In 2022, Alex Cahanap turned her passion for creating stunning tablescapes into an event design and tableware rental business. As her business grew, she faced challenges with manually creating quotes and keeping orders organized, which made it difficult to track availability. Earlier this year, she started using Booqable, which has streamlined the quoting process and improved booking management.
Citrine
Alex started her career as an art director on photo and video sets, where she developed a deep love for creating stunning, photo-ready tablescapes. This experience drove her to turn events into unforgettable occasions. She firmly believes that “a thoughtfully crafted table setting transforms the entire experience, making guests feel truly special and engaged.” This philosophy fuels her passion for designing events that everyone will remember with a smile.
Citrine offers a specialty selection of dinnerware that is as eclectic as it is unique. Their mission is to bring clients pieces they won’t find at any generic, large-scale rental company. Alex and her team curate items that are eye-catching and bring a delightful, funky flair to the table. Every piece they offer is designed to inspire and elevate their clients’ dining experience, making every event truly unforgettable.
This unique approach has garnered a client base that includes event planners, caterers, venue coordinators, PR companies, marketing companies, and private individuals. Recently, they’ve been hosting pop-up dinner parties with talented chefs and caterers to bring their dinnerware to life and showcase its value in a real-world setting. These events allow them to connect directly with their audience and build a community.
Quotes and organization
While Alex knew exactly what she wanted Citrine to be, there were some challenges on the management side of the business. She found it challenging to produce quotes in a timely manner and keep order organized. The majority of this work had to be done manually, and she knew she had to find a solution to automate the process. So, she began searching for a rental software solution.
During her search, she encountered several options, but the one that stuck out was Booqable. Not only can she create orders and generate quotes with just a few clicks, but she can also let customers submit a quote request through her website. This lowers the barrier to entry for clients and creates a more seamless experience. She achieved this by integrating Booqable directly into her beautiful Squarespace website.
In addition, she is now able to keep track of orders much more effectively. The Booqable dashboard gives her a complete overview of orders she has received online and created herself. They are linked to her inventory, which means she always knows what is available. This is particularly helpful when generating quotes, as she can quickly see if requested items are unavailable and swap them for other items.
More products, pop-ups, and showrooms
Alex has big ambitions for Citrine and is already planning her next moves. She hopes to expand her inventory to serve not only big events but also clients who want to host dinner parties in their homes with smaller packages. Meanwhile, she plans to do many more pop-ups with local chefs and even open a few showrooms where people can see the tableware in action before making a booking.
