Beyond the basics: How to create a one-of-a-kind wedding

Beyond the basics: How to create a one-of-a-kind wedding

(ARA) – Summer is right around the corner, and that means one thing – wedding season. Spring is crunch time for millions of couples planning their summer wedding, but what many couples don’t know is that there are easy ways to avoid stress while planning their big day.  

Turn your dream into reality

Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and is most likely a day you’ve spent hours, days or even years dreaming about. When the time finally comes to start planning the big day, you don’t want to cut corners or settle for a run-of-the-mill, impersonal event. With the help of the American Rental Association (ARA) and your local rental store, you can be sure your wedding day will be one that will be remembered by all.

Rental opens the doors to options you may have never even considered due to time or budget constraints. A romantic outdoor wedding is possible any time of the year with huge tents and elegant canopies, equipped with heating or cooling options. Make a statement by skipping the traditional tiered cake and going with something more unique, like an impressive chocolate fountain with brownie or cheesecake bites or an ice cream cart complete with all the fixings. You can even create dramatic scenery on the walls and ceiling of your venue with a variety of accent lighting options.

Don’t break the bank

While your wedding day may be the most important day of your life, there is no reason why it has to be the most expensive. You can save money on seating, centerpieces and more by renting. Why buy all your wedding supplies when you are only going to use them once? Why bother paying for their storage and upkeep after the big day is over? Simplify your wedding and your budget by letting the rental store take care of the cleanup, maintenance and storage of all your decorations and supplies.

And forget about running all over town, wasting time, energy and money – make one stop at your local rental store and get everything you need. ARA members, which include more than 7,500 rental businesses and 1,100 manufacturers and suppliers, are located in every state, so you can get all the supplies you need in one stop. To make finding the rental store nearest you even easier, ARA offers RentalHQ.com, the world’s largest and most comprehensive rental store locator. Here, people planning their wedding and reception can find the rental store nearest them, read how-to tips and get ideas and inspiration for their event.

Enlist the experts

To make planning your big day even easier, some ARA member rental businesses offer Certified Event Rental Professionals (CERPs). And most offer on-site support, relieving much of the stress associated with planning a wedding. These professionals are ready and willing to share their knowledge and experience with you, from pre-wedding set-up all the way through the day of the event.

Deadlines, budgets, guest lists – these are all aspects of a wedding that need to be managed and sometimes are better left to the professionals. CERPs know what needs to be organized right away, and what can wait until later. They will think of that one detail that never would have crossed your mind and keep your budget in check.

Enlisting the help of a CERP will not only ease the stress and tension of planning an entire wedding, but it will also ensure that the wedding you always envisioned is the one you will remember for years to come. From the latest trends and themes, to innovative budget saving strategies, CERPs know the ins and outs of planning a wedding.

Don’t let planning your wedding cast a cloud over the springtime sunshine. Make it an enjoyable experience with the help of ARA and your local rental store.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Reserve Rental Equipment (Chairs, Tables, Linens, etc.)

5 Months Before the Wedding

Now you are at the point where you are getting into the nitty gritty details of what must be done for your special day. You’ve got the date, the place, are working through your vendors—you’re feeling pretty good about yourself at this point! The picture of the organized bride! Before you get too relaxed, it’s time to think of any rental equipment that you plan on renting. If you are having your wedding reception at a venue that supplies each and every item, then consider yourself very lucky. Some reception halls include everything from chairs and tables to tablecloths, and everything in between. For the majority of brides however, there will be at least one item that you intend on renting so get ready.

You first want to locate a company that is close to your reception venue, that way you can ensure that they can reliably get their delivery to the location in a timely manner. It helps to ask the venue if they have any recommendations as they likely work with these companies all the time. Once you’ve located a company, you want to convey your needs to them. If you are having your ceremony or reception at venues that require chairs and tables, then you want to provide the number based off of the most people you see attending. Sure there are always a few people that don’t show up the day of, but you want to plan for the most people that could be there so that you have enough places for people to sit. Consider not only chairs and tables, but any linens that you could possibly need. Make yourself a checklist and think through every area that you’ll be responsible for at your venue. If you need a table for gifts or the cake, then be sure that you get linens for those tables as well. If you’re having a separate area for appetizers or need linens for the bar, then be sure to include that in your total.

Chances are that your venue has the tables and chairs under control, but the linens can be a major task. Add to that the fact that many brides want chair covers to complete the look and this can be a lot of planning on your part. The company you’re working with has likely handled all of this detail before so they know what they’re doing. You need to feel comfortable with them and the fact that they will supply everything you need the day of. They may very likely have a checklist to go through with you to remember each and every need, but just in case do your part to prepare for all of your rental needs. If you need to walk through the ceremony or reception venue one more time to visualize everything, then include that prior to your meeting with the rental company. Always remember to go off of the highest number of guests you know could attend your special day, you don’t want a guest to be without a chair or a table to be without a tablecloth.