Rental Guide for Your Reception

Depending on your wedding reception venue, you may need to supply some, or all, of the items needed to host your wedding reception and be a gracious and stylish host. This is definitely something to keep in mind when deciding the perfect place to hold your wedding. The perfect low-key, rustic barn wedding may turn into a money pit when you factor in everything needed to make it amenable. A little later, we will detail some of the items you may need to bring in to bring your vision to life for venues that don't provide everything.

When searching out and booking the reception venue, make sure you are very clear on what exactly is included in the rental fee. Every reception site is different, so you may have to clarify with the site manager which items the venue provides and which wedding rentals you must provide. As always, make sure that everything you have agreed upon is put in writing.

Here are some items you may need to bring in to your reception site:

Guest Tables
36-inch rounds seat 4-6 guests.
48-inch rounds seat 6-8 guests
60-inch rounds seats 8-10 guests.
6 ft banquet table seats about 8 guests.
8 ft banquet table seats about 10 guests.
Square tables are also available.

Cake Table
The best size for the cake table depends on size of cake, whether you’ll also have a groom’s cake, and whether you’ll display both cakes on the same table. The 48-inch round table usually works well.

Sweetheart Table
I am a fan of the sweetheart table for just you and the groom, as opposed to the long head tables for the entire bridal party. A 36- or 48-inch table would suffice for this function.

Food/Buffet Tables
Whether you have heavy hors d'oeuvres or if you have decided on a buffet dinner, you’ll need to secure tables for the food if the catering company does not provide them {or you're doing DIY catering}. Food tables can be funky with a mixture of rounds or squares or banquet tables.

Gift Table
You want a lot of gifts, don't you?! =) The size of the gift table depends on the number of guests you are expecting.

Guest Book Table
A small table for your reception guest book or the guest book can be housed at the gift table.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post that outlines more wedding rentals you may need for your perfect reception.
Photo Credit(s): Style Me Pretty