Real Life Bride: Week 16

As I mentioned last week, we had set up a few vendor appointments to get things going. On Tuesday Ryan and I headed up to LA and met with two different rental companies along with my mom and Beth. The first was really great and had a wide variety of options for china, stemware, flatware, chairs - everything. We were able to walk through the massive warehouse and have the staff pull out tables and belly bars for us to see. We also looked at benches and cushions for the ceremony seating and cocktail lounge area. It was nice to have Ryan there to be able to give input...and I was pleasantly surprised that for the most part we agreed on our preferences!

The second company we visited had less selection and just simpler options all around. While Ryan and I are feeling comfortable with either company/option, we know the nicer company will come in with a higher quote, so we'll just have to see if the price difference is worth the product difference; but something tells me that for my mom it will definitely be worth it! Her preference is to have more options than just your standard stemware and china.
We also decided to use some mix and match dinner plates. Beth has some great pieces that she's collected from Home Goods and Marshalls, so we've decided that in the next eight months we'll scour these stores and TJ Maxx to find complimentary pieces. We've already picked up 17 dishes! Overall I think it will look really pretty on the tables, and it's fun to have a project to work on. I also like knowing that we'll be able to keep a set of 12 of the dishes used at our wedding; it will make for a very meaningful memento of the occasion!