2020 has been the most stressful, turbulent, unpredictable, unprecedented, and craziest year ever for us (and others!). Is there a stranger time in history? Not sure, but we have been weathering this uncertain storm indefinitely here in Los Angeles. Despite everything, we continue to persevere. We’ve also managed to eke out some notable accomplishments. One thing we can rely on is our amazing customers and supporters. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to keep operating.

Photos by Jack Rodriguez

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREATES AN ENHANCED CLIENT EXPERIENCE

In January, we invested in and attended the prestigious conference Lend & Gather created by RW Elephant and Loot Rentals, geared specifically towards our niche industry, specialty rentals. Provenance Rentals is not your standard rental company; instead we differentiate ourselves in key ways: we strive to provide you with personalized, attentive service, and bring you the most beautiful collection of unique items sourced from all over the globe. That is why it is so important to learn from leaders in our industry on how to make your experience better, more memorable, and extra-special. Our rentals are as unique as you are, but we can always learn more and do better.

It was an intensive two-day conference and networking event held at HNYPT in Downtown Los Angeles. A gorgeous, modern space with rentals by Adore Folklore that transformed the space: instant inspiration! We returned with innovative ways to design events; market our brand; price and source top-quality party and specialty rentals; create efficiency; improve logistics; and something unexpected — weave in philanthropy as part of our brand. The latter is a goal we are working towards; though, much more challenging to achieve in hard times. This wealth of information leads to a better overall client experience. Some of our legacy clients may have noticed changes through the year, and if so — we appreciate you. If you found us for the first time and vibe with our brand, we appreciate you and hope you return again and again.

A BRIEF PAUSE

For a few months, we paused business following the world coming to a screeching halt in mid-March. Safety was our utmost priority. Following the orders, we temporarily closed due to COVID-19 causing a big financial toll for the rest of the year. The days turned into weeks and weeks into months. We weighed our options and thought about shuttering. The live events industry was (and is) suffering and dying. People lack(ed) confidence to book events in uncertain times. Our world stopped; behavior changed; people moved; communities divided.

We had to adapt. Rather than throw in the towel, we decided to give it another go. We returned with determination and grit to survive and, eventually, we hope to thrive. We also implemented more rigorous cleaning and safety protocols. Rentals were cleaned, sanitized and wrapped before being released; we followed guidelines by the city, state, and CDC with respect to running the business, and we provided safer options for clients visiting like masks, gloves, proper ventilation, sanitizing stations, limiting the number of guests on-site in the warehouse and showroom, and more.

Then in June a glimmer of hope appeared — bookings resumed; albeit smaller and more intimate, socially-distanced events. Luckily, people still wanted to experience milestones in special and unique ways, but as safely as possible. Undoubtedly, events create memories; happiness is collectively shared while gathering. In times of darkness and sadness people need something to look forward to; they crave joy and connection. People contact us because they want to make these fleeting moments special. You do that by transforming a space, even a driveway or front yard, for these momentous occasions. Specialty rentals unlock the power to do this. These items tell a story, they are special, they are rare and unique, they evoke warm feelings and memories, and they create a fantasy. Our most popular rentals for this year: vintage, rustic one-of-a-kind low farm tables, peacock chairs, textiles, and our vintage high chair. We had more drive-by baby and bridal showers, and even a drive-by reception, than we could have imagined.

PROP HOUSE RENTALS FOR PRODUCTIONS COMPANIES IN THE FILM & TELEVISION AND MUSIC INDUSTRIES

In these dismal times, we couldn’t imagine getting the opportunities to serve some big clients, yet we still did. In February, some of our rentals appeared on The Masked Singer, Season 3. We loved working with the art department at Fox for this production. Later in the year, our rentals appeared in some music videos, one of which was Isabel Merced and Danna Paola’s music video “Don’t Go.” Be sure to check out our stunning Nur Peacock Chair which is featured and floralized.

We also rented several of our props for other photoshoots for clothing brands and influencers. Our Denver Green Velvet Art Deco Sofa appeared in an Alice + Olivia editorial photoshoot this summer. Our Bijou Ornate Floor Mirror is slated to be on a Disney/Time Warner television show called Big Red.

For production companies and industry professionals, like art departments, seeking to rent our furniture and decor for productions—big and small—check out our Prop House Rentals page. You can create an account and begin the prop rental process.

RANGE OF EVENTS

In the beginning of the year, we had events on the books — big and small. Once the world changed due to COVID-19, our events changed in scope, but not in quality. Some events were of course postponed, but those that happened this year included the following:

• Weddings, micro-weddings, elopements

• Baby showers, as wells as socially-distanced and drive-by baby showers

• Bridal showers, as well as socially-distanced and drive-by baby showers

• First birthday parties and drive-by first birthday parties

• Editorial photo shoots

• Styled shoots

• Cocktail parties

• Product launches

• Influencer Events

• Corporate Events

• Chinese New Year

• Home Staging

PRESS

This year Provenance Rentals was proudly featured in several noteworthy and reputable publications. Check out some inspo below.

