Our Top 3 Most Popular Rentals

Photographer: Katie Beverly Photo

When planning any type of event, rentals are a huge part of tying a space together and creating a complete look for your venue. It can be tricky to determine what you’ll need for your space, especially with so many choices, so today we’d like to highlight our top three most popular rentals. The items on this list are some of our favorite pieces that are not only a reflection of our clients and their taste, but of trends in the event and wedding industries as well. These top three items are staples of any wedding or event and are perfect for customizing your space.

Photographer: Andy Seo

1. Draping - Drapes are one of the biggest ways to dress up your space and transform your venue. Regardless of your fabric or color palette, drapes are the perfect way to enhance the natural beauty of a space or even hide any blemishes your venue may have. Drapes can be used in so many creative ways, such as highlighting focal points, adding dimension, or setting a classic background for your wedding. We love transforming a venue by using draping techniques that brighten up the space and add elegance at the same time. 

Photographer: Katie Beverly Photo

2. Chiavari Chairs - These chairs are a favorite of our clients, and for good reason! We have so many choices of different colors and materials, including metallics, wood, and acrylic. Great for receptions, ceremonies, or parties, Chiavari Chairs compliment any type of decor and keep your guests comfortable.

Photographer: Amy T Photo

3. White Seamless Dance Floor - Dance floors are one of our specialties and such an underrated item. Not all venues provide their own dance floors, so this rental piece is important in establishing designated space for dancing. While our seamless white dance floor is by far our most popular, we have many color choices, including black and mirror. Our dance floors are also customizable to ensure the perfect size or shape for your venue, whether you’re looking to cover an entire ballroom floor or spotlight a smaller floor.

Whether you’re looking to combine these top three rentals for the ultimate package or use them individually to highlight an aspect of your venue, you can’t go wrong with draping, Chiavari chairs, and a white seamless dance floor. With so many customizable options for each of these items, you are sure to find the perfect color and material for your event or wedding. 

All About the Details - Charger Plates

When it comes to designing any type of event, be it a party or wedding, the little details are what really makes your space shine. One of our favorite ways to incorporate details that amplify the elegance and overall look of an event is by using charger plates. This simple addition of a decorate plate is a great way to add to your decor without being overwhelming and creating a great base for your table settings.

Photographer: Erin Hughes Photo

Chargers are the large, decorative plates that are placed under the main dishes your guests will use to eat off of. They are mainly used for decoration, but they serve a few practical purposes as well. Using a charger in your place settings helps to space out your plates and makes sure your guests won’t be too cramped next to each other. They also catch any food that may spill off the sides of the plates, keeping your linens looking clean all night long. Chargers are especially useful if you have a buffet and guests take their plates with them to collect their meal; their place setting remains present with the charger and it will be easier for them to find their seat when they return.

Photographer: Manya Photo

The main purpose of a charger plate is decorative. They come in so many beautiful designs and colors, and add a lot of style to your place settings. Incorporating a charger provides a pop of color and texture that keeps your table from looking too bare, especially when the dinner plates have been cleared away. To add to your decor even more, you can coordinate your chargers and napkins for pulled together look, or even contrasting colors or designs for more of an eclectic style. Chargers can also be used as a base for candles or floral arrangements, which is a great way to tie together your decor together and create a beautiful base for your pieces. 

Photographer: Kathryn Colby Photo

While the big picture is extremely important to the overall look of your event, adding those little details, like chargers, is what makes everything come together. Whether you’re looking for more pops of decor to tie in your theme or ways to bring out your wedding colors, chargers are an elegant option for any type of event. 

Rachel and Mike's Terranea Resort Wedding

Elegance was the name of the game for Rachel and Mike’s gorgeous wedding at the Terranea Resort and we had an absolutely wonderful time working with them. As destination weddings go, this one had it all and we got to do what we do best – add luxury elements to a beautiful space. 

Our white dance floor is one of our favorite rental pieces and does so much for your space. Every reception needs a dance floor, and this stark white one is a great way to make your room look bigger and brighter, which is one of the biggest reasons for using it at Rachel and Mike’s wedding. It also keeps the focus on your décor and florals while creating the perfect foundation for all your reception activities. 

