The short answer
A wedding linen rental order should list each item by table, with its exact size, color name or code, quantity and unit price, plus delivery, setup, pickup and any laundering, stain or missing-item charges. Size each tablecloth from the table's measured dimensions and the drop you want, count from your floor plan rather than the guest list, and confirm the return rules in writing.
How does wedding linen rental work, and what should it list?
Linen rental works as a short loan: the rental company delivers cloths sized for your tables, collects them after the event and launders them, and the order sets what you owe for each step. Ask for an itemized order rather than a package total. Each line should name the item (round tablecloth, banquet cloth, overlay, runner, napkin, chair cover or sash), its size in inches, the color or pattern name with any catalog code, the quantity and the unit price. A line that says "linens for 120 guests" leaves the sizes, colors and counts for someone else to decide.
Then check that each table on your floor plan has a line. Guest tables are easy to remember; the cake table, sweetheart or head table, buffet and bar fronts, escort card table, gift table, DJ table and cocktail tables are easier to miss. If the caterer or venue is supplying some linens and the rental company the rest, mark which company covers each table.
- Item name and size in inches
- Color or pattern name and catalog code
- Quantity and unit price per line
- A line for each specialty table
- Napkins, runners, overlays and chair covers
- Which company supplies each table
How do I choose the right tablecloth size for each table?
A tablecloth size comes from two numbers: the table's dimensions and the drop, which is how far the cloth hangs over the edge. The formula is the table dimension plus twice the drop. For example, for a hypothetical 60-inch round table and a floor-length drop of 30 inches (the table height), the cloth is 60 + (2 x 30) = 120 inches across. A 15-inch drop on the same table is 60 + (2 x 15) = 90 inches.
Rectangles work the same way on each side. For a hypothetical 30 x 72 inch banquet table with a 15-inch drop, the cloth is 30 + 30 = 60 inches by 72 + 30 = 102 inches. Measure the actual tables at your venue or ask the venue or rental company for their dimensions and height, because a table described by its seat count may not match the size you assumed. Cocktail tables are taller, so a floor-length cloth needs a larger drop.
How many linens and napkins do I need?
Count tablecloths from the floor plan, one line per table type. Count napkins from people: confirmed guests, any vendor meals you are providing, and the spares you decide to hold for spills and the cocktail hour. Ask whether napkins are sold in bundles, because a bundle size can round your count up.
For example, a hypothetical plan has 120 guests, 8 vendor meals and 10 spares, so 120 + 8 + 10 = 138 napkins. If napkins come in bundles of 10, that is 14 bundles, or 140 napkins. At a hypothetical $0.95 each, 140 x $0.95 = $133. Recheck these counts after your final guest count, and ask by what date the rental company accepts changes.
Do wedding venues or caterers provide linens?
Read the venue contract and the catering proposal for any linen line before you place a separate order. Some venues and caterers include basic tablecloths and napkins, and the included set may come in limited colors or in sizes that do not reach the floor. Ask for the sizes and colors they include, and whether you can upgrade through them or must order separately.
If you bring your own linens, ask who places them on the tables, folds napkins, removes them at the end of the night and bags them for return. A caterer may set its own linens but charge a fee, or decline, to handle outside ones. Write down who does each task so nothing is left on the tables at load-out.
What is a linen fee? Delivery, laundering and returns
A linen fee can mean a rental charge per item or a separate charge for handling, cleaning or delivery, so ask which one a line describes. Look past the item lines for delivery and pickup charges, a setup charge, a minimum order and tax. Then find the return conditions. Wording such as "linens must be returned shaken free of debris, dry, and in the bags provided" sets a task for someone on the night. Wet linens, wax, stains, burns and tears may carry separate charges, and a missing item may be billed at a stated replacement price.
Ask whether cleaning is included in the rental price, how stain charges are decided, whether you see photos before a charge is made, and whether the deposit or a card on file covers it. For example, if a hypothetical order lists a replacement price of $45 per overlay and two are missing, the charge would be 2 x $45 = $90.
- Delivery, pickup and setup charges
- Minimum order and tax
- Return condition: dry, shaken, bagged
- Stain, wax, burn and tear charges
- Replacement price per missing item
- How and when damage is reported to you
How do I check linens at delivery and pickup?
Name one person to count linens against the order when they arrive, before they are unfolded. Note any shortage, wrong color or damage on the delivery slip or in a message to the rental company, with a photo, and keep a copy. A shortage found at 4 p.m. is easier to fix than one found at the first toast.
At the end of the night, the same person or the caterer counts linens into the return bags. Write the count on the bag tag or on your worksheet. If the company later bills for missing or damaged items, compare the invoice with your counts and photos, and ask for the basis of each charge in writing.
Linen order and count sheet
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Table or item | Size and color | Quantity ordered | Count at delivery | Count at return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest tables | — | — | — | — |
| Head or sweetheart table | — | — | — | — |
| Cake table | — | — | — | — |
| Buffet and bar | — | — | — | — |
| Escort card and gift tables | — | — | — | — |
| Cocktail tables | — | — | — | — |
| Napkins | — | — | — | — |
| Overlays, runners and chair covers | — | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Add your document reference and the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the linen quote. Before we confirm, could you send an itemized order that lists each item with its size, color name and code, quantity and unit price? Please confirm the table dimensions you sized each cloth for, whether napkins are sold in bundles, and the last date we can change quantities. We would also like the return conditions in writing: how linens should be bagged, what counts as damage, the replacement price for a missing item, and how you tell us about any charge before it is made.
Common questions
How much do wedding linen rentals cost?
Wedding linen rental cost has no single figure you can rely on, because it depends on the number of tables, the sizes and fabrics, the napkin count and the delivery, pickup and cleaning lines. Ask two or three companies for itemized quotes built from the same floor plan, sizes and counts, then compare the totals with all fees added.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy linens for a wedding?
Renting or buying wedding linens comes down to arithmetic on your own quotes. Buying adds laundering, pressing, transport and storage, and someone has to handle each task. For example, a hypothetical 15 cloths bought at $22 each plus $60 of laundering is 15 x $22 + $60 = $390; compare that with the rental total for the same cloths.
What size tablecloth do I need for a 60-inch round table?
A tablecloth for a 60-inch round table is the table's diameter plus twice the drop you want. For a floor-length look on a table 30 inches high, that is 60 + 60 = 120 inches; for a 15-inch drop it is 90 inches. Confirm the table's actual diameter and height with the venue before you order.
Do I need to wash rented wedding linens before returning them?
Washing rented wedding linens before returning them depends on the return clause. Some orders include cleaning and ask only that linens be shaken out, dry and bagged; washing them yourself could damage them. Follow the written instructions, and ask the rental company in writing if anything is unclear.
When should you order wedding linens?
Wedding linens are ready to order once you have a floor plan with each table type and its measured size, and a color reference from your florist or decor. Then work to the rental company's deadline for changing quantities, and set it after your final guest count date if you can, so the counts can still move.
What if the delivered linens are the wrong color?
If delivered wedding linens are the wrong color, tell the rental company as soon as you find it, with a photo, and ask what replacement they can send and by when. Check the order for a substitution clause that allows a similar item, and keep a record for the final invoice. Asking for a swatch before the wedding lets you check the color in advance.