How to Rent China for a Wedding

It truly is the little things that can make a big impression, especially when it comes to the china service at your wedding. Though relatively straightforward, paying close attention to the details can help make sure that you're getting the most for your wedding dollar.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Find out whether your caterer offers a china rental option. If they do offer this option it may be considerably less expensive than renting the china separately. However, you'll still want to shop around to be sure you are getting the most for your money.
2. Ask where your caterer will be renting their equipment from if they are unable to offer you china rental directly. By renting your china from the same company, you may be able to save on the delivery charge by having the china included in the equipment delivery for your caterer.
3. Consider alternatives to renting china. If you're on a tight budget you may want to look into purchasing plastic plates for your wedding. Some wedding or party supply stores offer plastic plates that have beautiful etched designs that can be quite elegant, especially for a less formal wedding.
4. Inspect the china when it arrives at your wedding location or when you pick up the order from the rental store. You will be charged for any broken china unless you report that it was broken when you received it. Look for any dirty plates as well since the rental company should discount your order depending on how many pieces are poorly cleaned when your order arrives.
5. Determine whether you will need to return the dishes cleaned or if you can turn them in dirty. If you are able to return them dirty, be sure to at least rinse them since many companies will charge extra labor fees for dried food.
6. Evaluate the size of the china you wish to rent. Smaller plates may encourage your guests to eat less at a buffet style reception, but it may also result in guests going back for more, which means you will need to rent more plates. On the other hand, larger plates may make the servings in a sit-down dinner course seem less generous, so smaller plates may be the way to go to ensure that everyone feels well-fed.

Tips & Warnings

• Rent your china from a location close to the wedding site, especially if you are having a particularly large celebration. The shorter the distance that must be covered to deliver and return the china, the smaller amount of breakage will occur.

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