I've seen many posts on the local wedding resale site about buying your own linens instead of renting them because it's cheaper. And, I'm here to tell you...that is absolutely true!! Buying linens is cheaper than renting. Let's talk about renting versus buying.
Why is that? And, why are you telling us this, Dawn?
Do you see the upper right portion of this tablecloth? That is how wrinkled these things come! Shipping in tight cardboard boxes can produce many, many wrinkles. More than you would ever realize with polyester linens. And don't let them fool you into thinking the tablecloths are wrinkle free. That's a lie!! These wrinkles only come out with a steam iron. I use a Rowenta steam iron. I got mine at an auction for a rental business that was selling off their party line.
Nothing can make an otherwise sophisticated and elegant event look tacky more than wrinkled linens. Even my husband noticed wrinkled linens at a work conference recently. LOL!!
So, if you are on a tight budget and don't mind putting in some blood, sweat, and tears (literally), then by all means, buy your own linens. But, be prepared to be steam ironing those puppies until all hours of the night.
But, if you don't have hours to devote to steam ironing and can fit it in your budget, then let us do all the work for you. Y'all got more important things to worry about!
I thought you might like to see the setup I have in my spare bedroom for ironing these things. One ironing board for ironing and one to hold the iron and all the distilled water jugs (yes, you will need to buy distilled water too - don't use tap water!). And, of course, you have to have some loud tunes playing while you iron. There are no rules against singing and dancing too. It's mindless work - may as well have fun, right!?
On other tip...use black linens for your food tables - especially if you are serving any kind of tomato-based food. While spaghetti and marinara sauce may be a budget friendly food to serve, paying extra cleaning fees for those white tablecloths will quickly dip into any saving you may realize.
Also, as a bonus, here is a quick and easy chart to use to figure out what size tablecloths you need to rent. Make sure to check with your venue beforehand on the size of tables they have. While floor-length linens are more sophisticated, 15" drop linens may be best for outdoor event. Set up a time for a free consultation today and we can help you choose the best linens for your next event.
Happy Ironing!!