Wedding Blog

Today in our Real Bee Budget series, the bees are sharing their rental costs. How do these rental costs stack up to rental pricing in your area?

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Miss Cherry Pie’s Rentals

Rentals: Celebrate Rentals
Total Cost: $4,400

Cost Breakdown:

• 100 square dinner plates: $65
• 100 square salad plates: $65
• 180 square dessert plates: $117
• 90 square mugs: $58
• 90 white resin chairs: $450
• Silverware: $158
• 11 5′ round tables: $110
• 1 4′ round cake table: $9
• 5 6′ rectangular tables: $36
• 1 4′ rectangular sweetheart table: $8

• 90 water goblets: $45
• 180 wine glasses: $90
• 175 mason jars: $87
• 100 khaki linen napkins: $76
• 11 linen tablecloth over-layers (khaki): $132
• 11 linen tablecloth under-layers (white): $154
• 4 90″x 132″ khaki tablecloths: $48
• 2 90″ x 156″ khaki tablecloths: $28
• 1 90″ x 108″ khaki tablecloth: $10
• 1 cake table khaki linen: $12
• 1 40′ hexagonal tent: $1,000
• 1 20′ small tent (for buffet): $330
• Tent windows & walls: $400
• 1 generator: $161
• 1 heater: $180
• 2 lighting units: $50
• Delivery and pickup: $70.00
• Damage waiver: $388 (10% of total bill)

“I was very surprised how much rentals cost, even though I knew they were a definite money “sink” for a tent wedding. Our venue was super-cheap, yes, but Polebridge supplied nothing. We had to rent EVERYTHING. Well, except the stage. That was included in our $500 venue fee (a steal).

I liked our rentals, but darned if they weren’t expensive. Everything, with the exception of perhaps maybe one too many types of glasses and doubling up on the tablecloths was necessary, however. In the end, we could have saved a little on rentals, but it still would have been a huge cost.

We used the chairs from our ceremony for the reception because the tent was right next to the ceremony site.”

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Miss Gloss’ Rentals

Rental: Granville Rental out of Holden, Maine (all prices include a 5% bridal association discount)

Cost Breakdown:

• 40′x60′ Pole Tent (with installation) - $926.25
• Tent Sidewalls with Cathedral Windows - $199.50
• (20) 8′ Banquet Tables - $141.55 (7.45 ea)
• (4) 6′ Banquet Tables - $27.36 (6.84 ea)
• (125) Padded White Garden Chairs - $445.31 (3.75 ea)
• (125) White Dinner Plate - $35.62 (.30 ea)
• (125) Fork/Knives/Spoons - $71.25 (.20 ea)
• (125) Water Goblets - $29.69 (.25 ea)
• 12′x15′ White Dance Floor - $228.00 (12/sf)
• Pick-Up/Delivery - $300
• Damage Waiver - $210
• Tax - $15

Total Cost: $2603.86 (does not include linens ~ $400)

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Miss Mascara’s Rentals

Rental: Celebrations Party & Events, Green Bay, WI

Cost Breakdown:

• (6) 36″ x 42″ Tall Cocktail tables - ($12.99 ea) — $77.94
• (2) Portable Acrylic Bars - ($33.52 ea) — $67.04
• (350) White Wooden Folding Chairs - ($1.75 ea) — $612.50
• (350) 10″ Ivory China Dinner Plates - ($0.33 ea) — $115.50
• (350) 9″ Ivory China Salad Plates - ($0.33 ea) — $115.50
• (350) 6″ Ivory China Bread Plates - ($0.33 ea) — $115.50
• (75) Ivory China Coffee Cups for Coffee Bar - ($0.33 ea) — $24.75
• (75) Ivory China Saucers for Coffee Bar - ($0.33 ea) — $24.75
• (2) Ivory China Creamer Pots - ($0.79 ea) — $1.58
• (2) Ivory China Sugar Bowls - ($0.79 ea) — $1.58
• (42) Ivory China Salt Shakers - ($0.39 ea) — $16.38
• (42) Ivory China Peppar Shakers - ($0.39 ea) — $16.38
• (350) Water Goblets - ($0.33 ea) — $115.50
• (175) 10 oz Wine Glasses - ($0.55 ea) — $96.25
• (150) 12 oz Old Fashion Glasses - ($0.33 ea) — $49.50
• (225) 12 oz Pilsner Glasses - ($0.44 ea) — $99.00
• Delivery Charge (approx. 100 miles each way to deliver) — $260.00
• Sales Tax — $99.53

Total Cost: $1909.18

“We have to rent basically everything except tables, which are being provided by the venue and other (free) sources. With the exception of table runners and silverware, which we found cheaper to buy or make, we rented everything through one company. We reserved more than we needed (we are only anticipating 325 guests) but we wanted to be safe. We can change our order at any time up until 1 week before, so these numbers will actually most likely go down a bit.”

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Mrs. Tiramisu’s Rentals

Rentals: One Stop Party Shoppe, Portland, Maine, and Festive Occasions, Woburn, Massachusetts, with delivery and tent set-up in Southern Maine (2008 pricings)

Cost Breakdown:

• 120×40 century-style tent with sides
• 20×20 dance floor
• 20×12 stage for band
• 12 5′x5′ tables with white linens
• 22 8′x3′ tables with white linens (some guest, some extra for buffet and 2 bars)
• white napkins
• glassware for bar: wine and martini glasses (we used hard plastic for mixed drinks though)
• glassware for tables: clear wine and blue water goblets x 190
• white wooden folding chairs x 220
• hightop cocktail tables x 6 with blue linens
• low round cocktail tables x 4 with blue linens
• (Caterer provided all serving dishes, china and silverware)

In addition to these rentals, we also spent $250 on two portable restrooms and approximately $200 on decor items rented from our coordinator, including cocktail table umbrellas and hanging candles.

Total Cost: Approximately $7000. (includes a 10% discount on most items, but not tent)

“I was really hesitant to post this, because it’s a whole lot of money and I’m not super comfortable talking about it! But I think the info needs to be out there because when I started out I had no idea just how expensive a “tent wedding” could get, and rentals are a huge piece of that unexpected expense. You can definitely splurge on rentals, getting actual high bars instead of using tables for the bar, a fancy hardwood dance floor, or putting flooring in the tent. We didn’t do any of these things, and tried to keep it as bare minimum as possible (and STILL paid a ridiculous amount for rentals)!”

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Mrs. Bee’s Rentals

Rentals: James Catering, offered us Chivari chairs for $4 each — a bargain even for 2005 prices.  We also rented green satin linens from a linen company for $35 each.

Cost Breakdown:

$4 x 100 chairs = $400
$35 x 10 tables = $350

Total Cost: $750

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Miss Bunny’s Rentals

Rental: Semark Rental Co. out of Marion, OH
Total Cost: $268

“We plan to rent about 180 wooden chairs at 60 cents each plus $4/mile delivery. Our linen rentals are included in our catering costs, but we have to rent chairs for the outdoor ceremony.”