When you’re planning an event, taking care of the seating is probably at the top of your to-do list. You might be wondering, should I rent or buy my event chairs? The answer depends on your role in the event.
If you’re an event planner:
Event planners often work with seating rental companies and include furniture rental in the fee for their services. As an event planner, it’s usually easier to rely on your network of vendors. However, there could also be an opportunity to expand your income streams by buying your own event seating and renting it out for a separate fee. Just make sure you have a place to store it, and the storage fees don’t outweigh the profits.
If you’re a venue:
Not all venues own seating, but it can be a competitive advantage. People considering your venue will find it convenient to rent the furniture along with the building. Be mindful of the look and comfort level when you’re purchasing seating. You want your chairs to be an extension of your brand.
If you’re a bride or groom, employee, or committee member:
In other words, if you’re not involved in the event industry and are simply planning an event for yourself, your coworkers, industry peers, or donors, it makes the most sense to just rent chairs. You will likely never use the chairs again. Plus, the higher cost of buying the seating will deplete your budget. Then there’s the issue of storage. When you factor in all the cost and inconvenience, it’s better to rent than buy.
If you’re a business, church, school, or other organization:
This should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. For one-time or infrequent events, renting is probably the best option. However, if your organization often hosts events, consider purchasing event chairs to save on rental costs in the long run.
What to Look for in Event Seating
If you’ve decided to buy event chairs, it’s important to know what to look for and how to select the best seating for your needs. In general, keep these key points in mind.
Event Type
Choose a chair that suits the event itself. If you primarily host formal indoor events, a nice upholstered metal chair model may be more appropriate than plain metal chairs. For outdoor events, plastic folding chairs can be a good choice because they are easy to clean and they will stand up to the elements. If you host a variety of events, you might want to invest in different types of chairs.
Quality
These chairs will get a lot of use by a lot of different people. A low-quality chair will wear out quickly. You want to invest in a chair that will hold up to years of heavy use. The quality of a chair starts in the components. You want a sturdy frame, durable fabric, and commercial grade virgin foam.
Price and Value
You’ll want to buy a chair that fits with your budget, of course, but it’s also important to consider the value you’re getting for your money. Buying the cheapest chairs available may do more harm than good in the long run. You may save some money up-front but ultimately lose money when the chairs wear out more quickly.
Do You Need Event Seating?
Although we primarily serve faith-based organizations, ChurchPlaza also provides chairs to the event industry. We have a line of banquet and multi-function chairs that would be ideal for formal events, as well as plastic and metal folding chairs suitable for more casual events.
We invite you to browse our selection or contact us for a quote.
