LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After a year of postponed, abbreviated and canceled events Bryant's Rent-All in Lexington is offering creative ways to carry out safe celebrations during the pandemic.
"It was hard "watching people, you know, plan their events in May and then we're going to move them to August and then we're going to move them to November, and now we're just canceling them completely because things just have never let up like we were hoping," Event Consultant Hunter Sherwood said.
He said many of their clients work with them for some of their biggest memories and said the last year has been "very emotional."
"Trying to do what's best for the client and do what's best for the business, at the same time and try to figure out what's going to be the happy medium that is gonna make you happy but also make sure that I can keep the lights on in here," said Sherwood.
Part of keeping the lights on included tent rentals but also adjusting to the times with custom pandemic pieces.
"Plexiglas barriers that you can add to bars and buffets and hand sanitizer stations and in pieces like that where it's like, 'how can you create that air of this is going to be a safer space that we can it's going to be safe for your guests, it's going to be safe for the vendors who are there, especially if you're working like with bartenders and buffet attendants, who are in close proximity with people and how do you make keep everybody safe?" Sherwood said.
He said they have also ramped up cleaning procedures on all their rental products despite the added supply costs.
Looking ahead to 2021's events, Sherwood explained their thought process has been, "We've missed so much of life's milestones last year, how do we continue to enjoy each other's company and continue to celebrate ,continue to have those spaces, but do it in a, in a smaller, more intimate way?"
That mindset birthed their at-home prom package.
"Last year ... a lot of ... guys and girls missed those moments of that celebrating the end of celebrating the year celebrating the end of their high school careers," he said. "And so this year's like, 'how can we make sure that we don't miss that again?'"
The package includes a choice of linens, chairs and china. Sherwood said they tried to keep the pricing reasonable so kids "can make a few choices. Make it, you know, your smaller party for 10 people have your friend group over, get dressed up, and then, you know, be able to celebrate."
He hopes beyond prom the Lexington community will rally behind the event industry in 2021 to help ensure its survival back to normal times.
Sherwood pleaded, "if you've got an occasion to do it, it can be small, it can be intimate and it can be safe and it can be secure."
