Long Island office, business has been booming!! Here's another wedding in the Hamptons from last weekend, featuring a 57'x116' Spinnaker tent. Our Spinnaker Series of sailcloth tents now include sizes in white and tan.

This reception tent also features white mesh wall, custom brown/tan turf, pin spot lighting which adds a dramatic touch to each and every table...in addition to our Pole Fans and Islander Ceiling Fans to keep the guests comfortable. As always, protecting you from the elements. :)

Click on a photo for a larger view.

Sailcloth Tents - The Next Generation

2011-06-15T11:17:00.001-04:00

Sailcloth is a style of tent that has increased in popularity during the last few years. The rather unique translucent fabric, beautiful peaks and stained wooden poles make for a stunning nautical look in the spring, summer and fall.

The first generation of sailcloth style tents were mostly fair weather tents due to the sailcloth style not being able to effectively protect guests from a rainstorm. Part of the reason for that was the fabric itself and the way the sections of sailcloth were sewn together in order to create the "one-piece look". As with most products in any industry, there are improvements to older styles in order to create a more effective product for end users.

Stamford Tent's Spinnaker Series has addressed the fair weather issue while maintaining the classic look and feel by improving upon the sailcloth concept in several key ways. Spinnaker tents are all designed with a 10' eave, which solves one of the major drawbacks of the original design, offering a much more elegant look. The Spinnaker is also made from a coated Italian mesh fabric which allows us to heat seal the seams to eliminate the 'weeping' problem in the original design, while maintaining the sheer transulcency of the fabric. The coated mesh also repels water as opposed to absorbing it, which also eliminates the 'splotchiness' of the traditional sailcloth tents when wet.

Spinnakers are available in a variety of sizes to best suit your event. Enjoy a few photos below (click photos to see larger version).

iPads Changing the Special Events Industry

2011-06-02T13:39:00.002-04:00

I thought I'd pass along this article from Special Events Magazine in regard to how iPads are being used in the special events industry. http://bit.ly/luhwJX

We use iPads here at Stamford Tent & Event Services for presentations which we've found to be very useful. Not only is it cutting edge and a great way to showcase our work and capabilities, but very adaptable as well. In the past we've used rather large picture books which looked nice, but were bulky and had reached their capacity for adding new photos. With the iPads, we've created a branded presentation which can be easily changed or added to whenever the need arises. Since creating the original presentation, if now one of our Rental Consultants finds that additional photos of "this or that" would be useful, even if it's custom to their particular client or job, it's no more difficult than adding an image to our format and syncing with iTunes.

One challenge I'm dealing with now is regularly updating/syncing the iPads for our Rental Consultants at our Long Island location. iTunes only allows one-way file syncing from one "authorized computer". Since I had originally used my office desktop to do so, I can't sync those tablets on Long Island as easily as I can for those at our headquarters in Connecticut. I believe there is a solution, but we have also recently moved our data to "the cloud", which adds another variable. You'd think that would make it easier, but for a variety of reasons...it doesn't. I believe I have a solution though, with the operative words right now being, "I believe".

In addition to our presentations and supplementing our Blackberrys with email access, we're also beginning to utilize certain apps to help become more efficient. We use a remote desktop app which allows us to connect to our corporate server, extending our office to any part of the country that we're working; or world for that matter. We've also tested a few apps to produce diagrams, collect data to quickly send back to our office staff and also a very neat speech-to-text app which helps when having to compose long emails or other documents when the iPad keyboard can become a bit cumbersome. That app is called Dragon Dictation and is suprisingly accurate. I use it on my iPad and iPhone alike.

Feel free to comment here on the blog or even better, on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/stamfordtent) to share your experiences. There are so many apps available now and so many more ways we can use this tablet to differentiate ourselves and become more effective, that very often the best way to learn is to start a dialog with friends and colleagues!

Everybody LOVES a Stamford Tent!

2011-05-27T12:36:00.000-04:00

Some just express it differently than others.

HATS Off to the Central Park Conservancy!

2011-05-05T14:10:00.002-04:00

The Conservatory Garden in New York City's Central Park was the setting for yesterday's famous Hat Luncheon given by the Women's Committee of the Central Park Conservancy. The event is formally known as the Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon and for the life of me, I can't understand why they call it the "Hat Luncheon". It's a mystery (eh hem...).
This was their 29th year for the luncheon and while the rain was unfortunate, Stamford Tent was on hand to protect the guests from the elements, as we typically do. We are proud to have provided tenting and flooring for this and other Conservancy events for the past 20+ years.

Enjoy the photos! Click on any of them for a larger view.

Rooftop Pavilion

2011-01-07T12:41:00.002-05:00

We do quite a bit of work on the rooftops in Manhattan but I thought this one was worth sharing. This particular project is a custom tent on the upper west side.

Press Lounge is an impressive restaurant & bar atop the Ink48 Hotel in the Hell's Kitchen section. They have a gorgeous 3,000 square foot rooftop with stunning views, comfy couches and "grown-up" ambiance - no gangsta rap playing here. Just a laid back, upscale feel.

In order to take advantage of this great space when the weather doesn't cooperate, the owner of Press Lounge contracted us to build a semi-permanent structure that would allow guests to take in the city skyline while being sheltered from the elements.

