Décor & rentals

Wedding décor & rental contract: what to check before you sign

Rented tables, chairs, linens, lounge furniture, arches and lighting come with their own kind of fine print — you're borrowing expensive things for a day, and the contract decides what you owe if one gets stained, chipped or lost. Here's what to check before you sign, written for the couple.

1. An itemized inventory, not a lump sum

Your contract should list every item, the quantity, and the unit price — 120 gold chiavari chairs, 15 round tables, 130 napkins, and so on. An itemized list is what protects you when the count is checked at pickup: if you're billed for "missing" items, you can prove what you actually rented. A single lump-sum "décor package" with no inventory makes any later dispute your word against theirs.

2. Damage waivers and replacement values

This is the heart of a rental contract. You're typically liable for items returned damaged, stained or missing, charged at a stated replacement value — which can be several times the rental price. Many companies offer an optional damage waiver (a small % fee) that covers accidental damage but usually not loss, theft, or gross negligence. Read what the waiver actually covers before assuming it makes you worry-free, and check the replacement values aren't wildly above what the items are worth.

"If a linen gets a wine stain, what's the charge — and does the damage waiver cover it or not?"

3. Delivery, pickup and the rental window

Confirm the delivery and pickup dates and time windows, and how long you actually have the items — many rentals are priced per day or per event but delivered the day before and collected the day after, which can collide with your venue's access hours. Check the delivery fee (often based on distance, stairs, or timed/after-hours pickup) and whether a late return triggers an extra day's charge.

4. Who sets up and tears down

Don't assume setup is included. Many rental prices are "drop-off only" — the company stacks everything in one place and leaves, and someone (you, your planner, or the venue) has to place 120 chairs and dress the tables, then break it all down and stack it for pickup. Confirm whether setup and teardown are included or extra, and what condition items must be in for return (e.g. linens shaken out and bagged, food scraped off plates) to avoid cleaning charges.

5. The security deposit and the hold

Expect a refundable security deposit or a hold on your card on top of the rental fee, released after items are returned and inspected. Find out how much, when it's returned, and how long inspection takes — a "deposit returned within 30 days after inspection" clause means your money is tied up for a month. Don't confuse this refundable deposit with the non-refundable booking retainer; see our deposits guide.

6. Shortages, substitutions and weather

What if the company is short on the exact chairs you chose, or an item arrives broken? Look for a substitution clause — ideally "comparable item, with your approval" rather than unilateral swaps. For anything outdoors (tents, lighting, lounge furniture), check the weather and cancellation terms: who decides if it's unsafe to set up, and whether a weather call triggers a fee or forfeits your deposit. See our cancellation guide for the broader rules.