First of all, congratulations! You wouldn’t be trolling the internet for advice on specialty linen rental if you didn’t have a big day coming up. Renting linens for an event is an exciting and fun part of the event planning process, especially if you’re the type who likes to sit back and plan every last detail of a milestone. Here are a few tips to make the linens rental productive and easy:
1. Know your budget before anything else.
We’re not going to beat around the bush; events are expensive. Last year graduation parties ran people upwards of $1,000, and the average spent on a wedding guest nowadays is $200 a head! One of the cardinal rules for most bridal shops that should also be a rule in your specialty linen rental quest is this: don’t even LOOK at things out of budget, so as not to mentally chase what you simply can’t afford. It’s best not to know what you’re missing and be content with what you can reasonably do with the money you have. So, before you even open up Google to search “where to rent table linens,” make a price cap commitment and stick to it!
2.Give some pre-thought to style and color palette.
You’d think this is a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many hosts get “inspiration block” when asked to specifically delineate their personal style. If this describes you and the specialty linen rental question personally, we advise you to take a deep breath, close your eyes, and do a little guided meditation. What color pops out in your mind as one you see everywhere at this future party? Once you have a palette down, move on to texture. One idea we are absolutely obsessed with is mixing burlap with lace for outdoor parties. The juxtaposition of earthiness with elegance is very chic right now.
3.Know the table measurements and number of guests.
Many people have fixed, must-invite number of guests and begin all their planning and budgeting around this number. If that’s you, make your budget in a spreadsheet and make sure these numbers are standard in any price projection formulas you’re doing. If however you’re a little more flexible on guest number, do a little sensitivity analysis and see how much pretty fabric you can get for 10 tables as opposed to 12. Also, if they sell by the yard, know exactly how big the tables are!
4. Scope out the competition.
Linen rental for big events is a booming industry, meaning you’ll probably have a lot of places to choose from. Price and style are obvious considerations, but you’ll also want to look at the rental agreement. Above all, make sure you won’t be charged for normal stains and wear such as spilled candle wax, food, and drink.
We are so excited for your big day and can’t wait to see what linens you choose. Please, share your photos in the comments!
