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Set-up and Tear Down

dreamsinpinkdreamsinpink member
5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary First Comment
in DIY Wedding Forum
So we are looking at purchasing our linens and napkins instead of renting them, much more cost efficient. Obviously running into one small issue.... actually getting the linens on the tables and off after the reception! The upside of renting them is that the set-up and tear down is included in the quote, but you will definitely pay for it. We are looking at hiring a day-of-coordinator that I'm sure would help with this, but I am wondering if any DIY'ers did this and how it went. Is there a service that does this sort of thing?? I tried googling, but wasn't totally sure how to word it to find what I need. We are renting Chiavari chairs, lighting, and votives from a rental company, but they obviously will only be placing their items. So DIY'ers, what did you do?! And for the record because I know someone will bring this up, I am NOT using my bridal party, family, or guests to decorate for my reception.

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Re: Set-up and Tear Down

  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Who is setting up your decor?  Could you possibly work it into your contract with them that they also put out/take off the linens?

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  • flbride2015flbride2015 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper First Anniversary
    dreamsinpink said:
    So we are looking at purchasing our linens and napkins instead of renting them, much more cost efficient. Obviously running into one small issue.... actually getting the linens on the tables and off after the reception! The upside of renting them is that the set-up and tear down is included in the quote, but you will definitely pay for it. We are looking at hiring a day-of-coordinator that I'm sure would help with this, but I am wondering if any DIY'ers did this and how it went. Is there a service that does this sort of thing?? I tried googling, but wasn't totally sure how to word it to find what I need. We are renting Chiavari chairs, lighting, and votives from a rental company, but they obviously will only be placing their items. So DIY'ers, what did you do?! And for the record because I know someone will bring this up, I am NOT using my bridal party, family, or guests to decorate for my reception.

    Our caterer is stting up our decor and linens and then tearing it down for us. I guess the servers will be doing it, they aren't even charging us extra other than the hourly rate per sever. They're also renting linens for me. Have you asked your catering company if this is something they can do?
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  • Knottie45547263Knottie45547263 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    The venue set everything up and helped tear it down 
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  • thatgirl2thatgirl2 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
    I was going to DIY linens, but in my case it was almost the same price to rent vs. buy. Anyway, I've heard most caterers will put out linens for you (especially if they're providing the china/flatware, etc).

    It also never hurts to ask: I'm going to kindly ask mine to keep ice (already purchased) stocked at our DIY bar. My fiance works in banquet stuff and usually if they personally get asked to do something extra (but reasonable), they will for extra $$.

    On this topic!! Any suggestions on hiring a non-DOC for just decorating?
    I'm getting quotes of $1K+, which I can't afford. All I need is someone to make sure the caterer gets there (a friend's house- friend will be at the ceremony) and someone to light the decorative candles before the reception starts. The problem is a lot of that will happen during the ceremony, so I can't wrangle family in for that.
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  • littlemushroomlittlemushroom member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer
    I think it is worth the extra $$ to rent if they include set up and tear down. We DIY'd the linens (and all other decor) for my BFF's bday and it SUCKED. We were so busy all day getting things set up and getting ready that we were stressed to the max. Plus tearing down at the end of the night was miserable. We were all exhausted and wanted to go to bed, but we had hours of clean up left to do.

    It was worth every extra penny we spent on a venue that did ALL set up and clean up for us at my wedding. My friends and family got to spend the day relaxing, enjoy the party and go home when they were tired and everyone agreed the money was worth it at the end of the day.
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  • TheCheeseWenchTheCheeseWench member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer First Comment
    edited July 2015
    dreamsinpink said:

    So we are looking at purchasing our linens and napkins instead of renting them, much more cost efficient. Obviously running into one small issue.... actually getting the linens on the tables and off after the reception! The upside of renting them is that the set-up and tear down is included in the quote, but you will definitely pay for it. We are looking at hiring a day-of-coordinator that I'm sure would help with this, but I am wondering if any DIY'ers did this and how it went. Is there a service that does this sort of thing?? I tried googling, but wasn't totally sure how to word it to find what I need.

    ******We are renting Chiavari chairs, lighting, and votives from a rental company, but they obviously will only be placing their items.******

    So DIY'ers, what did you do?! And for the record because I know someone will bring this up, I am NOT using my bridal party, family, or guests to decorate for my reception.

    ******************************
    Just be sure you talk to the rental company in advance, because many of them don't actually even set up their items. They just stack them inside the venue when they deliver them and you have to set it up yourself. That can add a lot of time you may not have planned to need to spend. Some offer optional set-up for a fee, so you might start there. I'm not sure if any of them offer a tear-down. Can your venue recommend someone? For my show, the servers set up the tables/chairs/linens before the audience arrives, and then afterwards we hire a couple of college students to come help tear down and re-stack it for pick up by the rental company. Perhaps call a local culinary school and see if any of their students (who are likely to have PLENTY of banquet experience...frequent source of extra cash for those kids) are looking for a few hours. A few students at 8 bucks an hour can make pretty quick work of it.
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  • dreamsinpinkdreamsinpink member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary First Comment
    The company we are renting from is an event planning company I used to work for, so they set-up and tear down all items they provide. I have actually never heard of a rental company not doing this. We ended up finding an excellent day of coordinator for a great price who is going to take care of the linens!! WOHOO!

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  • luckya23luckya23 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its First Answer

    By far the worst part of buying the linens was ironing them!  DH spent the entire day before the wedding ironing linens.

    I didn't want to deal with another vendor for rentals, but I probably should have, since I left the linens with the venue in the end anyway!

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  • mzelizabethlynnmzelizabethlynn member
    First Comment First Anniversary

    Majority of my wedding is a DIY and set up and take down not included. Think outside the box. I asked my siblings and bridesmaids if they knew of anyone that would be willing to help the day of and I found 3 friends of my sisters that aren't invited to the wedding but they are willing to do it. When everything is done and over I'm going to give them $75-100 each...1) that is cheap 2) I trust them and there judgment 3) you never know what you get hiring a coordinator 4) my bridesmaid/sister can check in with them though out the day. So be sure to brain storm with other people on who may be able to help.

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