Thursday

Rental Items


In an ideal world, each place you use for the ceremony and reception will have everything you need for a perfect event. However, things are rarely exactly how you wish them to be. Brides usually ask us for recommendations for rental businesses that can supply additional items that may be needed. But before we recommend any other business we try to help the bride deter- mine exactly what may be needed and sources for those items.

Before you rent anything, be sure to check with your wedding ceremony site, wedding reception venue, caterers, beverage providers, décor company, florist, entertainment, audiovisual, staging and lighting companies for items needed. It is hard to believe that one could need something these services couldn’t provide, but if there is, a reputable rental provider is your answer.

Once you have identified the items you think you’ll need, have a conversation with two or more rental services to check the quality of the items provided as well as the rental costs.  Your ceremony or reception venue may be able to refer you to a reputable service that comes with strong references from previous customers.

To help you with discussions about rental items, there are some questions you will want to ask them.
Ask the agency to be specific about the services they will supply. Will they merely deliver the items to your site or does the price include set up and tear down?

Ask if the items are insured against theft and/or damage and is that included in the rental fee. If it is not included, ask for the amount of insurance you may need.

Bear in mind that a full service décor company will likely be able to handle all or part of your décor, floral, table settings, glassware, tables, chairs and chair covers, linens, and lighting requirements. In addition to the usual items, the décor company may be your best source for any unusual items you decide you must have to complete the theme of your celebration. How much “extra” you want will likely be determined more by budget than lack of resources.