Tour the Studio

Come take a quick tour of my studio - check out what’s available to rent for your wedding, holiday party, or special occasion.

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.

Connecting with the Past

I brought my 1950 Royalite Typewriter in for repair - and it was a real treat. Lowell Plum is kind of famous in the world of Typewriter Repair Men - a legend of sorts, even made the paper. Visiting with him, and reading his article reminds me of why I have a thing for these old machines.

When I first met Lowell (who I kept calling Loyd), he wanted to know the history of my typewriter…and after re-reading his article, I understand that knowing the history is part of his draw. “A lot of time I wonder who typed on them or what was typed on them. This one was built in 1912. Was this a newspaperman’s that typed a story about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 or the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson? Who knows? Have I ever brought a ghost in the house with a collection? If typewriters could only talk, and tell their own stories.”

I bought my little Royalite from a woman down the street who was trying to save enough money to pay for a Yoga Teaching Certificate. I’m not sure it’s history beyond that, but next time I see her, I know what I’m going to ask. I’m not sure what was once typed on it’s keys back in the day, but these days, I feed good knowing that the messages it’s used to types are all positive, and full of love.