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With impeccable equipment and expert wedding planning, Abbott Party Rental is your best source for all of the elements needed to create the perfect wedding or anniversary party. Table linens, bone china, and dance floors - Abbott will deliver your party rental selections perfectly, anywhere in the Chicago area, for your once in a lifetime special event. We are honored to serve the Chicagoland area for all your wedding rental needs.

 

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Wedding Planning And Reception Tips
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Planning Timetable
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Wedding plans should naturally be made as far ahead as possible and especially so if you are planning a spring or summer wedding. As soon as the date has been set and the type of wedding and reception decided upon, confirm the availability of your clergyman and the place where you will hold your reception. In some areas, reservations for a reception room may have to be made as much as a year in advance. You will want to contact your wedding rental coordinator as early as possible. He will have most if not all of the items you will need for your ceremony and reception. Abbott Party Rental's experienced staff will assist you will all of your wedding planning including: selection of your Chicago wedding rental needs, and helping your wedding and reception to go as smoothly as possible. Chicago weddings can be especially memorable with the area's large selection of unique venues.

As soon as possible, bridesmaids should be selected and the bride's gown and bridesmaid's dresses ordered. Be sure to take into account that the bridesmaids pay for their own dresses. Tuxedo rental arrangements should also be made at this time. A department or specialty store should be contacted and your choice of silver, china and crystal patterns registered for the convenience of your friends and guests.

No matter how large or small your wedding reception, you can rely on Abbott Party Rental for your Chicago party rental equipment and Chicago party supplies. Our Chicago canopy tent rentals can ensure your outdoor reception is a success even with unexpected weather. Consider our Chicago chocolate fountain rental and champagne fountain to add excitement and appeal to your reception. Our Chicago chocolate fountain rental packages will create an instant conversation starter for all your guests and they're sure to enjoy the delicious dipping treats too!

We know it can be overwhelming to plan a wedding and wedding reception. Our experience staff is happy to provide you with professional service as you decide on the Chicago wedding rental selections that best fit your reception needs.

Guest List
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You should begin compiling your guests list at least three months prior to the wedding date. Be sure to obtain a guest list from the groom's mother. She will depend upon you to suggest the size of her list. It will be helpful to keep your list in alphabetical order on file cards with each card indicating whether the guest has been invited to the reception (R) or the ceremony (C) only. Those to whom announcements (A) only are sent should also be included.

Invitations
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Your wedding invitations, announcements and other stationery should be ordered two to three months in advance. Addressing of both inner and outer envelopes is always done by hand. Invitations should be mailed out about one month before the wedding date. Allow about two weeks for replies and then give your caterer the final number of reception guests expected. Announcements are mailed the day after the ceremony.

Caterers, Photographers & Others
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On the basis of your guest list, give your caterers, whom you should select at least three months in advance of the reception date, an estimated number of guests expected at the reception. Generally, you can expect about 75% of the number of people invited.

A month in advance is not too soon to complete your final arrangements with your florist and photographer. Since you are arranging for once-in-a-lifetime pictures, a professional photographer is best. If you are planning to have music at your reception, these plans should be finalized at least three months in advance. An advantage of Chicago weddings is the large network of professionals who cater to all styles and needs.

Gifts
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Wedding gifts are generally displayed in the bride's home beginning four to six weeks prior to the ceremony. It is not considered proper to attach name cards to the gifts, but a card noting the receipt of a check may be displayed. To make an artistic display, group china items together with silver, crystal and linen items in separate groupings. Duplicates should not be displayed. To make an elegant display, consider renting a banquet table with table risers.

Transportation
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The bride's family is responsible for arranging transportation to and from the church and for arranging accommodations for bridesmaids and out-of-town guests. The guests generally pay for their own accommodations, but those of the bridesmaid, if necessary, are the responsibility of the bride. Guests are expected to provide their own transportation from the church to the reception.

Rehearsal Dinner
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Wedding planning is a full-time job in many senses as it requires consideration for events leading up to and immediately following the ceremony. The rehearsal dinner is step in the process. The wedding rehearsal is most often held the afternoon or evening of the day before the wedding. It is customary for the groom's parents to give the rehearsal dinner for the bridal party in conjunction with the rehearsal.