Rachel and Mike chose gold Chiavari chairs to emphasize the details at their reception and provide their guests with a comfortable seat. This addition of a metallic pop throughout the room really brought out the gold accented flatware and were a great contrast to the white and green hues of their florals. These gold chairs stand out against the backdrop of crème linens as well as the white dance floor and flowers, giving the whole room a glamorous feel.

No reception would be complete without a pop of color! In this case, Rachel and Mike chose navy blue velvet napkins to add color to their palette. We absolutely love the way these specialty napkins play off the white flowers and emphasize the blue accents in each arrangement. Texture was another element in play here, and when it comes to elegant, velvet is always a top choice. 

Rachel and Mike’s stunning wedding at Terranea put into practice one of the key aspects we love: incorporating details to make your reception pop and add to the aesthetic of your event. We loved each choice, from the white dance floor to the gold Chiavari chairs and navy velvet napkins. Every accent piece added to the overall elegance of their wedding and made the whole room glow.

Specialty Chair Rentals

Photographer: Kelly Waterman

In the wedding and event world, the word “accent” is used freely and often. It’s a great, all-encompassing word that refers to highlighting key elements of your event and allows for touches of personality and flair in a multitude of ways. You may have heard the term when describing décor or colors, but today we’re going to explore it in a new phrase: accent furniture. This catch-all phrase for specialty furniture rentals are so much more than your typical chairs or sofas and can be used to elevate your space and tie in decor.

Photographer: Kathryn Colby

One of our favorite ways for incorporating accent furniture is at our client’s cultural weddings, such as a Hindu or Persian ceremony. The fixtures at these wedding ceremonies are very important in carrying out the traditions of each culture, and that all starts with a foundation. In a Hindu wedding ceremony, the couple will sit under a Mandap, the four-poster structure at the front of the space, usually on some sort of special chairs or settee. Similarly, a Persian ceremony has the couple sitting under a canopy held up by female members of the family, usually seated together on a bench or loveseat. Using a specialty rental such as an upholstered sofa or set of matching arm chairs is a great way to elevate the look of the ceremony while providing comfort to the couple sitting on them. There are so many options for these types of accent rentals in all types of finishes, colors, and materials, and they really set the couple apart by providing a seat of honor during the ceremony.

Photographer: Kelly Waterman

Accent furniture can also be used throughout your wedding reception and cocktail hour in a variety of ways. A lot of our couples choose specialty chairs for their sweetheart table, which really makes you feel like a queen or king! Setting yourself apart with a pair of elegant armchairs is a great way to make your sweetheart table stand out even more and give the guests of honor (that’s you!) the spotlight they deserve. We also have many types of lounges and armchairs that are perfect for creating vignettes through your event. Specialty lounge areas bring an extra touch of glamour to any event and provide guests with comfortable seating options that are great for sitting over drinks and conversation.

Adding a bit of personality to your wedding or event with accent furniture rentals is so easy, and can even be fun! Choosing the perfect lounge seating for cocktail hour or regal armchairs for under the Mandap will elevate your event and set the scene for a beautiful ceremony and great night.

Upgrading Your Chairs

In almost all cases, the chairs included in your event package are folding chairs for outside and then standard corporate looking banquet chairs for inside. Making them not most comfortable or not the most appealing. Chairs are the base for any event, be it a wedding or party, and upgrading from the basic hotel choices will elevate your décor, plus ensure your guests are comfortable throughout your ceremony and reception.

If you’ve seen any movie or TV show that has a wedding in it, you’ve probably seen a Chiavari chair. They can be identified by their characteristic top panel of vertical spindles, followed by two sets of horizontal rails, and sets of raised rings spaced throughout the frame. These chairs are popular choices for all types of events because not only are they comfortable and sturdy, but they come in a variety of colors and finishes. We offer Chiavari chairs in white, gold, silver, clear, and fruitwood, so you’re sure to find a choice suitable for your event. All of our chair rentals also include chair pads, which is crucial in keeping your guests comfortable for any length of time.

Another great option we have for upgrading your event chairs is the Wooden Crossback chair. These chairs have a characteristic “X” back rail (hence the name) and come in a variety of finishes. Crossback chairs look great in any setting, especially an outdoor wedding or event, and bring a rustic charm to your décor. 

