Planning Tips: Wedding furniture hire timeline!
Throughout the wedding planning process, it can seem like you have endless things to organise - from finding the right venue to figuring out your style and booking all your different suppliers.
Here at The Little Hire Company, we have taken it upon ourselves to create a rough 18 month timeline to help keep it simple. If you're struggling with where to start, this one's for you.
LHC is here to help you create a seamless and memorable day through our Extensive Furniture Collection, Florals, Custom Signage and Stationery, Styling and Set-up Services. So allowing just that little bit of extra time allows us to help you create, design, and style the event you have always envisioned.
18 - 12 Month: Dining Tables + Chairs
These are pieces that are essential to your event — meaning, without them, your event will not function properly. That is why tables and chairs tend to book quickly, especially during peak season. To avoid disappointment, we recommend hiring your furniture 18-12 months before your event. Coordinate with the venue to figure out how many tables and chairs they can accommodate to make sure you’re renting the right number.
If tables and chairs are available at the venue, talk to them first before looking for a third-party vendor to see if they can meet your needs. If there isn’t enough furniture or items available for your expected guests, then a wedding hire, like The Little Hire Company will provide you with everything you need. Trust us - you don’t want to be frantically searching for these key pieces at the last minute!
Photographer: Sarah Clements Photography
11 - 8 Month: Cocktail Furniture
Are you planning a cocktail reception or a relaxed cocktail hour before dinner? You are more than likely going to need some fabulous lounging to keep your guests comfortable. The Little Hire Company recommends choosing and securing your cocktail furniture at the 11-8 month mark. Some things to consider would be dry bars, bar leaners and cocktail chairs. Click to view the full range of Bar Stools and Bar Leaners!
If you’re unsure how many cocktail furniture pieces to book and which flows best, you can always ask our team for suggestions!
10 - 8 Month: Statement Pieces
The 10- 8 month mark is the perfect time to secure any of those one-of-a-kind statement pieces such as backdrops, ceremony arbors, or florals. Remember: first in best dressed!
We suggest booking a paid floral consultation at this stage to allow you to discuss your specific floral styling requirements and needs with our Head Floral Designer. This is plenty of time for your florals to be chosen, sourced, and created for your special day!
6 - 8 Months: Tableware + Catering
Your wedding isn’t just about your guests witnessing your exchange of vows. They will be there for perhaps the biggest dinner party of your life! Therefore, another early wedding hire you should secure is linens, tableware and catering equipment. To make sure you’re hiring the right items, you must first identify your catering style and the number of guests. Some of the items you need to rent include plates, bowls, cutlery, glassware, service bars, and service platters. About 6-8 months before your event, try to secure these items.
Photographer: Sophie Isabella
4 - 6 Months: Decor, Linen + Accessories
At this stage, you hopefully have a clear vision in mind when it comes to the look and feel of your wedding. This means you can start organising those final furnishings for the day, such as rugs, cushions, vases, market umbrellas, candle holders, cake stands, and other accessories that will bring everything together. (We looove a cohesive wedding!)
This is also your chance to triple-check that nothing has been forgotten - common culprits include signing tables, entree forks, and a cake serving set. You can head to our Furniture Hire Checklist to ensure you’ve covered all your bases!
2 Months: Signage and Stationery
Approximately 6 weeks out from your date your signage and stationery designs should be coming together nicely- think bar and table menus, name cards, seating plan, order of the day and welcome signs. (Don’t forget to add on signage stands to your orders!)
Stuck on where to start? Send the team a friendly email asking about our semi-custom signage and stationery design service where you can choose colours, shapes, and styles to suit the vibe of your special day.
1 Month: Finalise Guest Numbers
With 4 weeks to go until the big day ( eeeek!!), you should have finalised your RSVPs and can confirm your hire quantities. Once that’s done, you can take a deep breath and rest easy knowing you have everything you need. And guess what! You can now tick “furniture hire” off your to-do list!
We know that planning a wedding can be scary, so if furniture and decor are a priority for you, keep this timeline in mind to ensure you can secure your dream pieces. Our hiring process allows you to secure your key pieces first, and then add others along the way as your plans come together. All things considered, we have also turned plenty of weddings around in a much shorter time frame and will always recommend suitable alternatives if your first choices happen to be unavailable.
ARE YOU READY TO CHAT THROUGH YOUR FURNITURE AND DECOR WISH LIST?
Get the ball rolling and get in touch with one of our amazing stylists to organise a styling consultation or to bounce your ideas around.