A custom built pavilion was utilized, with a clear top and sides, along with glass doors that lead from the tented area to the other section of the rooftop. A great deal of strategy and planning was needed to overcome some of the inherent challenges of erecting a safe structure on the 16th floor of a building in Manhattan, especially when being used in winter months. There were also permanent structural obstacles to overcome to make this work. Our team did a great job in addressing and conquering these challenges.

Mother Nature did her best to test the pavilion with the blizzard of 2010. Valiant effort, but she'll have to do a lot better than that to trip us up! Bring it!! :)

Enjoy the photos below (click on any of the photos to see a larger version):

Just hear those sleigh bells ringing...

2010-12-03T16:23:00.001-05:00

Throughout the fantastic winter wonderland created at Burr Homestead in Fairfield Connecticut, great holiday music and people willing to donate their time for a special cause, you could indeed hear those sleigh bells ringing and jing ting tingaling too!

I'm referring to the Fairfield County Christmas Tree Festival which I visited last evening. In their 29th year, this group of volunteers decorates the Burr Homestead and adjoining tent with holiday cheer. Local interior and floral designers decorate each room of this holiday showcase. Wreaths, trees, garlands, ornaments and other assorted decorations are available for sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to the designated charity for that particular year. This year's theme is "Celebrating Community" benefiting the Burroughs Community Center in Bridgeport, CT.

If you'd like to support the cause and purchase tickets for this weekend, click HERE.

A few photos from yesterday (click photo to enlarge):

Corporate Holiday Parties - Making a Comeback??

2010-12-01T16:01:00.000-05:00

I hope everybody enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday. Now it’s time for corporate holiday parties to soon kick into high gear. It seems that more American companies are getting into the festive mood this season and that’s a good thing for everybody. That being said, optimism for a big uptick in the economy and the special event industry should still be tempered, of course.

Although more companies are having parties, most plan to spend no more than last year - even less if they can pull it off. We've known that the big elaborate corporate parties are a thing of the past, hopefully to someday return, but companies seem to be slowly creeping back to events and of course holiday parties are downright expected from employees. Many will get their wish, but may have to do without expected luxuries. Some companies are having the parties in their own building and others are limiting costs by…shield your eyes…by not serving alcohol!! Good grief.

According to John Challenger from consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas (hmmm…), “The holiday parties are becoming more numerous. And they’re not going to be as limited as they were during the recession, but they’re still subdued. Companies are still cautious.”

Are they cautious of spending money, or cautious of the media reporting how much money was spent? Hey corporate America, mum is the word. Go ahead and spend, our lips are sealed! ;)

Companies planning parties are up this year at 68% compared to 62% last year, but only 45% plan to serve alcohol, down from 57% last year. Just over half plan to have the party on company premises, but from 29% a year ago.

Another piece of good news is that companies this year are paying for outside help. 71% of companies surveyed said they would use the services of a caterer and/or event planner, compared to only 36% a year ago.

Companies are also looking to do something that may be a bit out of the ordinary for the masses. Every year, Hartford lobbying firm Sullivan & LeShane rents a luxury bus and gives their 15 employees santa hats and a stipend to buy gifts for needy families. The bus stops at various shops and they buy gifts for charity, ending the evening with a nice dinner at a local restaurant.

I've heard about companies going to a bowling alley for a bonding/holiday party. Some take a quick trip to Atlantic City or Foxwoods, while many still go the small cocktail party route and others stick with the traditional sit down dinner at a restaurant or club. I also hear that many companies have said dinner or cocktail parties in a tent. Personally, I like that idea. It works for me.

So while some may or may not be happy with their company’s upcoming holiday party this year, the news is positive. Any time the numbers trend up in regard to holiday events or any events at all…we should all take something positive from that. My cup of eggnog is half full.

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You'll be Floored!!

2010-11-19T16:22:00.001-05:00

That's right, you'll be floored by our new flooring options! Ok, that was awful - but I'm confident you would be impressed by our new Wide Plank Flooring!

I've mentioned them in one of my past posts, which was related to a particular wedding, but since more and more of our clients are using and inquiring about this new product, I thought I'd provide more detailed information and a few more photos.

We currently have two finishes to choose from, Pickled Birch and English Chestnut. We manufacture the floors ourselves - cutting, staining and finishing each and every plank. The individual pieces come in 12 inch widths and lengths ranging from 2 to 8 feet. When installing the floors, we stagger the pieces to give a permanent look, certainly unlike most traditional rental products.

Our crew builds a plywood sub-floor and then installs this finished covering on top. While it is a labor intensive process, I'm sure you would agree that the result is extraordinary.

Take a look below, click on a photo to show a larger version.

Pickled Birch

English Chestnut

Congratulations BizBash Award Winners!

2010-10-29T14:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to the winners of the BizBash New York Event Style Awards and the BizBash Reader's Choice Awards announced at their Annual Expo this Wednesday in New York City. It was great to see everybody there and also at SIR Stage 37 for the all important cocktail party!

New York Event Style Awards

Best Centerpiece/Tabletop Decor
Spring in Flight: Clé de Peau Beauté Spring 2010 Color Collection
Submitted by EventStyle

Best Overall Catering at an Event

Exhibition Closing Dinner at MoMA

Submitted by Canard Inc.

