So, you’ve decided to rent an outdoor event tent for your next big party. What a great choice! Outdoor tents provide the perfect setting for events, from wedding receptions to family reunions. However, what goes up must, of course, come down. Here’s what you should expect from the tent breakdown and cleanup process.

Handle the Basics

Breaking down any large event can be a handful. It’s important to start with the basics to avoid getting overwhelmed.

First, do you have staff available to help with the cleanup? If you’ve hired staff to work your event, they will be able to help with clearing plates, disposing of excess food, or throwing away trash.

If not, you’ll need to handle this yourself. Designate a few family members or friends to pick up trash, a few to scrape or throw away plates (if disposable), and a few to dispose of or portion out leftover food. If you rented plates or glassware, these will need to be washed and repacked to return to the vendor.

Make Decor Decisions

Depending on the scale of your event, you may have spent quite a bit on decorations. Decide in advance which items you’d like back. Are there any frames or vases you bought that you’d like to incorporate into your home decor? Make a list and hand it off to a responsible individual who can pack all these items for you.

Pack up any items that need to be returned. Any rented tables, linens, glassware, faux flowers, or other decor items need to be returned to the vendor. Some vendors will come to collect these items and spare you the trouble of tearing them down but not all. Review your vendor contracts to see what’s included.

Decide what guests can take home. If you have more flowers than you know what to do with or don’t have a need for your centerpieces, let your guests know they can take them home. Leftover desserts or slices of the wedding cake also make great party favors and spare you the headache of having to throw away perfectly good desserts.