East End Wedding Experts Roundtable: Wedding Rentals

When planning your dream wedding, one of your biggest allies should be the party rental company you partner with. From table settings and linens to décor and tents, the East End wedding experts have got your reception covered.

What’s one important, but often overlooked, thing to consider when selecting a wedding rental company?

A full-service rental company is key. We have a large variety of equipment that can fit everyone’s budget. From elegant tent styles, ambient lighting, classic wedding chairs, lounge furniture, beautiful flooring and rustic décor — we can create a stunning atmosphere. — Peter Zimiles, Long Island Tent & Part Rentals, myweddingtent.com

When you’re pulling all of the special details together to achieve that perfectly seamless result, it’s all about relationships and teamwork. Our customers know they can leverage our team’s vast industry experience, design expertise, and venue knowledge when they plan weddings and other special events with us. — Linda Vacey, Party Rental Ltd., partyrentalltd.com

When selecting a rental company for a wedding, couples often forget to ask if they are full-service. At The SDPR Event Shoppe we not only offer a wide variety of luxury items from around the globe but we also work directly with your venue to schedule delivery of your rentals, will set up everything to your specifications with the assistance of our event design team and after your reception will take everything down. We believe hospitality behind the scenes is just as important as front of house. — Seth Stern, SDPR (Something Different Party Rental) Event Shoppe, sdpr.shop

Your budget. I think a couple starts out with some sort of budget, but sticking to the budget can become difficult. There are so many options when it comes to the tabletop décor, and it is easy to fall in love with a beautiful charger plate or hand-blown glasses. But the client also needs to take into consideration all of the aspects of what goes on “back of the house.” To produce a wedding, your caterer may need to rent kitchen equipment, barware, serving platters, et cetera. Those types of necessary items will increase your rental bill. So, really understanding all of that is very important. — Becky Early, Bermuda Party Rentals, bermudapartyrentals.com

When choosing a rental company, most people initially focus on the inventory offerings. While we believe that the equipment is very important, we also think it’s extremely important to consider the customer service you will receive. Having someone who is able to listen to a couple’s desires and needs, can offer advice on the best options for creating the desired look of the wedding and who is accessible and responsive makes a huge difference.

We believe couples should pay attention to the service they receive while placing an initial quote in deciding how a rental company will work with them throughout the process. At Please B Seated, customer service is one of the highest priorities for us and a strength that is often cited when clients leave feedback. From our drivers to our packers to our salespeople, all of us at Please B Seated are focused on offering the best possible service. — Lisa Phillips, Please B Seated, pleasebseated.com

What colors, themes or décor pieces are especially popular at East End weddings lately?

Adding a touch of color in a water glass adds a pop of color to the beautiful tablescape. Our Essex Dusty Blue and Sage Green Goblets are the most popular. The Emerson Bars in both chestnut and white are also very popular. The Country Dining Tables added in for a bridal table or grazing table are always a great addition; show the beauty of natural wood with the Country Table. Stable and strong legs support a beautiful and elegant dining surface that is extremely versatile.

Dress up the table with exquisite china and flatware, or let the table do the talking and keep your tablescape design to a minimum. Aster Matte Plates, Stockholm Glassware, Vanderbilt Flatware collections in both gold and stainless, and the Sedona are quite popular as well. Some of the newest additions to our linen collection have also become quite popular with Hamptons brides — Sage Etoile, Tranquil Canopy Stripe and Stone Grey Stripe, just to name a few. — Linda Vacey, Party Rental Ltd., partyrentalltd.com

Weddings are no longer a one-day affair. Couples are selecting to offer multiple days of celebrations, such as welcome parties and themed rehearsal dinners to create the perfect atmosphere for their guests. One of our recent favorite trends is transforming the beach into an elegant oasis with lounge furniture, flowing linen table runners and captivating rattan and tiki torch lighting to set the perfect mood as the sun starts to set. These extras create an unforgettable setting that will make your wedding weekend truly memorable. — Seth Stern, SDPR Event Shoppe, sdpr.shop

In the last few years there has been a big focus on gold accents, farm tables and crisp white linen napkins. Clients are mixing elements, like stoneware, tinted glassware and textured linen, bringing more depth to the table. There also seems to be a lot of “what is old is new again” — more traditional aspects are being incorporated. — Becky Early, Bermuda Party Rentals, bermudapartyrentals.com

We still see lots of weddings based on a farm-to-table theme. Partially because there are so many amazing farms on the East End and so many great chefs out here who utilize their products. Our farm tables and other “rustic” offerings are always in huge demand. This year we will be debuting some new farm tables that will enable us to meet the demand for this type of design.

