OK.  So someone calls and asks if you can provide some plants for their wedding.  No big deal, just a few plants.  Why not? 

Well, here is the scoop.  IF you have a holding space and usually keep extra plants on hand, may be.  And, IF you have people willing to do weekend and night work, may be.  And, IF, you price it right, may be.  And, IF you are in the right market and or have the right contacts, may be. 

Short term rentals whether convention center, events such as weddings and social functions, or meetings, usually take place on weekends or at night.  Your contact s may be the Convention Center Meeting Planners, wedding planners, designers, catering folks, hotel meeting/banquet staff etc.  Some of these nice people will want to take your pricing, increase it and make their cut by billing it to the client thru them.  Others have union rules in place and if you are not a union player, no go.  Other situations have you dealing with MOB (Mother of the Bride) or even worse, the Bridezilla herself.  You haven’t lived until you’ve dealt with someone determined to have tons of palms and ferns and thinking they can get them at Home Depot costs or less.  Also consider the weather demands and the difficulty of having to pick up plants in a snowstorm on a Sunday so the ballroom can be turned over to another event.

Have I scared you yet?  No?  Well, then lets look at the bright side.  You get to "make it pretty" and get all the oohs and ahhs.  The plants after their moment of glory, can go back to the facility and be used the next week for a regular plant job.  You may  be the go to guy for one or more of your hotels and by working with them closely, yiou will get a system in place and just "take orders".  Some of these jobs may lead to regular plant jobs.

Pricing is a consideration as well as are the types of material and containers.  I suggest sturdy plants that withstand travel  and plastic containers in a standard color/finish.  Think white, black and one of the metallics.  Expect them to get pretty beat up so charge a lot for the rental of same.  OK.  So I can just hear you saying, "Barb, yeah, yeah, yeah, but how much do I charge?"  I would charge the cost of the plant landed to your door, PLUS $$ for the delivery, placement, removal and travel back.  Some companies charge, say, $10/plant.  OK if it is small but not OK for a 7′ Palm.  The larger the plant, the longer the time it takes to stage, load etc.  Geography plays a part as well.  Five miles from you?  No bigee.  Twenty miles away?  More time more gas etc. 

Bottom Line, talk to a few of your hotel and meeting planner contacts.  Do they need you?  Want you?   I’d even see if they will tell you what others are charging for what product and see if it istill enticing.  Try a few events and see if it still works.  Don’t start printing Rental Brochures just yet.  BTW  You will need some sort of Menu with prices to give to MOB’s etc.  Print these on your computer, don’t write it in stone…just yet.

Now if I haven’t scared you too much, check out short term rentals and see if it is a fit.  Then, go get ‘em Tiger Lily.