Seating choices are an important part of your event planning and upgrading your chairs from the basic ones provided at your venue is a great way to elevate your décor and keep everyone comfortable all night long. Chairs put the finishing touch on the atmosphere of your event or wedding while also pulling your entire venue together. Once you upgrade to Chiavari or Vineyard Crossback, you’ll never want to sit in a regular folding chair again!

Upgrading your Table Linens

Photographer: Sarah Mack Photo

Among all the decisions to make during wedding or event planning, tables linens is one that you may not have even though about. Chances are, you will find yourself stuck with the basic white, ivory, or black house linens provided by your venue without even realizing there are so many more possibilities out there. Not to mention, the linens traditionally provided by venues and included in your package usually are not floor length and you won’t even realize until your event begins. But don’t worry, we have you (and your tables) covered! Upgrading your linens is an easy and beautiful decision that our pros at Illuminate Events can help you make. We will ensure you choose the perfect table linens to compliment your decor and make your wedding colors pop.

There are so many reasons to upgrade your linens from the basic tablecloths your venue provides, starting with color. As mentioned above, the color choices of house linens are so limited that it is easy to become bored with the basics. Even if you are looking for something in a more neutral color, upgrading to a higher quality linen can really make a difference in your table settings. With a whole palette of colors to choose from, you can incorporate your wedding colors in ways you never thought of before. Using colors in places such as your sweetheart table, dessert table, and guest book, draws the eye toward important places and reminds your guests of the presence of these spots as well as adding a pop of color to the room.

Most importantly, upgrading your linens allows for so many more fabric choices! Each type of fabric makes a statement and depending on your decor, you can compliment these choices with fabrics or even draw attention in ways you may not have thought of before. For a glamorous event, consider velvet, satin, or even sequins to add flash and shine to your tables and compliment dramatic florals or glimmering centerpieces. Looking for something a little more low key? A simple polyvore linen (handmade in-house at Illuminate!) will class up your tables while keeping the texture smooth and subtle. We even have lace and rosette linens for an old-school elegance and class (in a variety of colors, of course).

Not sure about adding color and texture to your tables with a full on specialty linen choice? If you want to add a little pop without being overwhelming, consider choosing colorful napkins to highlight your wedding colors and make your escort cards stand out against your table settings. Adding a colorful napkin is a great way to meet in the middle and play with fabrics and color pairing in a fun way. 

The choices for wedding and event linens really are endless and our pros are always excited to talk design. We would love to hear from you regarding upgrading your linens and any ideas you have about incorporating color and textures into your wedding or event decor. 

Light the Way: The Importance of Event Lighting

Photographer: Lin & Jirsa

Everyone loves a good before and after photo, and never is that truer than when the lights go on. Not only does lighting perform an important practical function in allowing your guests to see where they are going, it also provides an aesthetic that immediately sets the mood for your event. These two features, functionality and ambiance, are the key elements to making your event beautiful and lighting is the way to do that.

From a practical standpoint, lighting is critical in making sure you and your guests are able to see their surroundings and move from one space to another with ease. That doesn’t necessarily mean your room needs to be lit brightly from all angles! Your lighting professionals can create pathways and illuminate signage with strategical placement of different types of lighting to ensure safety and ease of movement. Lighting can also be used to camouflage parts of your space that you don’t love, from outdated wallpaper to shag carpet and beyond. Using lighting to highlight major players at your event is also a great way to draw your guests’ attention, be it the bridal party entering your reception or a key note speaker ready to wow the crowd. 

On the aesthetic side, lighting creates an instant mood, which elevates the emotions and heightens the energy of your guests as they step into your space. Using lighting can set the mood for your guests as soon as they walk in the door, be it with bright and fun colors for high energy events, casual washes for an intimate setting, or dynamic shadows for lounging and chatting. Lighting can also be used to change the tone of your event when you switch activities, such as using color to transition from dinner to dancing or focusing spotlights from a grand entrance to speeches.

Overall, your lighting choices define your event and set the tone for whatever activities you have in store. Not sure what type of lighting is best for your event? Check out our latest post here for an event lighting guide that is sure to help you figure out what you are looking for: https://www.illuminateeventservices.com/blog/2019/3/6/guided-by-the-light-the-perfect-lighting-for-your-event. If you have any questions about lighting, design, or anything party related, leave us a comment or give us a call; we’d love to chat with you and help you plan your perfect event, lighting and all!