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In our business (tent and party rental) we’re reasonably priced, but we’re not the cheapest in our area. We get a fair amount of  calls throughout the year that are simply price comparison calls—“Hi, can you tell me how much you charge for a 40×60 tent? Ok, thank you.” We appreciate that brides and grooms want to get the most for their wedding budgets, but most wedding products and services are not always apple to apple comparisons.

Planning a wedding does entail an enormous amount of research and decision making, but putting in the time and asking the right questions early on means there will be few, if any, surprises when the big day comes—and the final invoices arrive.

Here are 5 things to consider when shopping for a wedding vendor:

1) Product Quality

Asking the right questions early on means few, if any, surprises when the big day comes

In our case, tent and party rentals, the tent is the most expensive product we rent. It’s also the most expensive product for us and our competitors to purchase, maintain and replace. Because of this there can be a fair amount of difference in quality. Wedding planners we work with know this first hand. If you’re having a tented reception, no amount of decorations can mask dirt, stains and cracked vinyl that are typical of a “cheaper” tent.

The same holds true for many rental items. We’re amazed that some vendors rent dirty, scratched and scuffed items. These items show up the day before or the day of a wedding and there is little you can do to have them replaced. And who wants to ask their wedding party or family to clean the rented items before the big event.
Take the time to check references, or post “has anyone used XYZ for an event?” and find out what level of quality you’re going to be dealing with when choosing a vendor.

2) Services

Part of our business is working with the bride and groom and helping determine the most appropriate tent size for their site, number of guests and the event itself. We offer a free onsite consultation to measure and inspect the site (read our entry on planning an outdoor wedding). We also provide, free of charge, custom floor plan layouts that are extremely helpful in designing the tent’s setup. While most rental providers offer free estimates—heck, most have their prices posted on their websites—additional services can come at a cost or are non-existent. Be sure to clarify what, if any, additional services are offered when evaluating vendors.

3) Additional Charges

These days with the rising price of fuel, many vendors have increased their delivery charges, or in some cases, are tacking on additional service charges for weekend or after-hours set-up or removal. In our industry we’ve found this to be a huge differentiator between competitors, and often a question that is never asked by brides before making a selection. If your venue requires that you have rental items removed within a certain period of time following your event, be sure and verify if the vendors you’re evaluating can accommodate, and if there is an additional charge to do so.

4) Product Variety

This can be particularly important when selecting a rental provider. Most full-service rental providers will carry a large selection of chairs, tables, linens, tableware, etc., but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will carry every variation of a style. If you have some “must haves” for your wedding—perhaps you want an arbor for the ceremony, need martini glasses, absolutely must have Chavari ballroom chairs for the reception, or are looking for a certain shade of green for the linens—you’ll save time and delivery charges by finding a vendor that can meet all, or most, of your list.

5) Reputation

With the proliferation of online review and social media sites, it’s easier than ever to check on a vendor’s reputation. Many venues will also offer a list of preferred vendors, which means they’ve taken care of some of the leg work for you. Typically event or property managers only keep vendors on their list whom they and their clients are happy with. In addition, it never hurts to ask your other wedding vendors who they recommend.

To see more of this lovely couple and their amazing event visit Birch Blaze Photography.

Rustic (or as many websites and blogs are now calling it “rustic chic”) weddings are still all the rage, particularly if you’re having your big event in a part of the country where barns, farms or covered bridges are a plenty. The theme is a natural fit for couples who love the outdoors or simply want a unique wedding that is inspired by nature.

While the setting itself acts as a natural, rustic backdrop for the big day (think outdoor weddings in barns, meadows, backyards, wineries and gardens), it’s the details that really bring home the rustic theme. Thankfully many wedding providers have expanded their inventories to meet the cry for rustic inspired accoutrements. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Ideas for Your Own Rustic Wedding

Colors: If you’re struggling to decide on your wedding colors, simply take a look around. Rustic wedding colors should be inspired by hues from nature–wildflowers, natural stone, bark and wood tones. Many colors from Pantone’s Spring 2012 Color Report (Pantone is the absolute leader in color trend and many wedding planners, clothing designers and more refer to this report to guide their color choices) are pulled from nature: solar power, bellflower, sweet lilac, sodalite blue, starfish, and driftwood.

