Tables, chairs, linens, tents and more! A-1 has one of the largest party and event rental selections in the area with over 500k pieces of inventory in stock everyday!

Event services, event production, event labor, laundry, coordination, and more. A-1 is an award winning service provider of photo, video, DJ, live stream, photobooth, coordination, and wedding officiants in the St. Louis and Illinois market!

Light tool rentals including floor buffer/scrubbers, sanders, hand tools, power tools, and more.

Ray Ruder opened up a small lawnmower repair shop under the name “A-1” in Collinsville, IL. Over the years the shop grew and lawn care & tool rental items were added to the offering. The name was changed to A-1 Rentals at that time. In the early 90s, capitalizing on the market trend of weddings and events, Ray and his family added some party rental items with the help of trusted employee Wonda Karibian.

Presented with a unique opportunity from Ray, Wonda was able to purchase the event and party rental business. Ray maintained the tool rental business for a short period essentially splitting the company then quickly decided to retire. The tool business later became United Rentals of Illinois while the party rental business remained A-1. Wonda’s wit and laser focus helped her to hone in on what was making A-1 such a huge success. Changing the name to A-1 Party and Wedding, Wonda was able to shift from a tool & party business to a focused party and wedding business. From 1999 to 2005 Wonda worked on streamlining the rental inventory, added retail items for sale, and grew the business exponentially. In this time she was able to acquire several linen & fabric businesses which helped grow inventory and offerings. 

The covid pandemic forever changed the wedding and event industry, and A-1 was not immune to this wave. Business fell by as much as 80% in a little over a week in 2020. The business was teetering on closure, and for a time it looked like the end of the road for a historic business with a 50 year track record. Josh Horn along with his family and close friend were able to step in and offer a life preserver to the company so that it could continue on. Changes have been swift and drastic in order to bring A-1 forward into the modern market. In 2022 tool rental was once again added. Josh and family will continue to carry the torch of A-1 and embody the famous A-1 tradition.