We are also seeing an interest in more color. Brides are moving away from the all-white wedding (though we still love this look!) and embracing colors like soft blue (our Riviera Ibiza is perfect for this look) and blush pink (for which our Blush velvet napkins work well). Also soft greens are very popular (we love our Celadon Ibiza and Spun Cotton cloths in this shade), along with our sage-colored glassware working either as accent colors or as primary color schemes.

Many brides and grooms these days also like a signature bar, rather than a simple table and tablecloth. We have many options for a “statement” bar, from our Ava and White Wash Bars to our Walnut and Marquee bar with light-up letters. — Lisa Phillips, Please B Seated, pleasebseated.com

What’s something unique about the services that your wedding rental company offers?

Our quality of work and commitment, along with excellent pricing, has set us apart from the competition. Our professional team is here to assist you every step of the way. We are a one-stop shop, with a production and décor division to help make your dreams a reality. — Peter Zimiles, Long Island Tent & Party Rentals, myweddingtent.com

We have a full-service website where rental orders can be fully placed online, giving our customers a more convenient way to plan events at their convenience, 24/7. — Linda Vacey, Party Rental Ltd., partyrentalltd.com

We carry pieces that cannot be found elsewhere; we regularly travel the globe in search of hidden gems that will add the perfect touch to every tabletop. But what truly sets us apart is our people. When you partner with us, know that we are devoted and reliable — whether it’s replacing a broken item or a last-minute location change at 11 p.m. We aim high to make each event run seamlessly; consider us as your extended team of dedicated professionals who will go above and beyond to provide you a successful and unforgettable experience! — Seth Stern, SDPR Event Shoppe, sdpr.shop

Bermuda is a company that has been based solely on the East End for over 40 years. We know all aspects of the event business out here and have wonderful long-running relationships with caterers, florists, tent companies, event planners … the list goes on. Our customer service is unlike any other rental company. Being a local company, we are never too far from an event and we are very attentive to each client. — Becky Early, Bermuda Party Rentals, bermudapartyrentals.com

We are one of the few companies that can offer both full rental equipment, including many specialty items and linens, as well as tents. This allows couples to have a one-stop shopping experience. Because we can handle both aspects of the wedding, we can coordinate delivery timing, offer extra help with logistics and floor plans and streamline the process.

Additionally we have a showroom based in Water Mill and sales staff who both live and work on the East End. Our event specialists all have a background in events so we know how to help our brides and grooms navigate what can initially feel like a large undertaking. — Lisa Phillips, Please B Seated, pleasebseated.com

What types of wedding venues are ideal for renting a tent?

Frankly, the best thing about a tented wedding is that we can transform your backyard into an amazing outdoor venue. You can take advantage of your natural surroundings and enhance it with a decked-out tent setup. The combination of a magical setting, the convenience of being at home, while saving money makes it a complete win! — Peter Zimiles, Long Island Tent & Party Rentals, myweddingtent.com

We work at all different kinds of venues, and the most important starting point for the client is choosing a venue they love and then working with Sperry to provide the perfect tent for that particular venue. For some clients being on the water, or at least having water views, is paramount. Other clients are looking for a rustic, farm feel and North Fork vineyards are always popular. We have an extensive list of venues to meet all of the criteria clients may be looking for. We even have access to some secret venues that the general public wouldn’t know about! And of course, we love creating beautiful tented spaces at private residences for clients who want to have their dream backyard wedding. — Steve Clarke, Sperry Tents Hamptons, sperrytentshamptons.com