Tips for Your Rentals

Make it fun! Consider renting crowd-pleasers such as cotton candy makers and popcorn machines. For outdoor areas, offer games like bocce ball and a beanbag toss.

Your best source for rentals? Ask your caterer, floral designer or venue site manager for referrals.

How much do you need?

Order at least three to four dishes, glasses, stemware and flatware pieces per guest, says Jenny Orsini, owner and creative director at Jenny Orsini Events in New Jersey. For a cocktail hour, you’ll need at least three glasses for each person. And order at least 10 extra chairs for your ceremony, plus 10 extras for your cocktail party and reception in case any chairs arrive cracked or broken.

Tables

Essentials: Guest tables in a collection of rounds, long family-style, or a mix of table shapes and sizes. You might also consider sweetheart and buffet tables and separate tables for gifts, guest book and family photos.

What’s Hot: Mixing table sizes and shapes to maximize your space. Rustic-wooden tables are a major trend, as are mixes of wood and glass table tops.

Don’t Forget: If you don’t have a wedding coordinator to handle this task, bring layouts of your ceremony and reception sites to your rental agent, so that he or she can advise on your table choice and arrangements.