Barn weddings are blank-canvas events that need full furniture and equipment hire. This guide covers chairs, tables, linen, crockery, and glassware with practical quantities.
Barn weddings are blank-canvas events that need full furniture and equipment hire. This guide covers chairs, tables, linen, crockery, and glassware with practical quantities.
Planning a barn wedding hire order means sourcing everything from scratch. Unlike hotel function rooms that supply furniture and bars within the venue fee, most barn locations operate as blank-canvas spaces. You bring the chairs, tables, linen, crockery, and glassware. This guide details the exact quantities and equipment types necessary for a rustic venue.
The appeal of a rustic venue lies in the aesthetic. Exposed beams and stone walls create a setting distinct from standard hotel ballrooms. The trade-off involves logistics. Barn venues supply the physical space and outdoor areas, but rarely anything else. You must source all catering equipment and service items from hire companies or outside caterers.
Before confirming any quantities, ask the venue manager two specific questions. Check what furniture comes with the standard fee, and ask about preferred supplier lists. Some locations operate exclusively with specific suppliers, while others remain fully open. Clarifying these details early prevents duplicated orders.
Chiavari chairs dominate rustic event setups. They deliver a clean silhouette without appearing overly formal, and they photograph well against exposed stone and timber. Gold finishes remain the most requested option for traditional barns. Silver frames suit contemporary agricultural conversions. The EventPro® range features furniture constructed specifically for the commercial hire trade, rather than domestic retail. This guarantees stability on uneven rustic floors. Browse the chair hire section to view live stock levels.
Ceremony planning requires one chair per guest. When attendees stay in a single barn space for both the ceremony and reception, a single set of chairs suffices. Venues with separate ceremony rooms or outdoor areas require a second set of chairs. Rearranging the same seating between two phases adds significant time to the schedule.
Folding chairs reduce costs for outdoor ceremonies or secondary areas. Event organisers frequently specify Chiavari seating for the main dining room and folding options for the outdoor ceremony space.
Round tables serve as the standard format for rustic dinners. A 5ft round seats eight guests, while a 6ft round accommodates ten. An event for 100 people needs ten 6ft round tables. Add one extra for a circular top table, plus two additional units for gifts, seating plan displays, or dessert stations. Leave a minimum of 1.5 metres between table edges to allow catering staff to move freely. Check the table hire category for exact dimensions.
Rectangular top tables require banqueting tables positioned end-to-end. A top table for ten guests facing the room needs two 6ft banqueting tables in a row. This configuration guarantees comfortable elbow room for every person.
Linen orders often exceed initial budget estimates. Full-length tablecloths on every round table, individual napkins per guest, and covers for all auxiliary tables add up to a substantial volume.
A 6ft round table requires a 120-inch round tablecloth for a floor-length drop. A 5ft round needs a 108-inch cloth. White and ivory dominate rustic events, with ivory reading warmer under traditional barn lighting. Browse the full linen range to check live prices and available napkin colours. Pack the used linen back into the supplied bags at the end of the night, as the warehouse team handles all laundry.
Napkins at each place setting form a standard part of the table setup. Order one per guest and factor in a 5% buffer for spillages or last-minute additions. A standard 100-person guest list demands 105 napkins.
Outside caterers handle the food at most rustic venues. These professionals either supply their own plates or specify exact requirements from a hire company. Confirm the exact list with the catering team before ordering any crockery.
Independent crockery orders for a three-course meal require three pieces per guest. You need a starter plate or bowl, a dinner plate, and a dessert plate. Catering for 100 attendees takes 300 pieces, plus a 5% buffer for breakages. Add side plates for bread rolls. Serving dishes for sharing courses require separate calculation. Expo Hire includes a free minor damage waiver on every order, covering accidental chips and breakages. Furthermore, the "Send It Back Dirty" service means you return all plates unwashed. Scrape the plates clear of food debris and pack them back into the delivery crates.
Glassware requirements for rustic events reach substantial volumes. Standard allocations per guest include one champagne flute for the toast, one wine glass for dinner, and one water goblet. Serving both red and white wine requires two wine glasses per setting. A baseline order for 100 guests totals 100 champagne flutes, 200 wine glasses, and 100 water goblets.
Reception drinks demand additional glassware. Guests consume two to three drinks each during a standard 90-minute reception. A 100-person reception needs 200 to 300 extra glasses across champagne flutes and wine glasses. This calculation accounts for a small percentage of glasses returning to the bar for reuse.
The glassware range covers all standard event glass types. A total glassware order of 600 to 800 pieces represents a typical volume for a 100-guest event. As with crockery, all glasses qualify for the "Send It Back Dirty" service. Pack the used glasses back into their crates, and the warehouse team handles the cleaning.
Catering teams frequently require commercial equipment beyond their own inventory. Standard requests include stainless steel prep tables for the kitchen area, chafing dishes for hot food holding, and trestle tables for buffet stations. Family-style service requires additional carving stations and serving platters. Check the power supply at the venue, as commercial catering equipment draws significant current. Older agricultural buildings may require additional generators to run ovens and hot cupboards simultaneously.
Confirm the exact equipment list with the head chef before the event. Generate an online quote for the items they need, coordinating all catering and furniture hire through a single supplier. Delivery starts from £40 ex-VAT. The system calculates this fee by road distance from the nearest depot.
Rustic events in England and Wales concentrate between May and October. June, July, and September represent the peak season. Summer events require full hire order confirmation at least eight weeks in advance. Popular venues secure bookings a year or more ahead. Equipment reservations must follow the venue confirmation without delay. The transport team delivers the equipment clean, tested, and ready for use. Live vehicle tracking and an SMS ETA on the delivery day keep the setup schedule on track.
Large orders qualify for the 25% deposit scheme. This option secures the inventory with an advance payment rather than requiring the full balance upfront. Standard orders require no security deposit at all. Use the delivery calculator to check exact transport costs to the venue postcode.
A standard 100-guest barn wedding hire order requires 110 Chiavari chairs, ten 6ft round tables, and two 6ft banqueting tables for the top table. The linen order needs ten 120-inch round tablecloths and 100 napkins. Catering requires 100 dinner plates, starter plates, and dessert plates. The bar needs 600 to 800 mixed glasses. Finalise all exact numbers with the catering team.
See also: drinks reception setup guide and outdoor wedding catering equipment guide. All prices and live stock levels display directly on the website. Add the required items to the basket and confirm the dates online.
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