What Brides Should Rent vs. Buy - A Luxe Event Designer’s Guide

Planning a wedding comes with what feels like a million little decisions. One of the biggest: What should you rent vs. buy?

As event designers, we’ve seen both ends of the spectrum-brides trying to DIY every detail, and those purchasing décor they’ll never use again. The truth is, the most elevated, luxe weddings are often the result of knowing when to invest and when to delegate.

Here’s our guide to what makes sense to rent-and what’s better to buy-for your big day.

What Makes Sense to Rent

1. Specialty Furniture and Decor
Luxury lounges, ghost chairs, velvet ottomans, statement tables-these pieces make a bold impact, but don’t need to live in your garage afterward. Rent them for the weekend and enjoy a designer-level look.

2. Draping & Backdrops
Wall-to-wall draping, photobooth backdrops, and suspended fabric installations require professional setup and takedown. These are items you should always rent from a company experienced in design logistics.

3. Lighting
Uplighting, chandeliers, LED accents-these are costly to buy and install yourself. Renting lighting equipment and design services ensures your event is well-lit and safe.

4. Linens & Tableware
From velvet runners to gold-rimmed chargers, renting linens and dishware lets you curate a cohesive tablescape without having to store or wash anything post-event.

5. Ceremony Arches or Structures
Wedding arches, chuppahs, and canopies are best rented. Custom-designed pieces can be tailored to your floral vision and constructed with safety and scale in mind.

What Makes Sense to Buy

1. Personal Accessories
Heirloom-worthy details like custom vow books, monogrammed robes, or embroidered handkerchiefs make meaningful keepsakes-and are often more affordable to buy than rent.

2. Signage & Printed Materials
Welcome signs, seating charts, and signature drink menus are often highly personalized. Many brides opt to have these custom-made and keep them afterward as mementos.

3. Bridal Jewelry or Hair Accessories
While some brides rent designer pieces, many prefer to buy and keep accessories for anniversaries or future special occasions.

4. Small Decorative Touches
Think candles, bud vases, or table numbers. If you find these at a good price and plan to use them in your home or resell them, they may be worth purchasing.

5. Emergency Kit Essentials
Buy your own day-of kit: tissues, safety pins, double-sided tape, blotting papers, and aspirin. These don’t need to be glamorous-just practical.

Design Tip: Focus on Experience, Not Ownership

One of the core principles of luxe event design is focusing on the guest experience over material accumulation. Renting allows you to access elevated items you might not otherwise afford-and ensures a stress-free teardown.

We always tell our brides: rent what contributes to the look and flow of the event, and buy what holds long-term personal value.