When ABC Rentals started in Sioux Falls in 2002 as a family-owned one-stop rental shop, the company soon realized they needed two locations for the demand. ABC Rentals Special Events launched its second location on Phillips Avenue to focus solely on “all things weddings and events,” according to special events coordinator Jenna Heemstra.
“Our mission here is to create great events, while also building great relationships,” she said.
“I work as the special events coordinator. That title does come with a few different hats as I help with sales, event planning and meeting with clients, setting up events, getting rental orders ready, and pulling for clients to pick up, inventory maintenance, and marketing/social media.”
Jenna Heemstra
Customer service is at the forefront of ABC Rentals Special Events, says Heemstra, especially because these moments are so important to clients.
“Our clients count on us to take care of them through the entire rental process, which includes initial questions about our rental offerings, how to go about renting different items, day-of questions when maybe something isn’t working as it should be, and then problem solving with them to fix it,” said Heemstra. “Then we follow-up with clients as the items are returned.”
Rentals include tents of all sizes, tables, chairs, dance floors, lounge furniture and loveseats, arches, linens, drapings and various backdrops, dishware, concession machines, table décor, and other various items. ABC Rentals Specials cover up to a five-hour radius from Sioux Falls.
“We cover all of South Dakota, northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, southeast North Dakota, and northeast Nebraska,” said Heemstra.
Newer trends the company has seen since COVID-19 are couples having weekday weddings and also couples having small, intimate weddings and receptions.
“We always ask our clients what kind of event they are having, and it’s been surprising to see how many weddings have been on a Monday or Wednesday,” said Heemstra.
A popular rental has been a tent with clear tops and walls, going for more of a “greenhouse vibe.”
One thing Heemstra recommends is to give guests something to do during cocktail hour.
“It can really set apart your event. We offer a wide variety of yard games that just add something extra to the day,” said Heemstra. “Even adding some of our concession machines to your event for hors d’oeuvres can add an extra fun element to the night. Guests will remember if you had cotton candy or snow cones for them to snack on.”
When clients visit the ABC Rentals Special Events showroom, they can choose different tiers for their package. They can choose to pick up and return items on their own, or they can hire ABC Rentals for delivery, setup, teardown, and pick up.
“There really isn’t a limit as to what we will set up,” said Heemstra. “If you need us to do a full set-up for your event, which might include tables, chairs, linens, décor, etc. we can do that.”
SPECIAL TOUCH
Want to list the itinerary, a mesage, directions, or the dinner menu? Rent chalkboards for the big day!
Along with weddings, ABC Rentals also works often with companies like Sanford Health.
“We’ve done a lot of ground breaking to grand opening events. The Sanford International PGA Tour week has always been a favorite,” said Heemstra. “It’s just been really cool to see the vision that they have for many of their events and then being able to execute it for them.”
Heemstra says one of the team’s favorite moments is seeing the images of events afterwards, since the day-of they’re busy with setup.
“It’s always a lot of fun getting to see pictures afterwards of how the couple’s vision all came together once all the décor is put together,” said Heemstra. “It’s very rewarding to know that we were a part of that vision and that our clients trust us to help execute it.”
When it comes to what the client envisions and orders, ABC Rentals says they’ll make sure to follow through.
“We are a company that will always provide what we say we are going to provide,” said Heemstra. “If you reserve rentals through us, you can be confident that we are going to have those items available for your event.”
For more information, visit abcrentalsmidwest.com.+