Best Invitation Design

Chocolats de Provence Invitation

Submitted by Atelier Isabey

Best Staging/Set Design
mtvU Woodie Awards 2009
Submitted by 513

Best Lighting Design
Preston Bailey Book Launch
Submitted by Levy Lighting NYC

Best Nonprofit Event Concept
New York Public Library’s Library Lions Gala 2009
Submitted by David E. Monn L.L.C.

Best Event PR Strategy
Nurse Jackie RX Games
Submitted by Showtime Networks Inc.

Best Entertainment Program/Concept
Target’s Party for Good
Submitted by Caravents

Best New Product
Super Planner Mobile App
Submitted by Howard Givner

Best Corporate/Association Event Concept (Over $50,000)
Target’s Party for Good
Submitted by Caravents

Best Corporate/Association Event Concept (Under $50,000)
Green Halloween
Submitted by Connected Productions L.L.C.

Best Overall Event Decor (Budget Over $50,000)
The Whitney Museum of American Art Gala
Submitted by Van Wyck & Van Wyck

Best Overall Event Decor (Budget Under $50,000)
Georgina Chapman for Garrard Editor Preview
Submitted by Van Wyck & Van Wyck

Best Fresh Idea
TLC Summer
Submitted by LeadDog Marketing Group

Best Use of Technology
BidPal Network
Submitted by BidPal Network

Best Gift or Gift Bag
Super Saturday 12
Submitted by EventStyle

Best New Venue
Skylight One Hanson
Submitted by The Skylight Group

Best Video for an Event
Spotlight Gala 2009
Submitted by the Women’s Association of N.J.P.A.C.

For more information on the awards, including descriptions of each event and event winner, click here.

BizBash Reader's Choice Awards

Corporate Event Planner of the Year
Daniele Menache, managing director, AllianceBernstein LP

Event Designer of the Year
Bronson van Wyck, president, Van Wyck & Van Wyck

Event Caterer of the Year
Carla Ruben, president and owner, Creative Edge Parties

Event Producer of the Year
Maneesh Goyal, president and founder, MKG

Nonprofit/Association Event Planner of the Year
Elizabeth Irving, special events manager, Autism Speaks

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Wedding Bells in the Hamptons!

2010-10-05T09:25:00.000-04:00

The Fall wedding season is in full swing! I'd like to share a few photos of a wedding that we were involved with over the past weekend. What you see below is the reception tent on a beautiful piece of property in East Hampton; a custom 40'x120' Clear, gable-ended Navi-Trac with our new Pickled Wide-Plank Floor covering on top of a leveled sub-floor.

Have you seen many floors like this under a tent, if any at all? We're thrilled about this new product which comes in several finishes.

Event Planner, Elizabeth K. Allen was outstanding as usual in pulling this celebration together. Her meticulous attention to detail and ability to manage the logistics (as well as personalities!) in such a large scale wedding was nothing short of incredible. Along with Lewis Miller Designs and L&M Sound & Lighting, the entire team created the perfect environment for the newlywed's special day.

As always, click on any photo to view the larger version.

Gentlemen...start your engines!!

2010-09-24T12:31:00.000-04:00

Attracting more than 7,500 visitors on Sunday alone, the 7th year of the Fairfield County Concours d'Elegance was a huge success. We were proud to be the tenting supplier for this event, as we have for other Concours d'Elegance events this past summer. It was a pleasure to also work with Bonham's Auction House, as we had during the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance.

If you're a fan of cars - both classic and modern - and haven't been to one of these events, you should catch one next summer!

As always, click on any picture below to view a larger version.

The car in the foreground (below) is called a "Barn Find". I think the explanation is pretty clear. It's just ruining the view of some beautiful tents. ;)

From Stamford to Egypt

2010-09-03T15:27:00.001-04:00

I’d like to highlight one of our past projects at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. It took place in the Sackler Wing which houses The Temple of Dendur. Originally, the temple stood on the left bank of the Nile River in Egypt and is thought to be built between 15 BC and 23 BC. If you ask me…that’s pretty cool.

The hieroglyphics (shown to the right); the fact that you can still see the tool lines in the sandstone; the construction...and did I mention it was built more than 2,000 years ago?

(Click on photos for larger version)

Here's the Temple in its orginal location. I believe it was taken in 1906. If you look closely, you can see me in the fashionable white robe.

Here’s a shot of the Temple at The Met, prior to our building the sub-floor, landings, steps, railing, and stage. Our floor spanned over what represents The Nile River, as you will see in the final photo below.

We begin the build…

The finished product...

The hieroglyphic translation of "Stamford Tent":

It's Friday before Labor Day weekend, what can I tell ya? :)

Road Trip!

2010-08-24T13:54:00.004-04:00

Another great event in the Hamptons, this time for Southampton Hospital's Summer Gala. Kudos to our very own Jane Frost - our designated Hamptons socialite :) - on a great job, ensuring that the event was a spectacular success! Click on the photos to see a larger version.

I sail now. I'm a sailor! I sail!

2010-08-17T16:37:00.000-04:00

A corporate event on the water in Connecticut, featuring one of our new sailcloth tents from our Spinnaker Series.

This style of tent just makes me want to sail.

Sheltering You From the Elements, even in Canada!

2010-07-29T13:00:00.000-04:00

We've received a nice email from Peter traveling in Montreal with Mindy and Brian. He included a photo with caption below:

"...during a pop-up shower you kept our bodies dry and our lips moist!! You are the Best!!"

We continue to shelter our friends from the elements, more specifically for Peter and friends - with umbrellas and lip balm! Thanks for the email Peter, we hope you have a great time!!

