In case you haven’t noticed, there’s been a pretty cool trends lately in the wedding scene. You’ll see that many couples have opted to include some awesome rentals to create a lounge space for their guests. Or maybe you’ve noticed wedding tables with gorgeous linens, fun chargers, and beautiful, colored, glass goblets.
Where does all of this come from, you ask? That’s right! Your friendly, neighborhood rental company (couldn’t resist the reference – that movie was awesome!)!
PHOTO credit: ADDIE ESHELMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
If you’re planning your wedding, you’ve likely considered how you can elevate your design and bring your vision to life. Ahhh, the daydreaming! Whether it’s chiavari chairs, a dance floor for your outdoor wedding, or small decor details, they’re all available for rent.
But how do you know what you should actually use and rent for your wedding?? What do you need to think of when picking a reputable rental company? And, what about when you need to make the reservation? Great questions! We’ve got the answers. Our friend, Ann, from A to Z Event Rentals gave us all the insight – she’s a great resource – and we wanted to share it with you 🙂
1. Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin your event rental business?
Ohh, it’s such a funny story! I have a degree in dental hygiene and was working as a hygienist, but always had an interest in events. It was hard to find full time work in the dental world at the time (2013), and I always told my dad in high school that I wanted to start a wedding decoration rental service. I started to educate myself on all things weddings and the rest is history! Zach and I started off with 200 chairs; fast forward through TONS of work, SO many hours of learning and researching and growing, and here we are!
photo credit: addie eshelman photography
2. What’s your favorite thing about providing rental items for weddings?
It’s so fascinating to me that no two weddings we have provided rentals for have ever been identical! I love brainstorming with couples about how to use our rentals in unique ways. It’s just so interesting to get a wishlist from a planner or a couple- sometimes I think in my head, “are you sure you want to combine those things together?”- but then we see the galleries and, WOW, it’s pure magic!
3. Why are rentals so important to wedding décor and design? What kinds of items are available for couples to rent?
As funny as it sounds, because we started with chairs, they hold a special place in a design for me! It’s truly amazing to go into a banquet room that’s already mostly decorated, and as soon as you swap in specialty chairs it’s like next level amazing! The same can be said for tablescaping. You can invest in beautiful flowers, but putting them on an empty table just leaves everything kind of naked. You can really fill out and frame the table with the things your guests will need anyway- plates, flatware, glassware- but choosing items that fit with your design aesthetic and setting those place settings just brings such an elevated feel to an event space! Couples can rent pretty much anything these days, and if we don’t carry it we are more than happy to point couples to someone who does! As for us, we have some of the most diverse linen and tableware collections in central PA, in addition to the basics like tents, tables and a huge variety of chairs! We also carry lounges, bars, lawn games, some décor pieces and SO much more!
photo credit: addie eshelman photography
4. How far in advance should a couple make reservations for your rental items?
This is a question we get asked a lot, and the answer is always a little tricky! I tell couples, if you know there’s an item you just HAVE to have, book it! We can always add to your reservation as your planning process continues, but some of those specialty pieces are only available in small quantities. That being said, a lot of couples tend to reach out to us about 3 to 4 months before their wedding date. It’s truly never too early, and we take pride in being extremely flexible with changing reservations, so if a design scheme completely changes and we need to go back to the drawing board, then that’s exactly what we do! Our policies allow couples to change final counts up to 8 days before the event, so there’s no need to wait for final RSVP counts to scramble and get a reservation in!
5. What things should a couple consider when selecting a rental company to work with?
That’s a great question! My biggest recommendation is to make sure you are working with a reputable, insured company. Unfortunately we get calls often from brides-to-be in distress because a company canceled on them at the last minute, or they had arranged to rent something from an individual online and they became unresponsive. We are always more than happy to help when we can, but it always breaks my heart if we have to turn away last minute requests. Another really important consideration is your delivery and pick up timeline. This is a great conversation to have with your planner ahead of time! Some venues require removal the same night of the event if they have another event the next day, and others are extremely relaxed about when we can access items for pick up. We are super flexible and can accommodate all sorts of timeline requests, but we definitely like to know right off the bat if we have a tight set up timeline or if items have to be out an hour after the wedding concludes. There’s nothing worse than finding out the day of the event that we have to scramble to get staff there for pick up that night!
photo credit: addie eshelman photography
6. What recommendations do you have for couples who are trying to decide what items would best match their wedding décor and style?
Come in and let’s play with rentals! We have a showroom and are more than happy to let you and your planner take all the time you need, trying different pieces to craft your perfect style! Bring your centerpieces, your plates you bought online, your bridesmaid dress swatches and let’s design something amazing together! I also LOVE when a couple emails me with some inspiration pics from Pinterest or Instagram! It’s so helpful to see their vision board, and it really helps me narrow down which items I can suggest without overwhelming you with every option!
7. What trends are you seeing with weddings?
Couples are really focusing on the details, and I’m here for it! From adorable escort card displays to designer inspired place settings, the details are everything these days! We also LOVE fun features at a wedding- mobile tap rooms, food trucks, a late night ice cream station- you can have anything you want on your big day!
Were we right?! Ann is the best and is someone to reach out to if you are considering rentals on your big day. She’s great to work with and will bring ease and confidence to the planning process! We speak from experience – vendors love working with her too!
Give Ann a follow and reach out to reserve your rentals now on her website or Instagram!
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