Wedding Reception
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Another step in the wedding planning is the wedding reception which can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose. The simplest could entail a buffet table with assorted sandwiches, the wedding cake, assorted nuts and mints and punch or coffee. Floral arrangements and candelabra are generally used to make the table more attractive and to set off the other items. A more elaborate buffet would include two or three cold dishes and possibly two hot dishes in silver chafers or casseroles. A separate table might then be used for the wedding cake-- a 4 foot round table would be a good size. Another similar size table might be used for champagne, punch or coffee. A punch or champagne fountain is a decorative and practical addition to the reception since it eliminates the necessity for someone to serve the beverage. To add pizzazz and make a lasting impression on your guests, consider including The Chocolate Fountain. Our Chicago chocolate fountain rental the latest craze in party planning. Rich, flowing Ghirardelli chocolate cascades down a fountain for guests to dip their favorite items; just like with fondue. Check out more information here. Combine it with our other Chicago wedding rental options, like our elegant Champagne fountain and you've got a memorable reception.

A seated wedding breakfast or dinner is, of course, the most formal type of wedding reception. The tables are arranged so that the bride's table is the focal point of the room. The wedding cake is the center of attraction at this table. A dance is generally included at a reception of this magnitude. Our catalog of Chicago party rental supplies and equipment includes dance floors which can accommodate any size venue.

The wedding reception is traditionally begun with the receiving line, which is composed of the bride and groom, the bridesmaids, and the parents of the couple. The order of receiving is generally the bride's mother, the groom's father, the groom's mother the bride's father, the bride, the groom and the maid of honor followed by the bridesmaids. The best man and groomsmen are not generally included in the receiving line.

Traditionally, the wedding cake is served to the guests after the bride and groom have served each other the first piece, symbolizing their first meal together. You want to be sure to have someone available who is familiar with the usual reception process. This person will guide you through, making sure that no cherished moment is forgotten.

Planning a wedding is no easy task Many things will need to be arranged. Start early to avoid last minute frustrations. Make contact with each professional as early as possible for the best service. One of the first, most beneficial stops you will make is Abbott Party Rental. Our professional staff have a wealth of information and services to make your planning easier. Organizing your planning through one source helps relieve the pre-wedding tensions. Our large inventory of party rentals is a great resource for checking items off of your To Do List.

This is an important day in your lives. With careful organized planning, it will be a most pleasurable memory.

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Wedding Plans Made Perfect
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To help you plan your perfect day, we have compiled a list of answers to the most frequently asked questions. Answers have been compiled from authoritative sources on wedding etiquette, from the engagement through the wedding reception.

Q: Is an engagement ring necessary?
A: No. However, the wedding ring is it is an integral part of the wedding ceremony.

Q:Are engagement presents given?
A: They are not necessary but on occasion families or close friends may give small gifts.

Q: May relatives give showers for the bride?
A: This is not considered proper.

Q: When should invitations and announcements be ordered?
A: Approximately two months prior to the wedding.

Q: When are invitations for a formal wedding mailed?
A: Approximately three to four weeks prior to the ceremony.

Q: Does the fact the groom has been married before affect the bride's wedding plans?
A: No, plans do not differ.

Q: If the bride is a young widow, does her family send invitations?
A: Yes.

Q: Are reception cards included with invitations?
A: Yes, along with reply cards and envelopes with the home address printed on the reply envelopes.

Q: Should invitations be engraved?
A: If the bridge wishes. However, simulated engraving is very satisfactory and less costly.

Q: When should announcements be mailed?
A: A day or two after the ceremony.

Q: When are at-home cards mailed?
A: Normally with the announcement.

Q: Are announcements sent to anyone who has been invited to the ceremony or reception?
A: No.

Q: May guests be invited to the reception and not the wedding?
A: Yes, if the ceremony is to be attended by only relatives and close friends.

Q: If the bride's parents are divorced, who handles the invitations and plans the wedding?
A: The bride's mother.

Q: Does the formal invitation to a church wedding require an answer?
A: No.

Q: Are wedding invitations sent to those in mourning?
A: Yes.

Q: How are envelopes of invitations addressed formally?
A: No abbreviations except for Mr., Mrs., Jr., Dr., etc.