2010 Greenwich Concours d'Elegance

2010-06-11T10:54:00.004-04:00

Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, CT was the site for the 2010 Greenwich Concours de'Elegance, an impressive car show held each year. Saturday showcased Concours Americana, while Sunday was the Concours International, exclusively for imported cars of all makes and models.

Stamford Tent provided a great number of tents used to highlight and shelter these incredible cars. In addition, The Greenwich Concours was also the site for a major auction by Bonhams, a very exclusive auction house. Several prominent collectors auctioned their automobiles and memorabilia under one of our large frame tents. Enjoy the photos below.

Nickelodeon & Brooklyn Academy of Music

2010-06-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

On May 22nd the Brooklyn Academy of Music held their first Mega Music Fest. Nickelodeon invited children and parents to a tented party across the street from the Academy where the children drew on the walls, played with the interactive décor and even created their own instruments.

The design group, Fresh Wata produced the theme for Nickelodeon for this very successful after-party, while of course Stamford Tent provided the tenting and related services.
Enjoy the photos below.

Sex And The City 2 - Interior Photos of After-Party

2010-05-27T12:40:00.001-04:00

Following up on Tuesday's post regarding the after-party for the premiere of Sex And The City 2, I'd like to share a few interior photos of our tent at Lincoln Center. 15/40 Productions and designer Thomas Ford did an amazing job!

A description from today's article on BizBash.com:

Following the screening for 5,000 guests, a whittled down crowd of 1,200 walked amid hundreds of lanterns to enter the tent, which was fashioned to look like—as Charlotte's daughter Lily says in the film—Jasmine and Aladdin's palace. Inspired by Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda's Abu Dhabi vacation, the after-party channeled the city's light and architecture via 600 feet of 20-foot-tall sets that 15/40 built in Los Angeles and transported across the country in three semi trucks.

Inside, designer Thomas Ford helmed the decor, coming up with a look that fell in line with the Arabian Nights theme, but also reflected the film's high-octane glamour. The stars of the night congregated in the raised V.I.P. areas, where Ultrasuede seating in gold, sand, and cream tones mixed with turquoise patterned art hanging on the draped walls. Oscar Mora provided the obligatory pops of pink with some 25,000 floral stems, which were flown in by the Colombian Floral Syndicate, taking up an entire plane.

Sex And The City 2 - The After Party

2010-05-25T13:41:00.002-04:00

The much anticipated movie, Sex And The City 2 premiered in New York City last night. So what does that have to do with a tent company's blog you may ask? EVERYTHING!

Well, maybe not everything but the actors, actresses and other celebrities who attended the After Party at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, partied under one of Stamford Tent's large structures, such as the one shown below at the same location.

Sarah Jessica Parker is shown to the left, entering the party with husband Matthew Broderick right by her side.

The Advantages of Proper Engineering

2010-05-11T17:10:00.002-04:00

I'd like to share an article from the latest issue of InTents, an industry periodical. The article speaks to the importance of engineered temporary structures such as those that Stamford Tent & Event Services provide to our clients every day. Engineered structures are becoming more commonplace than in recent past...and rightly so. The safety of our clients and that of their guests is of utmost importance.

One of the owners of Stamford Tent who is also the Director of Operations, Brian Rieke, was interviewed for the article.

Click HERE for article.

Red Carpet Event at The Met

2010-05-04T17:28:00.004-04:00

Last evening, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City hosted the Costume Institute Gala; attracting a galaxy of stars for the event including one of the hosts, Oprah Winfrey, shown below with Oscar de la Renta. The photo shows the entrance to the museum which was completely enclosed and sheltered from the elements, courtesy of Stamford Tent & Event Services. The elegant entrance served as a runway of sorts; an opportunity for some of the most beautiful people in the world to ‘strut their stuff’ in front of photographers. This year’s theme celebrated American women,“American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity”.

Where the top table price was $250,000, some other notable guests were Diane Lane, Naomi Campbell, Kate Hudson, Jessica Biehl, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Janet Jackson, Gwen Stefani, Sara Jessica Parker, Ivanka Trump, Jessica Alba, Vera Wang, Anne Hathaway and Brooke Shields, to only name a few.

Stamford Tent also provided the stage where Lady GaGa performed.

Raul Avila’s amazing décor and the dramatic lighting from Frost Lighting helped create an awe inspiring event that won’t soon be forgotten by the attendees.

iWedding App

2010-04-26T14:33:00.004-04:00

Have you ever heard of the iPhone? If not...we need to talk. No, seriously. But if you are of this planet and do indeed own one...you may find this app to be interesting, especially our wedding planner friends and those planning their own big day. It's called "iWedding Deluxe".

It allows you to further manage the day to day details. It includes seamless integration with your contacts, a customizable To-do list and the ability to manage your finances, seating, music and gift registries for the event. It's broken down by modules so you can utilize only those that you need, while providing the ability to create your own. It also integrates TweetPhoto, allowing you to post photos to Twitter.

I was a bit hesitant to provide info for this app since I haven't used it myself, so buyer beware..but I have heard very positive reviews. It is slightly more expensive than your typical $0.99 app. You can find it today at the App Store for $9.99.

Minglestick - Idea for Networking Events?

