Planning a wedding can be stressful—especially when you consider the growing number of couples who choose to marry in non-traditional venues. Beautiful and unique? Sure, but also lacking in some of the most basic necessities, like tables, chairs…even roofs! Enter: rentals, the solution to pretty much every wedding décor crisis. Couples who choose to rent wedding items often find the options can be overwhelming, so At Home Memphis & Mid South sat down with Ann Marie Shivers of Details Specialty Rentals in Oxford, MS, to nail down the dos (and don’ts!) of wedding rentals.
AHMMS: What types of brides/venues are best suited to wedding rentals?
AMS: Any type of bride or venue can benefit from a rental company. At Details we carry everything from wood plates and McCarty china to copper, silver, glass, gold and Annieglass.
AHMMS: What advice would you offer engaged couples about choosing a rental company?
AMS: When picking a rental company it’s crucial to make sure that they have a variety of options for all budgets, and that they are willing to work within your budget. Everyone has a budget; it doesn’t matter how small or large, and everyone’s wedding is just as important, regardless of that budget size.
AHMMS: What is the biggest mistake a couple can make when choosing rentals and how can they avoid this problem?
AMS: The biggest mistake we see is when couples spend above their means. We want the experience to be a pleasant one for everyone involved. The rentals are not the only thing that will be important in the wedding. A bride and groom still have to remember the cake, food, alcohol and dress, just for starters. It is awful to see rentals get out of hand—sometimes it’s best to step back and reduce wherever possible to stay within budget and make everyone happy, especially the couple and the father of the bride!
AHMMS: What are the must-have wedding rentals at the moment?
AMS: More than anything else, people are renting furniture and lighting installations right now.