In this blog post, we will look into the question on everyone's minds, Wedding Linens: Rent or Buy? What are the things factoring into your decision?
If you have begun planning your beautiful Michigan wedding, one of the questions likely on your mind is a decision to either rent or buy your linens. There are many options to consider, but at the top of that list is often cost. Let's begin there as a starting point to making a decision.
Costs: The Initial Investment to Buy v Rent
When couples begin looking into initial costs to compare rent v buy, most people are surprised to learn that within our local West Michigan market, the cost is actually quite comparable. In many cases, the cost to rent is slightly higher than the cost to purchase. Weddings are expensive, and it is easy to be lured into the idea that purchasing you linens will be a cost savings. A lot of people rationalize that not only is the initial investment at a lower cost to purchase, but you can resell them after the wedding. Seems like a no brainer, right? Well... not so fast.
The Hidden Cost of Purchasing Your Wedding Linens
Purchasing your own linens seems like a very attractive option when merely comparing the cost to purchase. Not only are you saving a little coin but hey they're brand new! What could go wrong? As a venue owner here in the Grand Rapids area, I would like to share some thoughts on the hidden costs that are generally not factored in until it's too late. Let's walk through the experience of preparing your linens:
Washing: New linens come machine folded with heavy creases in them. They are packed tight for easy shipping. You cannot just throw them on the tables right out of the package, they must be prepared. This preparation means you will need to wash all of your linens ahead of time. A typical home washer can generally accommodate 2 linens at a time. Are you physically able to jam more than 2 into your washer? Yes. But crushing them together only increases the problem you are trying to solve, which is the creases and wrinkles. An average wedding uses in the neighborhood of 30 linens, so you will need to plan on about 15 loads of laundry! The time investment in this step alone cannot be understated.
Storing: Now that the linens are washed and dried, where do you put them? If you fold them back up, the creases will return (though they will be much less aggressive creases once they are washed). Can you hang the linens to store them? Of course! An average round dining table linen for a reception is 120" in diameter. That's 10 feet long. Do you have 10' x 10' of space in your home that can house your linens from washing day until wedding day?
Irons & Steamers: Of all the things to consider, this is the part that is least understood... Rental companies generally use commercial grade equipment to remove creases. Your iron may reduce the depth of a crease, and even remove some small ones. But it will not likely be capable of achieving a completely smooth appearance. People assume that their high powered steamer is the magic bullet. A consumer grade steamer that works well on your favorite blazer is still no match for your wedding linens. We have witnessed the wedding day panic from the decorating crew once it becomes clear that the steamer that they've brought on site is not going to do much for these creases.
Taking Dirty Linens Home: Taking those dirty linens home means you'll want to get the food off of them as quickly as possible. Pro tip: shake out your linens outdoors before bringing them into your house! If you forget to shake out the linens, you are about to make a big mess of old food inside of your house. Once you begin laying out the linens to look for stains, you will need to spot treat. Wedding linens are enormous and you are in for a very messy, tedious task of scrubbing individual stains. Once you are done spot treating, you get to repeat the cycle of washing everything. DO NOT put the linens into the dryer without checking for stains as you will set them in. Oh the joy... But wait, you're not done!
Selling Your Linens: We've all seen the ads on the bridal pages. "JUST WANT GONE". Selling wedding items of any sort is a gigantic pain for most people. Assuming that you have managed to remove all of the stains, wash, dry, and fold all of your linens, maybe, just maybe you'll get some of your money back. The next bride is also looking at the cost of new thinking it's the way to go. You'll have to give a steal of a deal to be able to resell these.
However, when you take a step back to calculate the amount of time you've invested to recoup that resale value, you may come to realize that the cost to buy the linens was the infinitely more expensive option, and it provided a less than perfect look and experience.
Ultimately, each couple will make the choice that best suits their needs. This is merely an attempt to bring awareness to the hidden costs that are not always considered until it's too late. As a West Michigan wedding venue owner, we hear people's perspectives on this topic all of the time, and the one common theme from the folks who have purchased is the lack of understanding in the investment of time. For that reason, we hope that this information has been helpful and will allow you to weigh these two options more accurately.
Thank you for stopping by our blog today! We hope to continue providing content that you love. We use our blog to bring awareness to locally owned wedding venues. Locally owned venues provide you with a much more personal touch than corporate owned venues. As you select a venue, we hope that you consider locally owned. You can find a map here: https://weddingvenueowners.com/venue-map-search/
Here is a shoutout to other locally owned wedding venues around the country!
Comments