2010-04-14T13:17:00.002-04:00

I thought this was a unique idea for Event Planners, especially those who arrange Networking/Mixer events and/or corporate meetings and conferences. Although similar technologies are available on some of our "smart phones" (like The Shake App on iPhone) this is a relatively inexpensive item to hand out in appropriate meetings.

With a simple click of the button, a connection is made with another advice and there you have it...you have traded contact information. It's been stored, ready to be uploaded to your computer. One of the useful features of this product is that you can modify the information you share depending on the occasion or the event that you are attending. You even have the option to edit your info after the event is over with peace of mind knowing that the correct information was shared.

I'm not sure if I would use one myself, but I would do so at a mixer where they were handed out for all to utilize. You can find them here: http://www.minglestick.com/.

Honored With 11th Excellence Award

2010-04-12T15:30:00.002-04:00

A portion of our latest press release, with added photos.

Winner of Two International Excellence Awards

Stamford, CT (April 8, 2010) – Stamford Tent & Event Services, a Connecticut-based tenting and event service provider, announced they have recently been honored with the 2010 Award Of Excellence, Commercial Tent Project; and the 2010 Award Of Excellence, Party Tent Project. This is Stamford Tent’s tenth and eleventh such awards from IFAI’s Tent Rental Division (Industrial Fabrics Association International).

“We are proud and appreciative of this great honor bestowed upon us at Stamford Tent & Event Services”, said President and Owner, Steve Frost. “We pride ourselves on the creativity and attention to detail which is crucial to custom work. On behalf of our vastly talented staff and crew, we thank the IFAI for such a great honor.”

The Commercial Project award was based upon a custom-made Structure Tent for a client in Greenwich, CT. The project consisted of an 18x23 meter clearspan structure attached to a hotel for use as an additional, seasonal event space. The hotel had an irregularly shaped notched space that prevented a traditional tent from abutting the two main guest access doors. A special shortened bay was engineered by the tent manufacturer to seal the fascia of the building to the structure to prevent leaks during the summer rains.

The Party Tent Project award was based upon a trapezoid shaped tent that was customized for the Central Park Zoo. The project consisted of a 30’x178’ gable-ended structure with two integral dormers and two trapezoidal connectors installed to lead up to the Central Park Zoo colonnade and the Central Garden. The existing colonnade was a glass structure so the client requested that all tents be made of clear vinyl to appear as if they were a permanent part of the zoo.

Because We Need More Reality Shows...

2010-04-08T11:09:00.000-04:00

Tori Spelling a Wedding Planner? Really? Yes....really.

"Tori Spelling and her husband are becoming wedding planner for a new reality TV show. The 36-year-old actress and her husband Dean McDermott have signed a deal for a new programme called Tori & Dean: Weddings! The series will see the couple planning “dream” nuptials for lucky strangers. Tori and Dean already star in Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood."

Lexus Launches Hybrid

2010-04-01T12:53:00.002-04:00

Passing along an article from BizBash Magazine regarding a pre-launch press event/debate on Tuesday that promoted the new Lexus CT 200H at the New York International Auto Show.

Stamford Tent & Event Services provided tenting for the event. Sadly, I wasn't given one of the cars for our efforts, despite my numerous letters and phone calls. ;)

Click Here: Debate Moderated by Sarah Silverman

Baseball, Hotdogs, Apple Pie...and Tents!

2010-03-25T16:59:00.005-04:00

Stamford Tent & Event Services has recently supplied services to one of our corporate clients who held a conference at the home of the World Champion New York Yankees. While I’m not at liberty to share the actual event photos, I have included some of the work below.

We had enclosed a section of the stadium behind home plate to provide protection from the elements and to trap the heat, provided by Stamford Tent. Overlooking the field from behind home plate, we installed clear walls enclosing 7 sections of the stadium. Since the elements involved in such a project were not built into the stadium, there was a great deal of custom work for this section of the project alone.

The first photo shows custom built tracking that was affixed – carefully – to the stadium beams. Space within the tracking itself had been routed to accept wheeled guides. This way, the clear wall opened and closed like stage curtains, with very little effort.

Other photos show some of the area that was tented for the event. In addition, we had provided flooring and carpet throughout the given area.

The fine people at The Stadium were delighted with our ability to create such customized equipment that protected the building while also being very functional. Our client was also extremely pleased…as usual. :)

Thanks to all involved.

Our clear wall is just below the second deck.

So seamless, you can barely see the clear wall from the field.

"You're Hired!" -Donald Trump

2010-03-15T16:45:00.000-04:00

In light of this season's premiere of The Apprentice on NBC last night...I thought I would tell you about our experience. While comedian Carol Leifer was told "You're Fired!", we at Stamford Tent & Event Services were told..."You're HIRED!"

Chosen by The Donald to create the ultimate setting for his daughter Ivanka's wedding, Stamford Tent & Event Services had provided tenting, heating, flooring and staging for this elegant event.

Ivanka was absolutely gorgeous, the decor was breathtaking and the tents...ohhhhh the tents!!

I've provided a link to the latest version of our Spotlight Event Series which highlights this amazing wedding ---> Trump says, "YOU'RE HIRED!" .

