Before you build a quote list, it helps to know the order of things: what we need from you, when stock gets reserved, and where the practical limits sit. This page walks through the steps from first browse to collection day, including the details that usually cause delays on site.
A few terms get read differently by different planners, so we spell them out here. If something on your quote list does not match what you expected, this is usually where the gap sits.
A standard hire runs from the delivery slot to the collection slot on the agreed dates. If your venue only allows access on the morning of the event, the setup window shortens and the crew may need an extra run the day before. Weekend bookings that stretch across a Sunday collection are quoted as such from the start.
Adding an item to your list does not lock stock. Availability is confirmed once we check the date against other bookings. Tiffany chairs and glassware move fastest in December and April, so a list sent two weeks out may come back with substitutions in a different finish.
Stretch tents anchor differently on grass, gravel and paving. Side panels help on exposed sites but change the rigging plan, and a generator is sometimes needed where the venue has no usable power point near the buffet. We confirm the anchor method after a short look at the surface, not from a photo alone.
Crockery, cutlery and glassware are counted in and out. Missing or chipped items are noted on the return sheet, and the difference is settled after collection. Packing everything back into the crates it arrived in keeps that count quick and avoids disputes on a Monday morning.
Delivery and collection depend on distance, access and how many trips the load needs. A farm venue down a gravel road takes longer than a hall with a loading bay. Share the address and the access route when you send the list, and the schedule comes back with the transport worked in.
Seats per trestle table change with the table length and whether you are serving plated or buffet. A 120-guest wedding and a year-end office party for the same number rarely need the same furniture, because the floor plan and service style differ. Send the final count before the delivery window is fixed.
Anything still unclear after reading this? Note it next to the item on your list and we will answer it together with the availability check. Contact details are on the contact page.
Most questions come up while you are still building a list, not after you have sent it. Whether you are checking whether a stretch tent fits a sloped lawn in Pretoria or confirming how many trestle tables a 120-guest reception needs, there is a route that gets you a straight answer without waiting on a callback.
Best for quote lists, venue addresses and delivery windows. Attach your guest count and event date so availability can be checked in one pass.
Replies usually land within one working day.
Faster when you need to talk through anchor methods, side panels for windy sites or whether a generator will carry the catering warmers.
Same-day answers on weekdays, Monday to Friday.
Useful for setup crew arrangements on larger functions, or when a venue needs paperwork before the crew arrives.
485 Diane Spurs Suite 754
Sibiyaland, NW 2785
Response times shift in the weeks before December and April, when marquee and chair stock moves fast. Sending your list early keeps the delivery slot you actually want.
Most bookings follow the same path. Timings shift with the season and the venue, so treat the steps below as the order of work rather than fixed dates.
Step 1
Before you shortlist anything
Start with the event type, the rough number of guests and the surface you are working on. A stretch tent on a lawn in Pretoria anchors differently from one on paving in the Cape Winelands, and that changes which side panels and pegs we pack. Add chairs, trestle tables and linen first, then layer crockery, glassware and warmers once the seating plan settles.
Step 2
Availability check
Send the list through and we check quantities item by item. December and the spring wedding weekends fill up first, so tiffany chairs and dance floors are the usual pinch points. If something is short, we say so early and suggest a finish or size that works instead of leaving you to guess.
Step 3
Delivery and setup
For larger functions a staffed crew handles the tent rigging, table layout and drapery. Generator hire is arranged where the site has no reliable power for warmers and lighting, and side panels go up on exposed sites. Setup usually lands the day before or the morning of, depending on venue access windows.
Step 4
After the event
Glassware and crockery go back in the crates they arrived in, and we count them on collection. Breakage terms are explained before the booking is confirmed, not after. Collection is scheduled once the venue is clear, so plan the teardown window with your caterer before the day.