• French Wedding Style - the first shoot we arranged and designed with an intended French design, but with a modern twist.

• Chic Vintage Bride - our romantic props were featured in a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel-inspired shoot.

• The White Wren - a romantic, sexy boudoir photo shoot in downtown Los Angeles with gorgeous models from Wilhelmina along with some of our romantic props.

• Wedding Chicks - flat lay styling isn’t complete without our specialty trays. Learn some gorgeous and fresh styling tips.

• Style Me Pretty - our rustic low farm tables with textiles and props created a hip, chic Boho elopement for a same-sex, lesbian couple.

• bck - Our Monica Peacock Chair was the focal point for Nick Cannon and Brittany Bell’s baby shower at Yamashiro in Hollywood! This is our favorite feature of the year! (Thank you again, Ava Mae!)

• Love Nozze - An Italian blog featuring our Meredith Display Wall in this Andes-vibe shoot. Romantic, bright, and playful. Be sure to check out the video above.

• Hey Wedding Lady - a downtown elopement with our textiles and select tabletop rentals. We actually have another shoot featured scheduled for Hey Wedding Lady in January 2021, so be sure to stay tuned.

• Whimsically Wed - See our Meredith Display Wall featured again in this Colorful Garden Romance Inspiration.

BLOGGING

We continue to be a regular content contributor on the Goodshufflle blog. Read some informative articles relevant to event rental companies and professionals in the current world we now live:

• How to Repurpose Common Event Inventory Rentals Amidst COVID-19

• What Event Rental Companies Should Prioritize During COVID-19

• Tips for Safe Delivery of Event Rentals During Coronavirus

• Cleaning and Sanitizing Event Rentals During COVID-19

• How to Help My Event Rental Company ‘s Cash Flow During a Crisis

• What Every Event Rental Company Needs to Know About Giving (or Avoiding!) Discounts

• How Event Pros Know What Their Clients Really Think

• Gain Better Sales by Educating Clients

• What’s More Important: One-Time Customers, or Venue Partnerships?

• How to Become a Preferred Vendor of a Venue

• Why Event Pros Need to Go Digital

Photos by Anokiart Photography, Steph Fowler Photography, and Katie Jane Photo

EXPANDING OUR EVENT RENTAL INVENTORY

Even during this crisis, we managed to expand our party rentals to bring you a a richer experience. Be sure to check out new items to our collection.

• Tables: White Custom Modern Farm Tables, Hudson Rustic Low Farm Table

• Seating: Sag Harbor Brass Bentwood Dining Chair, Nur Peacock Chair

• Lounge Rentals: Mazarine Peacock Velvet Sofa, Oceane Blue Velvet Tufted Sofa, Cotton Candy Mauve Velvet Armchair, Keely Mauve Velvet Barrel Chair, Esperanza Pink Velvet Accent Chair, Citron Modern Gold Leaf Coffee Table, Divya Gold Cage Accent Table, plus some gorgeous, custom-made Maeve Off-White Loungers.

• Textiles: Samira Moroccan Tassel Rug, Emmie Blush Rug, Beryl Teal Rug, Anne Blue and White Striped Rug, Iman Floor Cushion, Orange Botanical Pillow, Presley Greige Velvet Throw Pillow, Henley Pink Ombre Striped Pillow, Henley Pink Ombre Striped Lumbar Pillow, Aurora Pink Ombre Pillow with Fringes, Danica Blue Green Velvet Lumbar Pillow, Juno Teal Velvet Throw Pillow, Amara Striped Lumbar Pillow, and more not yet listed.

• Ceremony/Backdrop: Asymmetrical Copper Pipe Arch

Also, we have a new, large shipment arriving in January/Febraury from overseas. We will be offering specialty dining chairs, lounge rentals, ottoman poufs, turned leg farm tables, and more. Be sure to follow along on our Instagram stories, as well as our other socials (Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest) as we document their arrivals.

AWARDS/RECOGNITION

In December, Yelp notified us that we were among the few to receive the “People Love Us” on Yelp award in 2020. We couldn’t have accomplished this without the generous-natured clients taking time out of their busy schedules to write praise-worthy 5-star reviews. We hope to continue this trend into 2021 and win even more awards by exceeding client expectations. Again, we humbly bow our heads in gratitude to our boosters and supporters.

In sum, although we look forward to 2021 like everyone else, we reflect on what we have learned, how our experiences have shaped us, and appreciate all the gifts we have received. Meeting each and every one of you has been a blessing. You have inspired us and reinvigorated us. We close this year with much fulfillment even if we have a harder ladder to climb. We know we can get through this with your love, support, and guidance. We thank all our friends, family, customers, vendors, and anyone else who has crossed our path in 2020.

xo, Provenance Rentals