A few more images:

The Ceremony tent (before):

The Ceremony tent (after):

Ceremony & Reception tents:

Reception tent, catering tent, washrooms, coat & utility tents:

Curvature of the earth....and tents:

Sailcloth Style Tent

2010-03-01T11:54:00.001-05:00

Just a quick note to keep an eye out for Stamford Tent's new Sailcloth style tent. Inspired by the sea, it's a slightly different style with an organic, slightly translucent look & feel from the sailcloth fabric. With elegant sculptured peaks and custom nautical center and side poles, this is a wonderful option especially here in New England.

We will have several sizes to choose from this summer!!

Production Excellence

2010-01-30T16:43:00.005-05:00

“If you build it, they will come.”

Some of you may remember that line from the movie, Field of Dreams. We at Stamford Tent & Event Services build some of the most complex and well built structures, floors and stages you will ever find, complete with HVAC, lighting and more. Our customers, who we appreciate so very much, continue to come to us and value our quality work. Just as with many companies in most industries the credit often goes to the ‘customer-facing’ employees and that holds true for us. Our Rental Consultants along with President and owner Steve Frost and our installers on-site, always receive the credit first hand from our clients. With this blog entry, I would like to introduce you to some of the people who work diligently behind the scenes every single day, producing excellence for our customers, but simply due to their roles aren’t always recognized for such success. I’m referring to our Production Management Team.

From top right to left:

Brian Rieke, Director of Operations

Brian is the conductor of this finely tuned orchestra. For 12 years, he has been a tireless worker committed to the success of our company. Starting in Sales and working his way through Production to his current senior management role, Brian drives the entire operations process from each project’s conceptual stage with our Rental Consultants, to pricing, planning, installation, removal and every step in between including equipment, warehouse operations, budgeting and more. His knowledge of this industry and all things involved in constructing safe, effective structures is truly uncanny. His work ethic, dedication and success have led to owners Steve and Tim Frost welcoming him as a minority stakeholder. I’m proud to work with the “Rainman” everyday, a moniker I have chosen because of his ability to solve mathematical calculations in his head, that I stumble with while using a calculator.

Clive Kelly, Senior Production Manager

Clive has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 20 years. Ask him about a project 18 years ago and he’ll tell you how high the grass was on the northeast side of the property in front of the stonewall which extended for 17 feet ending at the enclosure for the reflecting pool, then go on to tell you every other detail about the job if need be. Amazing. Clive has taken the ball from Brian and runs with it like a Pro-Bowl running back, coordinating the Production Department. From hiring, training, scheduling and supervising our installers, effectively scheduling all crews that leave our building, to overseeing every project from initiation to removal, Clive takes an immense amount of pride in his work and it clearly shows every day.

Todd Osgood, Production Assistant

Todd has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 8 years and excels in several roles. Todd interfaces with our Rental Consultants to ensure that all files are accurate and complete. With that information at hand, he maintains the crew schedule to ensure that all necessary equipment is available and structures this effort to ensure the availability at each job, making certain this is communicated to Rental Consultants and the rest of the Production Team. His display of outstanding organizational skills helps keep the department running like a well-oiled machine.

Tim Frost, Vice President & Co-Owner

With 34 years experience at Stamford Tent & Event Services, Tim is a second-generation owner of the company and has performed just about every role possible. As a current member of the senior management team Tim is tasked with facilities management, quality control, safety and loss control, truck fleet management as well as the sales of new and used equipment. One of the finer people you’ll ever come across, Tim is committed to the success of every department and it shows with his attention to detail along with every interaction he has with fellow employees. On the rare occasion that Tim isn’t working, chances are that you’ll find him on any number of hiking or mountain bike trails or camping under the stars. An outdoorsman indeed!

Traci Cavaliero, Permit Expediter/Production Assistant

Traci has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 10 years. She ensures that all of our projects have the appropriate permits, expediting payment based on each individual circumstance. It is at times a thankless job when interfacing with building inspectors and fire marshals across the northeast. This role is of utmost importance, ensuring the safety of our clients and their guests, making certain all bases are covered in order to avoid instances where structures do not meet code determined by each town’s ordinance. In addition, Traci wears several other hats within the Production Dept, an integral part of the team that makes everybody else look good by ensuring our events come off without a hitch.

Danny Davis, Warehouse Manager

Danny has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 16 years and is in part responsible for our vast warehouse. He makes certain the trucks are loaded with the proper equipment in the most efficient manner for the crew and on the opposite side of the job, for its safe return and placement back at our facility. Danny is tasked with purchasing equipment, repairing/replacing damaged equipment and organizing the inventory. He also motivates the crew each morning, ensuring quality at the job sites and lending a hand if necessary. Last week the battery in one of our trucks died and we needed to move it from one of the warehouse bays. So Danny picked the truck up, put it on his shoulder and carried it to the other side of the lot. Ok, that’s not entirely true…but don’t challenge him to do so, because I wouldn’t put it past him.

Tom Smith, Production Manager – Fabric

Tom (Moose) has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 15 years. He started as the Linen Manager and took over the entire Fabric Department in 2005. Tom is responsible for all of our tent fabric including tops, walls, liners, gutters, weight covers and all other miscellaneous fabric products. He is the man who makes sure our fabric is clean and of the highest quality when it arrives at our jobs because our customers expect such…and Tom makes sure we deliver. If we need a custom gutter created or a sidewall made to spec, Tom’s our man.

