While many wedding day items are one-time-use or simply don’t make sense to own (what are you going to do with 200 vintage glasses?), other pieces are absolutely worth purchasing. For one, the bride and groom’s attire. Despite the surge in high-end fashion rentals, owning your dress and suit allows for custom tailoring and a bespoke ensemble you’ll treasure forever. The same goes for shoes and jewelry, which make for easy keepsakes.

No two couples will have the same rental needs. Your venue might include all the basics, leaving only fun stuff on your rental wish list. On the flip side, you may be looking to rent a 200-person tent and everything that goes inside it. Both ways are doable.
In general, these are the main furnishings you’ll need: tables, chairs, linens, plates, flatware, serving pieces, utensils, and glassware. Other large rentals might be a dance floor, band stage, portable toilets for an outdoor wedding, a free-standing bar, or lounge furniture. Also consider any heating or cooling needs, depending on your venue and time of year.

Now let’s dig a little deeper into your most basic rentals, as these are, for the most part, non-negotiable for all weddings.

At most weddings, you’ll see round tables, long family-style tables, or a mix. You may also need buffet tables, a sweethearts table, taller cocktail tables, and tables for things like cake and the guest book.

Rustic wood or glass-top tables are on trend these days. But if you’re not planning to show off the tables themselves, tablecloths for dinner and cocktail hour are a must — cloth napkins, too. Hosting a breezy outdoor reception? Make sure you have table weights, hidden tablecloth clips, and napkin rings.

You’ll need seating not just for dinner, but possibly the ceremony and cocktail hour, too. Have high chairs or booster seats for any little ones. Chair covers add color and texture to the space, however, stylish Chiavari chairs and fresh, white folding chairs work wonderfully, no covers necessary. Decorative chairs are a fun way to add a dash of décor to a sweethearts table.

With all the delicious food at a wedding, it’s no wonder so many plates are required. You’ll need plates for cocktail hour, salad, dinner, and dessert. Today, tables are often set with chargers and a lively array of colorful, metallic, even patterned plates for an eclectic table. A mix of silverware is also in fashion. Always order about a dozen extra place settings in case a plate drops, shows up chipped, or you realize later that your vendors also need to eat.

For glassware, you might need champagne flutes, glasses for water, beer, wine, cocktails, and cups for non-alcoholic drinks like coffee or tea. The number of glasses depends on whether or not there will be a dishwasher at your wedding. Think about how many glasses you go through in an evening out; you need to keep the clean glassware coming. So either hire a dishwasher, or work around it. Calculate three or four glasses per person, or make it clear that guests should reuse their one glass the entire evening.

See if you can coordinate with your venue and consolidate any rentals into one order. Odds are your venue is renting something. If you can rent from the same company, it usually means one flat delivery fee and one drop-off and pick-up time.

If you have to place your rental order before your final guest count is confirmed, it’s best to round up. You can always remove a dozen place settings or a couple tables, but adding them at the last minute might prove tricky.

Thoroughly read your rental agreement and the itemized list of goods coming your way. Make sure the amounts and times of drop-off and pick-up are all correct, and understand the state in which goods are to be returned. Do dishes have to be washed? Chairs folded? Also be aware of added fees, such as a service charge, delivery charge, or tip, as this can sometimes turn a seemingly-inexpensive rental into a pricy one.

Ask for the company’s direct contact information for the day of your wedding, in the event that you need to get a hold of someone.

No matter what inspires you online and in magazines, working with your venue is key. A community center will not magically transform into a rustic barn wedding — and that’s okay. Embrace the best of your venue. Perhaps it’s a blank slate, or maybe nature will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Think about what you can afford and what will actually look good in the space.

Consider antiques, bird cages, vintage books, chandeliers, a disco ball, neon or marquee lighting, eclectic vases, or gilded mirrors. Want fun on a bigger scale? Bring in fabulously funky furniture to act as both a cozy lounge area and a dramatic backdrop for photos. Up the playfulness with popcorn machines, cotton candy makers, lawn games, arcade games, or outdoor fire pits. These are just some of the ways to add an unforgettable touch to your wedding day — and they’re all available to rent.