Engaged couples everywhere are having to make tough decisions about when and where to host their upcoming weddings. Many of them have chosen to push their 2020 wedding into 2021, causing venues to book up quickly through this year. If you’re unable to book your dream venue due to unavailability or even capacity restrictions, you may consider hosting your wedding at home or in an outdoor space. Because essentially building a wedding venue from the ground up is no easy feat, we’ve recruited the experts at PartySavvy to dish their best wedding rental tips. They have already discussed hosting a wedding at home in great detail on their blog, but today they are presenting the ultimate 2021 wedding planning guide to make the process even easier.
From PartySavvy…
Our wedding rental experts have put their heads together to come up with their tried-and-true tips and tricks for planning a wedding with an event rental company. We’ve rounded up the most popular wedding rentals, the important questions to ask your wedding rental vendor, and what to expect from your vendors – all in an easy-to-follow format.
Reserving Your Wedding Rentals
We know that COVID-19 has challenged everything we know about wedding planning – from venue types to timelines. When it comes to planning your 2021 outdoor wedding, your first step should include choosing a date. If a certain date is important to you, you’ll want to make sure your wedding rental vendor of choice can accommodate it. Alternatively, you may choose a date based on your vendor’s availability. Don’t forget that there are many advantages to a Friday or Sunday wedding! You can also consider other options like a morning ceremony for increased availability.
Once you’ve landed on a date, be sure to secure the critical rentals that you’ll need, like a tent, tables, and chairs.
Popular Rentals for Tented Weddings
As you begin to think about your dream outdoor wedding, consider these popular rental items and note the ones you think may be a necessity. Once you have an idea of which rentals you’d like to incorporate, you can have a discussion with your event rental company about these basic rentals below for making your vision come to life.
Event Tent Rentals
- Frame Tent: Frame tents offer unobstructed use of the interior space with no center poles. They are suitable for lawns, driveways, parking lots, patios, and decks.
- Pole Tent: Majestic, high-peaked white tents provide all the space you’ll need for your guests to dine, dance, or simply mingle and they can be sized to accommodate large events. Pole tents have a vinyl top supported by center and perimeter poles.
- Party Canopy: Lightweight and festive, our do-it-yourself canopies are perfect for your outdoor gathering.
- Marquee Tents: These are used as a walkway canopies between tents, or between a house or building and a tent. Individual marquees may be used as a bar tent, buffet station, sales booth, registration area, and more.
Chairs
- Chiavari Ballroom Chairs
- Folding Chairs
- Padded Garden Chairs
- Wooden Benches
- Farm Chairs
- Children’s Tables and Chairs
Tables
- Banquet Tables
- Round Tables
- Cocktail Tables
- Umbrella Tables
Table Settings
- Linens
- China
- Flatware
- Glassware & Barware
- Tabletop Pieces: Think coffee mugs, salt & pepper shakers, table number holders, saucers, gravy boat, etc.
- Dance Floor
Commonly Rented Add-Ons
Often, couples overlook these less-common rental items. These rentals can elevate your wedding or add convenience – either way, they are worth considering! Talk to your party rental company about these and other rentals that might make sense for your big day.
- Tent Sidewalls
- Lighting
- Tent Liners & Leg Skirts
- Heaters
- Fans/Air Conditioning
- Flooring & Carpeting
- Restroom Facilities
- Generators
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment
10 Important Questions to Ask Your Wedding Rental Vendor
Here are 10 questions your event rental company should be able to answer for you. Find more tips on how to find and hire the best wedding rental vendor for you on our blog.
- Can you provide all of the rental products and services I need?
- If we want to rent items you don’t stock, are you willing and able to get them for us?
- If we are planning a tented event, will your company do a site visit, and will you provide a suggested floor plan for our event?
- Can you help me to work within my budget?
- What fees do you charge for delivery, set up, and/or removal?
- Can you make recommendations for the layout of the event, based on your professional experience?
- What would you suggest for a backup plan in the event weather does not cooperate?
- Will you secure permits, if needed?
- Are there any new or relevant rental products that would work well with my theme?
- If I need recommendations for other wedding vendors, can you help?
What to Expect from Your Event Rental Company
Your event rental company should coordinate their efforts with your other vendors – keeping open communication for a seamless wedding planning process. Look for an event rental company with the experience to know what questions to ask, what kinds of situations to anticipate, and how to keep your guests comfortable and happy.
Here are the things you should expect of your party rental vendor:
- One-on-one consultation and event rental quote
- Site evaluation
- Determine ideal event layout
- Create a CAD drawing of your event layout
- Coordinate in advance with other vendors
- Draft a backup plan for bad weather
- Secure all necessary permits and ensure a safe and secure tent installation
- Work with (and around) other vendors on the day of the event
- Removal of equipment after the event
When you work with PartySavvy, you are getting much more than just wedding rental products. We have served the Pittsburgh community for 50+ years, and with that kind of experience comes expertise. We guide our clients through the wedding planning process, and have created “Worry Free Events” to put your mind at ease.
Contact us today – we can’t wait to help make the wedding of your dreams come to life!
Looking for more wedding planning resources? Check out our DIY Wedding Planning Guide. This helpful Excel spreadsheet was designed (and used!) by one of our own brides. You can also find us in the Burgh Brides Vendor Guide!