Edgard St. Louis, Warehouse Manager

Edgard has been with Stamford Tent & Event Services for 7 years. He works in tandem with Danny Davis, ensuring the flawless operation of our warehouse and crew. His responsibility ranges from employee time management, making certain the loading and unloading of trucks are done in an accurate and time efficient manner, to inventory, site visits and equipment management. Edgard is an extremely valuable member of our team and is largely responsible for the excellence we strive for on a daily basis.

So there you have it, our Production Management team. Aside from the amazing experience and longevity of this entire group, the quality and pride they all take in their work is remarkable and largely the reason that Stamford Tent & Event Services has been known as the most detail oriented, highest quality, most professional tenting company in the industry. When failure is never an option and anything less than excellence is not acceptable, it’s only a team like this that helps make it all possible.

Weddings That Have Gone To The Dogs

2010-01-26T13:34:00.000-05:00

As a dog lover, I wanted to pass along this brief article about including your beloved canine on your wedding day.

"When wedding guests rise upon hearing the “Bridal Chorus” from Wagner’s Lohengrin opera, they don’t usually expect to see a canine trotting down the aisle."

CLICK HERE

iPhone App for Event Planners

2010-01-14T12:08:00.000-05:00

Being a proponent of the iPhone and some of its apps, I thought I'd pass this along. Nice idea, especially since the app would be accessible to Blackberrys and just about any smartphone, according to MacroView Labs.

New app allows event managers and organizations to entertain and inform guests instantly through their cell phones -- either before, during, or after the event.

Choosing a Tent Rental Company For Your Event

2010-01-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

Event rentals is a multi-billion dollar industry and you will certainly have several companies from which to choose from when planning your event. So how do you make the right decision? In our current economy we all need to save money, so should we base our decision mainly on price? Longevity in the market? Small company or large?

Let’s break it down.

Depending upon the type of event, some companies will eliminate themselves based on their inability to deliver. That may be due to lack of inventory, lack of resources (crew) available on the day of your event, scope of work/level of difficulty or simple negligence with a lack of timely follow up during the proposal process. This doesn’t mean they aren’t quality vendors (with possible exception of the latter)…just that they have limitations. So those aside, there will still be quite a few companies to choose from.

Longevity – this is certainly important, as it would be with any major purchase. Depending upon the type of event, you may not want to opt for a company who has been in business for just a few years. For instance, while planning your wedding, one of the most important days of your life, it’s probably not a good idea to bargain shop and choose Joe’s Tents, Est. 2006. Give the new guy a shot when you’re renting a pole tent for a small get together and your 20 guests need shelter from the elements.

Experience – to some extent this could go hand in hand with Longevity, however not all companies are created equal, even when considering those who have been in business for many years. That company could still be a 5-man operation that tends to specialize in smaller events that are relatively straightforward. Therefore, ask about events they’ve supplied in the recent past. Ask for photos of those jobs. Ask for references. You’ll also want to consider the space you’ll be using and the difficulty it may present. The property may have a dramatic slope or grade to the land and a floor needs to be built up to over 10 feet off the ground or more at some spots. Make absolutely certain that your choice has vast experience in such work.

Another note about experience, ask about the crew. The last thing you want at your home or event venue are construction folks who have been tasked with installing, servicing and removing your tent and additional equipment. They should be experienced tenting professionals. Don’t be afraid to ask about the crew and how long they have been with that particular company.

Quality Equipment – Tents do not last forever, so ask how often they buy new equipment and how they go about allocating tents to certain events. You may also want a particular type of tent to produce a certain ‘look’ and not every vendor will own a large inventory nor offer a variety of choices.

Owner or Salesperson – I hear from time to time that people demand to deal with the owner as opposed to a salesperson. This is certainly understood however when taking everything into consideration, be sure to consider the totality of each vendor. For instance, if you find a vendor who is highly recommended, has 50 years of experience, very successful with many types of events and a professional organization…you may not be able to deal directly with the owner. That’s simply a product of that company’s success. However do understand that in most, if not all cases the owner is heavily involved with all events that the company produces. Don’t be afraid to inquire about that. You’d be hard pressed to find the owner of a tent rental company sitting back in his penthouse office with his feet up on the desk and a cigar in mouth as he dictates orders to his stock broker.

Price – Ah yes, price. If you have used event tents before or if you’ve priced an event, you’re aware of the general cost, especially if/when you require flooring, heat or A/C, or other custom looks you would like to have. The one piece of advice I can give is to make sure you’re comparing apples-to-apples when considering more than one proposal. There is more than one way to go about tenting and to just compare price without making sure you’re comparing the same equipment and service is doing yourself (or your company) a huge disservice. Make sure that somebody goes over the proposal with you line by line and that you fully understand everything that is involved. The vendor that doesn’t take the time to explain everything to you is probably a great candidate to be tossed aside. If you are shopping for several proposals, black out the pricing on the best proposal you have and fax it to another vendor, asking for an apples-to-apples comparison. Very often this is the easiest way to compare. Be sure to double check each item on the competitive proposal to be absolutely sure of the comparison.

However, also keep in mind that you pay for experience, professionalism and piece of mind when you’re dealing with a reputable tent vendor. If nothing mentioned above is important to you, then roll the dice and select the lowest price. There’s nothing wrong with that for some events. However when quality and excellence is an important factor, understand that not unlike many other types of purchases, you will pay more for the best. It’s all about value. Often times the low cost provider is such for a reason.

I hope this helps when trying to decide on a tenting company for your event. At the end of the day a recommendation goes a long way, but short of that…take care in choosing the right vendor because you and your guests deserve it.

