Why rent wedding linens when you can buy them for the “same price”?
Since we all want good deals, especially when it comes to our weddings, we completely understand brides who think,
"I will just buy my linens and sell them afterwards - I'll save so much money!"
The majority of couples choose to rent their chair covers, tablecloths, table runners, and napkins after going through the comparison process. I'll try to save you hours/days of boring "shopping around" and cut to the chase.
Here's everything you need to know about renting vs. buying wedding linens, based on our many years of experience.
Scenario: Blush Sequin Table Runners + Blush Sequin Tablecloths
- 20-foot head table (3 x 90 x 156" sequin tablecloths)
- 25 guest tables (20 x sequin table runners)
- cake table (1 x 90 x 156" sequin tablecloth)
- signing table (1 x 90 x 156" sequin tablecloth)
- gift table (1 x 90 x 156" sequin tablecloth)
Total of 6 sequin rectangle tablecloths + 25 sequin table runners.
Let's head on over to CV Linens, our favourite supplier for the majority of our wedding linens. I chose the cheapest shipping option (8 days):
Now we have to convert USD to Canadian dollars, which today would be:
On top of this - SURPRISE!!!! - you also will be charged duty on your order. NO EXCEPTIONS. This is the super annoying part of the order for us Canadians! Don't forget you have to be home to accept the parcel and pay the delivery driver or write out a cheque and leave it somewhere for him to collect.
- Order Cost: $104.17 USD Duty: $23.10 CDN
- Order Cost: $540.61 USD Duty: $212.18 CDN
- Order Cost: $369.90 USD Duty: $120.81 CDN
So whatever your order total is (in USD), you can tack on another 33% or so in CDN duty/tax charges. Yuck!
Your $748.88 USD order now will cost an additional $247.17 in duty/taxes, for a grand total of:
$1,237.83 CDN for 6 tablecloths and 25 table runners!
The other costs you haven't considered? Usually all linens have to be unpacked from each individual plastic wrap (which will take a little bit of time), then steamed (more time). And don't forget after your wedding, you'll have a dry cleaning bill of at least $100. Then you can spend time posting an ad, talking to various people, and finally meeting with a buyer, hopefully without needing to do a round-trip drive. And considering used linens sell for 50% or less than new, you just made $600. Net expense? $637.83 with tons of time and annoying errands.
Or you could rent the exact same linens, pressed/steamed and ready to go, for $600 and not have to lift a finger. Just pick up and drop off at your convenience - no tedious dry cleaning or re-selling, unpacking and repacking, posting ads, meeting with buyers who often no-show... Net expense? $600
We have tried similar wedding linen shopping with AliExpress, Linen Tablecloth Canada, Ali Baba, and countless other websites. In every scenario, our rental prices are at least HALF of what a bride will pay to buy.
Don't add unnecessary stress to your wedding day trying to save money on an area that really won't provide you any savings at all. Do yourself a favour and rent your wedding linens from a reputable service (like us!). It's our pleasure to take this off your plate.
All the best!
Katie at Ava Sophia Weddings