Wedding Sign Rentals: Should I Rent My Wedding Signs?
So you’re planning a wedding! And now you are in the market for wedding signs. Wedding signs are a critical part of your big day, as they communicate important information to your guests (think table numbers, seating charts, direction signs, etc.), but they also double as décor pieces. There are so many options and things to consider when planning out the signs that you need for your wedding, and coordinating all of those details can become overwhelming. (Hint: I have a free guide to help with the signage overwhelm! You can get that here!)
That’s where I come in! If you’re new to this blog, I’m Allyson, owner of The Pemberley Creative. I offer a wide variety of hand lettering and calligraphy services, and I specialize in wedding signage. In my professional experience, renting wedding signs helps to reduce the stress couples experience when picking out their wedding signage. I have a wedding sign rental page for local couples to easily view the rental pieces available in my collection when they book a custom signage package with me.
Today I’m going to explore why you should consider renting your wedding signs from your calligrapher, rather than sourcing them yourself and buying them outright. Read on to see if renting your wedding signs is a good fit for your wedding!
Vintage window seating chart rental
Renting wedding signs is cost effective
If you’ve started the wedding planning process, I’m sure you are well aware of how costly weddings are. Weddings are a luxury and few aspects of a wedding are considered “essentials”. However, it’s still possible to plan a wedding and stick to a budget.
Renting signs can often be more affordable than purchasing them yourself, especially for surfaces like mirrors. A mirror large enough for a substantially sized seating chart (think 150 people or more) can easily set you back at least $500, if not more. And that’s before you factor in the cost of calligraphy or hand lettering. Renting allows you to have beautiful and personalized signage without totally breaking the bank.
Mirror seating chart rental
Another great benefit to renting signage from a calligrapher is that they may have large fixtures in their collection that you would not have considered purchasing or making for yourself. For example, you may not have considered using a large stand for your seating chart (see below), but a calligrapher may have one available for a rental fee that is much more reasonable than the cost (and hassle) of constructing that piece yourself.
Acrylic wedding seating chart with box stand rental
Renting wedding signs is hassle free
In addition to saving you money, renting your wedding sign surfaces is going to save you a lot of hassle! The signs are already in your calligrapher’s possession, so you won’t have to drop them off ahead of time for them to be lettered with your custom design. Your calligrapher may include delivery in the price of the work or they may charge a delivery fee, but either way your calligrapher will likely drop off your completed wedding signs to you or your venue. I’d recommend having them drop off the signs to your wedding venue if time permits so that they (or your wedding coordinator) can get the signs set up appropriately. They will know what to look for in regards to placement of the signs and how to set up any required stands.
That’s another thing: have you thought about how you will prop up your wedding signs? A lot of sign surfaces will require a stand to hold them up. Another item you have to find, select, and purchase! But if you rent your wedding signs from your calligrapher, they will likely have stands that complement the signs in their collection.
Remember that you’ve already made about a billion choices involving planning your wedding - if you limit your wedding signage options to the rental pieces in your calligrapher’s collection you can reduce your decision fatigue in at least one area of planning!
Wedding Welcome Sign on Rental Mirror | Photo by Kyla Rae Photography
Renting wedding signs leaves the work to the experts
When you hire a calligrapher for your wedding signage, you aren’t just paying them for a finished product - you are paying them for their professional expertise on all things in relation to wedding signage! Your calligrapher knows what kinds of surfaces work best as welcome charts, seating charts, etc. They also know how to best apply the hand lettering to these signs (and how to remove it!). That being said, you can also expect the signs in a calligrapher’s rental collection to be of sturdy quality and of an aesthetic fit for a wedding. Remember stands for your signs (that you maybe hadn’t thought about before)? This isn’t your calligrapher’s first time planning wedding signage, so they will help you plan (and remember) these things.
Wedding Reception Order of Events Rental Sign
Renting wedding signs is eco-friendly
One of the most practical reasons to think about renting your wedding signage is consideration for the environment. Wedding signs tend to be large and do not consist of materials that are easily recyclable (or even disposable). Combat the guilt associated with excess waste by committing to renting your wedding signage!
Hand Lettered Wedding Hashtag Rental Sign
Things to Consider
Renting wedding signs is a great idea for most cases, but there are a few reasons you may still want to purchase your own wedding sign surfaces. Read on for some reasons to consider whether or not renting your wedding signs is the best fit for you.
You want something very unique
Calligraphers generally have rental collections full of pieces that are ideal for the typical, semi-formal to formal wedding: mirrors, white frames, nice chalkboards, etc. If you are looking for some really unique signage, such as an escort card display in a crazy specific shape (like a pink pump for your Barbie themed wedding!), you may not be able to find a rental piece that lives up to the wedding décor of your dreams.
You want to keep the sign as a keepsake
Some wedding signs can double as a keepsake for you to display in your home after the wedding. For example, a welcome sign that says “welcome to our forever” with your names and wedding date could definitely be used as home décor as it doesn’t blatantly say “welcome to our wedding.” Repurposing wedding signs is definitely an eco-friendly way to fashion your wedding décor!
You have another use for the sign
Some signs can easily be repurposed after your wedding for everyday use. Are you in the market for a floor mirror to be used in your bedroom? You can select a mirror to use for your seating chart that could be used again as a mirror at home! Just make sure to tell your calligrapher that this is your intention so they use lettering materials that can be removed from your surface of choice.
The sign you are interested in can’t be reused
There are some material and surface combinations that do not allow for the lettering to be removed from the sign. For example, if you are set on stained wood signage without a finish, the lettering will have to be applied in such a way so that the wood is not reusable. Or if you need your sign’s lettering to be weather resistant, a real chalkboard would not be a good option because the chalk will wash off in the rain. Be sure to discuss your lettering needs with your calligrapher before you book with them to understand whether a rental is the right option for you - they will be able to tell you if your plans can be used on a rental piece.
Wedding Cake Menu on Rental Chalkboard
Now that you’ve thought about whether renting your wedding signs is right for your big day, take a look at my rental sign options. Keep checking back to see what new options are available! I have every intention of expanding my collection to continue to offer tons of great options for your wedding signs.
Interested in more information on “must have” wedding signage? You can read more about my tips for wedding signage essentials here.
I go into full detail about all of the possible wedding signage options you may want to consider in my free guide, Your Ultimate Guide to Wedding Signage (plus a checklist!). You can get it now by signing up here.
Looking for more wedding signage ideas and inspiration? You can see some of my favorite pieces that I have created here.
Are you ready to take the next step and start planning your wedding signage?
