Choose impressive rentals for your wedding

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello there! My name is Taylor Thurgood I’m married and have 5 beautiful crazy children. I own Firefly Event and Rentals, and have been in the wedding business for the last 7 yrs. . I’m the one behind the scenes making sure everything that needs to be done is accomplished. I also answer the majority of emails and rental inquiry request.

My husband keeps telling me I should delegate this out. I just love getting to know our clients and build friendships with them through the different stages of renting and planning their event. On top of running the rental side of our company I also have started a floral division, which has become one of my passions. I love getting to use my artistic and creative ability to take individual elements of beauty and turn them into beautiful lush arrangements.

How did you start?

Venturing into the wedding and event rental industry was very organic for me and my husband. My husband was diagnosed with a disease that is very unpredictable and with him in and out of the hospital and dr appointments it made it I to work a typical job.

After pondering on what we enjoyed doing we originally started with catering weddings and events. I then learned the art of floral design, and developed a passion for wedding work. After a few years we were presented with the opportunity to purchase a wedding and event rental company; we couldn’t say no! We put the catering side on hold and merged the rental and floral companies.

What do you like the most about your job?

I absolutely love getting to know all our clients and their stories. This job has allowed me to meet the most amazing people. I also love working with brides and hearing their vision for their wedding, then being able to help them bring that to life. I also love the variety, every wedding and event is different. So I get to help our brides customize their rental packages and make sure they are renting items that will fit in with the overall theme and feeling they are trying to accomplish.

How to choose the right event and party rental company for a wedding?

There are so many different rental companies, It’s important when selecting a rental company to check a few things.

• Are the items you are wanting to rent available on your day?
• Do they offer delivery and set up?
• Is customer pick up an option?
• Are there any hidden handling fees? There are those rental companies that will charge an additional fee on top of the rental price.
• If you are having items delivered will the company be able to work around your time frame of when you need things dropped off and then again when you need it picked up.
• Also check if they charge an additional fee for same night pick up. Often times companies will charge an additional fee if you need items picked up after normal business hours. How much is their booking fee and what is the companies cancelation policy

By checking into these few things it will help you easily choose which company is the best fit for you.

What are some ways to cut cost on wedding receptions rentals?

Wedding rentals can add up quickly, one of the ways to keep the cost down is to have a sure number on your guest list. This can eliminate renting excess chairs and tables. You can also help cut costs by adding in highboys instead of renting full size tables and chairs to go around. Highboys are perfect for creating a place for conversation while still allowing guests to set down their plates or drinks.

See if you can re-use items for multiple purposes. Re-arrange the chairs from the ceremony and use them for the reception. Can you set your cake under or in front of your ceremony backdrop?

By changing a few things you can really add to your savings.

Is it better to buy or rent event equipment for a wedding?

It is far better to rent equipment. Not only will it save you money it will also save you time and frustration. Rental companies often rent out items for a fraction of the cost of what the actual item would cost you. Outside of the cost if you rent an item you dont have to worry about what you are going to do with it once the wedding is over. Many of the rental items for wedding are large and hard to store. Do you really want to go rent a storage unit to store all of it after? If your just looking for small nicknacks or decorations that you can use later or to decorate your home with then in those cases I think buying is a great option. Outside of that renting is the way to go.

How much do tents cost for weddings?

The price of tent can vary greatly depending on the style and size you are wanting. There are two styles of tents Frame Tents and Pole Tents. Typically for weddings and events a Frame tent is used. Because they do not have a center pole they have to staked down. You are generally looking anywhere from 300-1500 depending on the size. This style is accommodating to a smaller size tent unlike a pole tent.

Pole Tents are another option. This is a great option if you are looking to cover a large area for less money than a frame tent. Pole tents generally start around 500 for a 30x30 tent.

Where can couples find the best tablecloths for weddings?

To find the best tablecloths for your wedding go to a linen company or a company that works hand in hand with a linen company. Often times brides will buy their linens online and then decide to rent them out after the wedding. I’ve heard many horror stories from people renting this way. They may be a few dollars cheaper but the quality will not be the same.

When you rent from a linen company you will get high quality linens, they will be stain and tear free. A linen company will have the proper cleaning and steaming equipment to properly care for the linens and ensure they are in the best condition they can be in. A linen company will also have a wide variety of fabric and color choices for you to pick from.

Right now we are seeing a big trend in garden themed weddings. Lots of greenery, flowers. Farm Tables are huge right now.

What are some current trends in wedding decorations?

Right now we are seeing a big trend in garden themed weddings. Lots of greenery, flowers. Farm Tables are huge right now. They add an elegance and allow the bride to decorate them in a variety of ways. You can do greenery or garlands down the center, small votives or vases with a single flower, or simple or elegant flower arrangement in the center.

We are also seeing a big trend in brides decorating with naturals mixed with different metals and textures. This is one of my favorites as it adds interest and variety to table settings. Were also seeing a lot of outdoor weddings when it is the right season I think this goes right along with the garden theme we are seeing.

How to decorate a wedding on a budget?

There are so many ways to decorate on a budget if your not afraid to put in a little work and creativity. One way I love is to use photos. You can get 4x6 printed for inexpensive, or even more fun is to get a photo collage or your instagram feed printed off and cut those into individual pictures and place a handful of them on the table around your centerpiece.

The dollar store can be your best friend, I have made numerous large candle votives using a clear vase and candle stick glue them together and it looks expensive. Also wanting compote vases for your centerpieces put don’t have the budget for it? You can create it with epoxy, clear bowl, candlestick holder, and spray paint. You can most of that at the dollar store. Have your bridetride over for a girls night making decorations while watching a chick flick. Also keep your eye out for items that are on sale that you can use for decor, don’t worry about the color. It’s amazing what a can of spray paint can do.

There are also decor rental places that will rent out individual items or have complete wedding decor options. This might be a good route to go as well if your budget permits.

What was the most difficult request you have handled?

One of the most difficult requests we have had is when a bride and her groom wanted us to do everything for the wedding outside of the catering. They also had a very short window when everything could be set up and take down was equally as short. Not only were we working on a tight schedule but the venue was a few hours from our homebase. We had to make sure everything on our end was well coordinated and that we had ample manpower to set up the dance floor, lighting, tents, floral installations, and more with in this short timespan. It was stressful but came together beautifully, the couple was so pleased and grateful that we were willing and able to work with their schedule.