After a three-year hiatus, California Wedding Day, a bridal magazine and website that caters to engaged couples who are looking for top wedding vendors throughout the state, held its annual Best of Awards ceremony May 17 at the historic Vibiana in Los Angeles. Several American Rental Association-(ARA) member rental operations, which were nominated by their wedding vendor peers, were selected as winners for various categories in their particular county.
Steven Herring, president, All About Events, Paso Robles, Calif., and ARA of California board member, has been nominated and received several of these awards in many past years. This year, his company was named the winner in San Luis Obispo County of the Best Rentals category for linen, dishes and flatware. Willow and Oak Estate, Herring’s new venue, which he owns with his wife, Emily, was named Best New Venue.
“It was awesome to learn that we won. I was very excited for the team,” says Herring, who attended the ceremony with his wife and two key members of the All About Events team: the office manager and one of his account managers.
“The team members have put in a lot of hard work and gone through the craziness of 2020 and 2021. To be recognized again for all their hard work and attention to detail on all our orders was very exciting. They deserved it for sure. That is why we had them go up and receive the awards on behalf of All About Events,” Herring says.
For Herring, receiving the Best Rental Award for linen, dishes and flatware gives his staff “a reason to feel recognized for all their hard work — their attention to detail, the quality of their work and the customer service they offer. It shows them that people do appreciate what they do. I always tell my staff to never be content or never get complacent as everyone in our industry is striving to be better than the competition. It makes me feel good knowing that my team is following all the values and the mission of All About Events,” he says.
For his clients, “it shows that we are living up to the high standards that we have set for the company,” he says. “Having our clients nominate us is a huge honor in itself. Receiving these awards shows that when our clients rent from us, they are getting a quality product and a great experience.”
The Herrings’ new outdoor venue was started in 2020 — right when the pandemic hit the event rental community severely. “I was able to keep a lot of my operations staff busy with that project during the pandemic, so it turned out to be a good venture to start then,” he says.
Signature Party Rentals, based in Santa Ana, Calif., received the Best Rentals Award for linen, dishes and flatware for Orange County.
“It is an honor to be nominated by our peers, especially after the past couple of years that everyone in our industry has endured. Additionally, to win the California Wedding Day Best of Award, voted on by our industry peers, is truly a tribute to and recognition of every employee on our team! A special thanks acknowledging our partners and clients who trust us with their events is also in order,” says Jason Davis, general manager.
Other ARA members who received awards include:
- Best Rentals for linen, dishes and flatware in Malibu/Ventura County: A Rental Connection, Moorpark, Calif.
- Best Rentals for furniture and accessories as well as linen, dishes and flatware in San Diego County: Folklore Event Rentals, Carlsbad, Calif.