Micro Wedding Rentals: What to Rent for 10 to 50 Guests

A micro wedding is not a small version of a big wedding. With 10 to 50 guests, everyone sees everything, and a single mismatched chair or a wrinkled cloth stands out. The upside is that your budget goes further per guest. Here is how to rent for a small guest list in Chicago, where a micro wedding might be in a restaurant, a loft, a garden or a living room.

Three sizes, three layouts

What matters most

Chairs. Because the guest list is small, you can afford statement chairs. A set of velvet dining chairs at an estimated $18 to $25 each, wishbone chairs or cane-back chairs look like a restaurant dining room, which suits a micro wedding well. Ghost chairs at about $10 to $14 stay out of the way if the room is already beautiful.

Tables. One 8-foot banquet table seats 8 to 10. Two put 16 to 20 at a long table. A 60-inch round seats 8. For a 12-guest dinner, a 12-foot setup of two 6-foot tables works. For tight rooms see round table sizes.

Linens. Quality linen on a small table makes the whole meal feel intentional. Use the tablecloth size chart, or a long runner over bare wood.

Dinnerware and glassware. At small counts, real china and glass are within reach and worth it. See the china rental guide and wedding glassware types.

Ceremony pieces. A small arch or a pair of urns, six to twelve chairs in a curve, and a signing table. Many micro weddings do the vows at the dinner table, which means no extra rentals at all.

Counts for each size

The linen count includes a cake or gift table and a spare.

Where micro weddings happen

Chicago micro weddings land in restaurants with a private room, a hotel suite, a loft, a botanic garden, a backyard or a courthouse followed by a dinner. If the venue supplies tables and chairs, rent only what's missing and focus on linens and chairs. If it supplies nothing, follow the backyard wedding rental checklist. For courthouse weddings with a dinner afterward, see our courthouse reception guide when it's published; the same layout rules apply.

Budget the small way

At small guest counts, the biggest costs are not chairs or tables, they are the fixed ones: delivery, setup, a tent if you need one, and the weather backup. Divide the total by your guest count before you decide whether an upgrade is worth it. Upgrading 20 chairs from a basic style to a statement style costs far less in total than upgrading 150, and the photographs of 20 people at one long table show every chair. If you must trim, trim the extras that guests do not see, such as a second bar table or a spare linen, and keep the pieces that anchor the photos.

Elopements and tiny ceremonies

For 2 to 10 people, a rental list can be as short as 8 chairs, a small table and a cloth. Choose a location that already looks like a wedding: a garden, a rooftop, a lakefront spot, a restaurant patio. Check permits if the location is public, since city parks, forest preserves and park districts often require them for even small ceremonies. A simple setup with a few rented chairs and a signing table saves hours of decor.

Ask about minimums

Many rental companies set a minimum order or delivery fee, and small orders can cost more per piece. Ask about minimums, and whether a pickup is possible instead of delivery. We plan the full rental list during a 15-minute call, and starting April 2027 our Founding Season deliveries serve the Chicago area.

Photo notes

Plan it in one call

Book a free 15-minute seating call and we will size your micro wedding, or request a quote with your guest count and date.