The short answer
Wedding venue inclusions are the tables, chairs, linens and other items a venue's rental fee already covers, so you need to rent only what they do not provide in the count, size and style your layout needs, plus any upgrade you choose. Compare the inclusion list with your rental order line by line, and confirm counts and condition with the venue in writing before placing or cancelling a rental line.
How do you compare venue inclusions with a rental quote?
Ask the venue for its inclusion list in writing, with counts, sizes and styles, not just the words "tables and chairs included." A list that says "15 x 60-inch round tables, 120 white folding chairs, white floor-length linens for guest tables" is something you can compare. Then place your rental quote beside it, one category at a time.
Work through chairs, tables, linens, tableware and glassware, the dance floor, and lighting. For each line, note what the venue provides, what the rental order provides, and whether that line is an upgrade, a duplicate or a gap. The worksheet below is set up for this.
- Guest and ceremony chairs
- Guest tables and other tables
- Linens and napkins
- Plates, flatware and glassware
- Dance floor
- Lighting
Is the rental line an upgrade or a duplicate?
An upgrade replaces an included item on purpose, such as renting wooden chairs instead of the venue's folding chairs, or colored linens instead of the included white ones. That can be the right choice, but record it as a choice. Ask the venue whether removing its item changes the price and who stores or moves its chairs on the day; the venue decides.
A duplicate is the same item ordered twice: a rented dance floor at a venue that includes one of the same size, or white guest-table linens when the venue already supplies them. A gap is something neither list covers, such as linens for the cake, gift and escort card tables. Remove duplicates and fill gaps before the rental order is final.
How many tables and chairs do I need for my guest count?
Start from your guest count and seating plan, not from the rental catalog. Divide guests by seats per table and round up. Add chairs for a separate ceremony space if there is no time to move reception chairs, and seats for any vendors who eat at a table. Count linens for each table that needs one, not just guest tables.
For example, take a hypothetical wedding of 140 guests seated 8 to a 60-inch round table: 140 / 8 = 17.5, so 18 tables. The venue includes 15 rounds and 120 chairs, leaving a gap of 3 tables and 20 chairs. If the ceremony is in a different room with no time for a flip, add 140 ceremony chairs. With 3 extra tables for cake, gifts and escort cards, linens total 18 + 3 = 21.
What about tableware, the dance floor and lighting?
Tableware may come from the venue, the caterer or a rental company, so check all three. Count by course: a dinner plate, a salad plate and a dessert plate are three items per guest. Glassware may include water, wine and a champagne toast. If the caterer supplies some of it, ask which pieces so the rental order covers only the rest.
For the dance floor, compare size and location with the venue's. For lighting, note what the venue provides, such as dimmable house lights or string lights, and whether it allows outside lighting and needs its power confirmed. Add any power needs to the questions you send the venue.
How do wedding rentals work: delivery, setup and pickup?
Compare the rental company's delivery window with the venue's access hours. For example, a hypothetical rental delivery window of 8:00 a.m. to noon does not work if the venue opens at 10:00 a.m., unless the rental company agrees to a later window. Ask whether delivery means dropping items at a loading door or setting them in place, since setup may be a separate charge.
Check pickup the same way. If the venue requires everything out by midnight and the rental company picks up the next morning, ask the venue whether items can stay overnight. Find out who receives and counts the delivery, and whether the rental company asks for dishes to be scraped, chairs stacked or linens bagged before pickup.
- Delivery window and venue access hours
- Drop-off or set in place
- Pickup time and venue removal deadline
- Who receives and counts items
- Return condition requirements
What should I check in a rental damage waiver?
A damage waiver is a fee, which may be a percentage of the order, tied to how loss or damage is charged. For example, a hypothetical 10% waiver on a $2,400 order is $2,400 x 0.10 = $240. Look for what the waiver lists as covered and excluded, such as loss, theft, wax or stains on linens, and whether a deductible or cap applies.
This guide describes what to look for, not what the wording means. Ask the rental company to state in writing what the waiver covers, and ask the venue whether it requires event insurance for rented items. Rules vary by state and by policy, so direct insurance questions to a licensed insurance professional in your state.
Venue inclusions vs rental order
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.
| Item | Venue includes (count, style) | Rental order (count, style) | Upgrade, duplicate or gap | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guest chairs | — | — | — | — |
| Ceremony chairs | — | — | — | — |
| Guest tables | — | — | — | — |
| Cake, gift and escort card tables | — | — | — | — |
| Linens and napkins | — | — | — | — |
| Tableware and glassware | — | — | — | — |
| Dance floor | — | — | — | — |
| Lighting | — | — | — | — |
| Delivery and pickup window | — | — | — | — |
| Damage waiver | — | — | — | — |
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.
We are checking our rental order against what the venue includes so we do not order anything twice. Could you send your inclusion list with counts, sizes and styles for tables, chairs, linens, tableware, the dance floor and lighting? Please also confirm your access hours for delivery and pickup, whether rented items can stay overnight, and whether removing any included item, such as your chairs, changes the price. Thank you for your help.
Common questions
Do I need to rent tables and chairs if the venue has them?
You do not need to rent tables and chairs if the venue's included ones match your guest count, layout and style. Rent only what the venue does not provide, what you are upgrading on purpose, or what you need beyond its quantities, and confirm the venue's counts, sizes and condition in writing before you cancel or place a rental line.
What does a wedding venue rental fee include?
A wedding venue rental fee includes whatever the venue contract lists, and that can range from the room alone to tables, chairs, linens, tableware, a dance floor, lighting and staff to set them up. Ask for the list itemized with counts, sizes and styles, and treat anything not on it as something you may need to rent or bring.
How much do wedding rentals cost?
Wedding rental costs have no single figure you can rely on, because the total depends on the items, quantities, styles, delivery distance, setup, pickup timing and any damage waiver. For example, a hypothetical order of 20 chairs at $4 each is 20 x $4 = $80 before fees. Ask for an itemized quote with each fee shown, and remove lines the venue already covers.
Can I get a credit if I rent different chairs than the venue provides?
A credit for replacing a venue's included chairs is up to the venue; removing an included item may or may not change the price. Ask for the answer in writing, and confirm who stores or moves the venue's chairs on the day, since that work may carry its own charge or take time from your setup window.
Does the caterer or the rental company supply plates and glasses?
Plates and glasses for a wedding may come from the venue, the caterer or a rental company, depending on your proposals. Check the venue list, the catering proposal and the rental quote for tableware and glassware, and ask each vendor which pieces they supply, course by course, so the orders do not overlap or leave a gap.
Should I rent extra chairs beyond my guest count?
Extra chairs beyond your guest count are a decision to make from your own plan. Count guests, any vendors seated at tables, and chairs for a separate ceremony space. Then decide whether you want a small margin, and check the rental company's deadline for changing quantities and whether a late change adds a fee.
Is a rental damage waiver required?
A rental damage waiver may be listed in the rental agreement as a required fee or as an option, so check the agreement itself. Either way, ask the rental company in writing what the waiver covers and excludes, and whether a deductible or cap applies, so you know which loss or damage charges could still apply.