Do you Fartlek when you exercise?

2009-12-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

If you don't, you may want to. It's a training method.........seriously.

"Fartlek" is a Swedish term for "speed play". Essentially it's based on the idea of implementing short bursts of speed into your workout. For instance if you're jogging for 45 minutes, you would implement 5 to 10 short intervals where you sprint at 90-100% effort. Or when walking, you would add short bursts of jogging or even sprinting.

It's not quite as demanding as traditional interval training because it allows you to implement the intervals according to your body. Personally, I would need some sort of metrics for this such as a minimum number of intervals to complete, even though I may execute them when my body is ready throughout a particular session. That's just me though.

A slight variety of this method is something I used to employ. I had both an elliptical machine and stationary bike at home. I would typically warm up for 7 or 8 minutes then...Fartlek. Jump on the bike for 60 seconds and peddle away as fast as I possible could. Then back to the elliptical, jumping back to the stationary bike every 4 to 7 minutes for the intense 60 second burst. It intensifies the fat burning quotient of your workout, even if you start at 30 second bursts.

At the time, I had no idea it was called the Fartlek method. So give it a try and let me know how it works for you! Happy Fartleking!

Listening is the Key to Word of Mouth

2009-12-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

I found this blog entry interesting, so I thought I'd pass it along. Those responsible for marketing or for developing your own company's brand might find it interesting as well. It's from John Moore at Promo, a Chief Marketer newsletter.
Four Big Ideas for Marketing in 2010

Event Budgets for 2010 - Optimism?

2009-12-16T17:11:00.000-05:00

Tight budgets? How often have we discussed this in our offices, at our job sites, with our clients, etc? If you haven't, I'd like to take a quick look at your books if you don't mind.

Well I'm sure it comes as no surprise that the discussions will continue through 2010. According to a survery conducted by Special Events Magazine, budgets will be the #1 concern for event professionals. I don't think many people are expecting a miraculous economic recovery in the coming months so this makes sense, but I thought we'd discuss it again, because...we just can't get enough of it!

What's the #2 concern you ask? "Uncertain Economy". Hand in hand, right?

The #3 ranked challenge will be tighter lead times. This is something that affects our business just as it does other event professionals. According to the Special Events survey, shorter lead times jumped from 19% last year to 34% this year.

"Why such a dreary blog, Rick?" You might ask.

Well, it's not all bad. According to the survey, 41% of in-house event pros and 48% of independents expect to stage more events in 2010, while 16% (of both groups) say they expect to stage fewer events. 18% were unsure and 6% were intoxicated at the time of this survey. Ok, that's not true, just making sure you're paying attention.

Event professionals also seem optimistic about 2010 when compared to responses last year at this time. Some 69% of in-house event professionals feel the uncertain economy will be one of their biggest challenges next year, down from 78% last year. Indepedent event professionals are right in line with that trend, 77% this year, down from 88% last year. Ok, so maybe "optimistic" is a stretch, but it's certainly less negative, how about that?

While I try to uncover optimism within the cloud of concern, we're seeing something positive in the event industry and I believe it can be applied across most industries...adaptation. We're adapting to different approaches such as social media. We're becoming more in-tune with our customer’s needs. We're shaking hands more than we are sending glossy brochures. We're enjoying a beverage with new friends at a networking event rather than filming another commercial. We’re choosing the business lunch with a special client over the huge conference in Vegas (apologies to my conference friends). We're making a phone call more often than sending the form letter/email. We may be interacting with our customers more now than ever before, but in a different way. Dare I say, a better way?

Perhaps these are the good things that will come from this challenging time. The renewal of our core business values along with the renewed understanding of what is so important to our collective businesses – relationships.

Social Media Marketing

2009-12-07T09:46:00.000-05:00

As many of us know, social media is becoming increasingly more effective as a marketing tool. Even the tent rental industry is now leveraging social media. Well...at least ONE tent rental company that I'm aware of. :)

As the article below mentions, not only must we take advantage of this marketing channel where appropriate, we must also learn how to measure and monetize our efforts, which is sometimes easier said than done.

Social Media, E-mail Top Investment Areas: Survey

Shoot me a comment and let me know how your company has utilized social media or how you intend to.

First Tent Blog Ever!

2009-12-03T15:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, I haven't exactly conducted research to definitively claim the "first tent blog ever", but I'm going with it.

This is my first post for "In-Tents" a Stamford Tent & Event Services blog. I plan on providing informative, interesting stories, news and ideas on a fairly regular basis. Most related to tenting, others related to the events industry as a whole, and still others that have nothing to do with our industry but that I've found interesting or amusing.

I also plan to have our President, Steve Frost contribute when I can tie him down for a few minutes (easier said than done!). Other members of our senior managment team will also chime in from time to time; Tim Frost, VP; Brian Rieke, Director of Operations and perhaps our CFO, Barry Bosworth who will tell you how I spend way too much money. Oh yes, good stuff.

I attended the ISES (International Special Events Society) "Rock The Holidays" Party last night at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan. I had a blast, met some very interesting and friendly people who I look forward to speaking with and seeing again soon. I'll leave you with two relatively non descript pictures from the event (courtesy of my cell phone). Good thing I'm not a photographer by trade, that's for sure! Not the most awe-inspiring pictures you'll ever see, but pictures just the same.