Is "Rent" a Dirty Word?

The word "Rent" has some baggage...the villainous landlord raising the rent on the poor family struggling to get by...the monthly check that wipes out the rest of your budget...or even a substandard option to ownership. While all of these circumstances can occur - allow me to abolish the negative connotations when it comes to renting supplies and decorations for weddings and other celebrations.

It all really comes down to one word - practicality; as in, the quality of being able to provide effective solutions to problems. Wait a minute, we're talking about planning weddings, what problems could there be? Well, trying to host 100+ people can throw some curve balls:

Problem 1: Waste

Have you heard that weddings generate an average 400 lbs of trash? And that for every can of garbage at the curb, there are 87 cans worth of materials that come from the extraction industries—such as timber, agricultural, mining and petroleum—that manufacture natural resources into finished products. (Source: World Resources Institute). So yeah, it's a problem. Renting durable supplies and decorations helps to cut waaay back on that waste generation. Big HOORAY here!

Problem 2: Cost

According to ValuePenguin, the current national average for a wedding is almost $30,000...ummm, wow. Even if you have that kind of money, wouldn't it be nice to save some and use it on something else? Your call - but let me just say that renting supplies and decorations will save you some money - and that can be a very good thing.

Problem 3: Decision fatigue

Yes, there is a name for that feeling of overwhelm, when there are so many choices, you almost cease to function. Wedding planning comes with an unreal amount of choices in the first place, but when you add Pinterest, Amazon and family members to the mix...holy moly...it quickly spins out of control. When I work with couples, I do offer choices - but it's within a boundary that fits into one stylin' room. I help design welcome tables, lounge areas, dinner tables and dessert bars in a way that is relaxed and manageable. Couples can pick and choose down to the candle holder, or mention a style or inspiration and leave the details to me. It's all good.

So, is "rent" a dirty word? In some contexts, yes...but when it comes to planning the celebration of your lives together? Heck no! Being practical may not feel sexy, but hey, we'll leave that job to you.