Questions to ask a wedding rental company
Not just what to ask — what a good answer sounds like, and what should worry you.
Rental quotes are itemised, which makes them look transparent and comparable. They usually are not, because delivery, setup, strike and damage terms sit outside the item list and can add a quarter to the total.
These are specific to wedding rentals. The questions worth asking every vendor — contracts, deposits, cancellation, insurance and referral fees — are on the main questions page, and you should ask those too.
The real total
What is the delivered, set up and struck total, not the item prices?
What to listen forDelivery, setup and strike commonly add 15-25%. Two quotes are only comparable at this number, and one supplier will usually be reluctant to produce it.
What does my caterer or venue already provide?
What to listen forChina, glassware, flatware, linens and tables are frequently included elsewhere. Renting them twice is among the most common wedding budget mistakes and costs $10-$30 per guest.
What is the damage and replacement policy?
What to listen forAsk the replacement rate for a broken glass or a stained linen, and whether a damage waiver is optional or automatic. Guests break things at every wedding.
Timing and access
When do you deliver and collect, and does my venue allow those times?
What to listen forVenues have strict load-in and strike windows. A supplier who wants to collect Monday when the venue requires everything gone Saturday night is a problem you find at midnight.
Who is responsible for repacking at the end?
What to listen forFrequently you are, and frequently nobody realises. Ask whether your coordinator, the venue or the rental company stacks and bags everything.
Is my order held, or reallocated if someone books it first?
What to listen forInventory is finite locally. Confirm your items are reserved to your date in the contract rather than pencilled.
If you are building on a bare site
What do I need beyond the tent - flooring, power, lighting, climate, restrooms?
What to listen forAn empty field needs all of it, and the tent is frequently the smallest line. A supplier who walks you through the full list is saving you from a large surprise.
Who does the site visit, and when?
What to listen forTents need ground assessment, staking or weighting and access for a truck. A quote issued without a site visit is an estimate.
What is the wind and weather plan?
What to listen forTents have wind ratings and there is a point at which they must be evacuated. Ask who makes that call and when.
Common questions
What should I ask a wedding rental company?
Ask for the delivered, set up and struck total rather than item prices, what your caterer or venue already provides so you do not rent twice, what the damage and replacement policy is, and who repacks everything at the end of the night.
Are delivery and setup included in wedding rental quotes?
Often not. They typically add 15-25% to an order and appear as separate lines, so two quotes are only genuinely comparable at the delivered-and-installed total.
What do I need to rent for a wedding in a field?
Far more than a tent - flooring, power, lighting, climate control and restrooms are usually all required, and the tent is frequently the smallest line. Insist on a site visit before accepting any quote.
Why we can publish this
Most wedding sites are paid by the vendors they list, which makes a page about spotting a vendor who is managing you a difficult thing to write. Lazo charges nothing per lead and nothing per booking, and rankings can't be bought at any price — so we have no reason to soften any of the above. If a rental company gives you one of the answers we've flagged, that is worth knowing before you pay a deposit.
Wedding Rentals on Lazo
We index 15,700+ wedding rentals across 108 markets. Every review comes from a couple who proved they actually got married with that vendor.