Q: Is it proper to use "and family" on the invitation envelopes?
A: No. Separate invitations should be mailed to adult sons and daughters. Small children's names should be listed in the inner envelope with only the first names under the parents' names.

Q: How should the invitation be inserted into the envelope?
A: The invitation is folded with wording outside and placed in the inner envelope (unsealed) with the folded edge down. The inner envelope is placed in the outer envelope facing the flap.

Q: Who provides the wedding and reception?
A: The parents of the bride.

Q: What does the bride give the bridesmaids?
A: A small lasting gift such as a piece of jewelry.

Q: What does the groom present to his ushers?
A: Gloves, ties and boutonnieres.

Q: Who provides corsages for the bride and mothers?
A: The groom.

Q: What does the groom present to his bride as a gift?
A: Usually a personal gift such as jewelry.

Q: How are the wedding bands engraved?
A: Inside the band with the bride's initials, then the groom's and then the date of the marriage.

Q: How many ushers are needed?
A: Usually figure one per every 50 guests.

Q: Is it required to have the same number of ushers as bridesmaids?
A: No.

Q: Where can receptions be held?
A: The bride's home, the home of a friend, hotel or club.

Q: Where does the bride sit at the Bride's table?
A: Always on the right of the groom.

Q: Do parents sit at the bride's table?
A: Yes, or they may have a table of their own.

Q: If the reception is given by the bride's divorced father, what is the mother's position?
A: The mother is an honored guest, but if this poses a problem, she should refrain from attending.

Q: Are gifts brought to the reception?
A: No.

Q: Are identifying name cards placed with presents on display?
A: No.

Q: Are checks displayed with other wedding gifts?
A: No, but they can be noted on a card.

Q: Is it correct to exchange duplicate gifts?
A: Yes.

Q: Who should read congratulatory telegrams for the guests?
A: The best man.

Q: Who gives the first toast to the bride?
A: The best man.

Q: Which side of the church is reserved for the bride's family and friends?
A: The left is for the bride, the right is for the groom. In some synagogues, this procedure is reversed.

Q: If the church has two center aisles, what should be done?
A: Choose one aisle only and conduct the wedding as if it were the only aisle. If you wish, you may use the right aisle for the processional and the left aisle for the recessional.

Q: Is wearing black considered acceptable by any of the feminine members of the wedding party?
A: Traditionally not.

Q: Are divorced parents of the bride seated together?
A: No. the mother is seated in the front row with her new husband, if remarried, the father in the third left hand pew.

Q: Where do the groom's parents sit if they are divorced?
A: The mother is in the front right-hand pew, the father in the third pew.

Q: Does the groom always kiss the bride following the ceremony at the altar?
A: This is ruled by the church ceremony. The clergyman will advise the couple.

Q: Who handles the clergy's fee?
A: The groom pays the fee, but the best man presents it to the clergy either before or after the ceremony in a plain white envelope.

Q: Is the clergyman invited to the wedding reception?
A: Yes, along with his wife if married. He is seated at the parents' table.

Q: Do ushers and the best man stand in the receiving line?
A: No.

Q: Should the bride and groom smoke or hold drinks or food in the receiving line?
A: No.

Q: Should the groom dance with others?
A: Yes, with his mother, mother-in-law and maid of honor.

Q: What is "boxed" wedding cake?
A: Individual pieces of cake placed in small white boxes of the guests to take home. This is done at very elaborate weddings.

Q: Can a home wedding be a formal as a church wedding?
A: Yes, but usually there are not as many attendants.

Q: How is a recessional conducted at a home wedding?
A: The couple simply turns around after the ceremony to receive the best wishes of the guests.

Q: How are the wedding gifts displayed if a reception is not planned?
A: A tea or cocktail party may be held for close friends several days prior to the wedding.

Q: Who cuts the first piece of cake?
A: The bride with the groom's right hand over hers. They then break the slice and eat it together. The rest of the cake is then sliced by a friend or waiter.

Q: How is the reception dance begun?
A: The bride and groom should be honored with the first dance. However, if guests have already started when the couple enters the dance floor, the dancing stops and the couple dances once around the floor alone.

See our Tips page for more planning information such as estimating tent size and seating, estimating liquor and coffee, punch recipes and more. See more about our exciting Chicago Chocolate Fountain rental packages. For more Chicago party supplies, visit our online catalog.