Texoma Bride Guide | Issue 008 | Winter/Spring 2021

RENTALS & DECOR
Don’t make assumptions that your venue comes with anything. If you’ve booked a raw space,
get ready to rent everything down to the bathrooms. Please don’t forget those or you’ll have
some unhappy guests. If you’re planning an outdoor event, it goes without saying, you will
need to make sure you have a backup plan. Be sure to have a tent or other covering on standby
to ensure the comfort and safety of your guests.
If you’re lucky, your venue comes with chairs and tables, maybe even cloths for those tables.
Those chairs are probably standard folding chairs, and the tablecloths are probably white. Your
caterer may provide standard white plates and unremarkable flatware. All of that is fine, but
why not glam it up a bit?
From a photography point of view, consider the two most photographed spaces of the day: the
altar where you say your vows and the head table at the reception where the married couple
sit and where the toasts are usually given. Instead of spending your money on tiny details like
custom candy or elaborate escort cards, we recommend investing in something that will not
only enhance the feel of your wedding but will really enhance your images as well! Couples are
often afraid to even dream about rentals because they assume it will be outside their budget,
but it’s more affordable than you may think.
You can rent crowd-pleasers such as cotton candy makers and popcorn machines for a late
night snack. If the weather is going to get cooler when the sun sets, propane space heaters are
always a nice thing to have on hand for outdoor spaces.
The Hills of Luella
ONE TABLE AT A TIME
Remember all of those amazing photos you have seen of your venue? The
space did not start out the day looking like that. Most likely, the majority
of those items were rented. It takes a keen eye for colors, textures, and
lighting to create the look and feel you see in those photos. We’ve got a
few pointers to help even the most un-stylish have a beautifully styled
wedding.
RENT OR BUY?
Ah, this question again. You did read the
section on Groom’s Attire, didn’t you? The
idea is the same, but on a much larger scale.
One of the main benefits of renting: storage.
Sure, you can buy 15 teal tablecloths, but
what are you going to do with them after the
wedding? You can take the time to sell them
online, but at the end of the day, it may end up
being cheaper (and less hassle) to rent them.
Rental companies have an amazing collection
of goods they’re more than happy to let you
use for your event. Companies that specialize
in event rentals have high quality items that
are in great shape. These items get cleaned
after every event, and are replaced once they
start looking less than their best.
Remember to order a few more than what
you think you will need. It is always better to
have extra chairs than to make a guest stand
because you don’t have enough. Talk to your
vendors, particularly your caterer, about other
types of rentals you may need.
DELIVERY & SET UP
Delivery and set-up before the event, and
pick-up after the event, are just as important
as the rental items themselves. When
selecting your venue, think about the items
you’ll want to rent and where they will go.
This will help you determine how difficult it
will be to get the items delivered and set up at
the venue. It is also important to have an idea
of how long set-up and tear-down will take.
This may impact your venue rental time.
Be sure to find out when rental items need to
be removed from the venue after the
reception and who is responsible for getting
them back to the rental company. Assign
someone in the bridal party to oversee this
task on your wedding day, even if the rental
company is responsible for picking up the
items.
Follow up with your rental company to finalize
your rentals two to three months before your
wedding.
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