Food: Serving local, specialty foods—like foods coming from local farms—are a perfect way to reconnect with the local setting. Cakes decorated with real flowers and presented on log rounds, or a tier of scrumptious cupcakes versus a traditional wedding cake. Dessert tables set with homemade, seasonal favorites (think apple pie, zucchini bread or mom’s famous cookies) are additional ideas for a rustic wedding.

Flowers: Wildflowers, sprigs of berries, and sprays of cattails or ornamental grasses replace traditional bouquets of roses, lilies and ivy. Decorating with seasonal objects is also a popular rustic wedding trend – think pumpkins, colorful cabbage flowers, and hurricane lamps filled with apples, cranberries or tree branches. For tented weddings tree branches can be secured to tent poles to bring the outside in.

Seating: Opting for wood or wood-toned chairs adds to the rustic feel. While not practical for a sit down dinner, rustic benches or bales of hay are unique seating for the wedding ceremony. We’ve even seen a lounge area created with hay bale seating.

Tables: Burlap is great option for both round and rectangular tables, or consider a classic white tablecloth with a burlap runner. Linens with flowers, leaves or vines embroidered into the fabric add a touch of the outdoors. The latest trend, and a pricier option, is the use of farmhouse tables. If your budget is tight, but you love the look, consider just renting the farmhouse tables for the buffet, cake table and seating/sign-in table.

The web is full of rustic wedding inspiration boards to give you more ideas. One tip to successful planning is consolidating your needs. You’ll save time and money by finding as many of your “must haves” through a small group of vendors. Most full-service rental providers will carry a large selection of chairs, tables, linens, tableware, etc., but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will carry every variation of a style. If you can’t find a provider whose inventory meets all your needs, consider whether your item is worth the extra delivery cost to engage another vendor.

Give us a call for pricing and availability.

If you’re a 2012 bride and still deciding what colors will envelope your special day, you can look to www.pantone.com for inspiration. The Spring 2012 Color Report was announced this fall. According to Pantone, for spring 2012, “designers are inspired by diverse influences, showcasing a range of styles and lifestyles – from free and playful to light and breezy, and contemporary classics. Colors likewise reflect these differing moods, encapsulating vivid brights, fun-loving pastels and soft, muted tones.”

Our 50'x110' high peaked tent set the stage for the grand event.

Custom grapevine lanterns were used with our lanterns and twinkle lights. Burlap table runners were a rustic touch.

Chris and Emily on our sectional dance floor

We used 10' side poles to give the tent an open and airy feel

To view the full photo spread visit Orchard Cove Photography

To preserve the fabulous view of Lake Winnipesaukee we installed 10’ side poles onto the 40 x 60 tent

A big thank you to the Colby’s for inviting us (and for choosing us to tent their event). It was a great night and we would have rocked the night away with the rest of the guests, but we had to get back and relieve the babysitter.

We are so excited to see Liz and Brooke’s Wedding as a featured “real wedding” in New Hampshire Magazine’s BRIDE Fall/Winter 2011-2012 issue, which recently hit magazine racks across NH. We blogged about the couple’s stunning Wolfeboro wedding back in Oct 2010. Our tent was the backdrop for the amazing reception. Check out the online issue here.

This morning we had the pleasure of seeing Spencer & Laurie’s July wedding, which featured one of our high peaked tents, highlighted on Style Me Pretty. The photos of the wedding were taken by Mat & Ash Photography. The event was held at The Margate in Laconia and planned by Meagan Gilpatrick at Maine Seasons Events. We were excited to be a part of such a stunning event.

Photo by Mat & Ash Photography

Photo by Mat & Ash Photography

Photo by Lakes Region Tent & Event