Glassware, tableware and linen hire

Tableware & Linen HireGlassware, crockery, cutlery and linen for every place setting.

Guests spend more time at the table than anywhere else. Glassware, crockery, cutlery, tablecloths, napkins and charger plates decide how that table looks and works. Plan one place setting, then multiply.

Build a place setting
Dinner table set with rattan chargers, white plates, linen napkins, stemmed wine glasses, tumblers, stoneware cups, pillar candles and brushed gold cutlery
Covers
Glassware, crockery, cutlery, tablecloths, runners, napkins, chargers and vases
Count by
Guests, courses and the drinks served at the table
Ask about
Washing, breakages and how items are packed for return
Pairs with
Event furniture and event décor

The place setting

Build one place setting first.

Every count follows from a single setting multiplied by your guests.

The layers of a single place setting

  • Start with the plates

    Decide the menu format first. A shared meal and a plated dinner of several courses need different plate and cutlery counts.

  • Add a charger if it suits the style

    Charger plates sit under the dinner plate and frame each setting. Ask your caterer whether they stay on the table during service.

  • Choose glassware by drink

    A glass for water and one for each drink served at the table is a sensible starting point.

  • Finish with linen

    Napkins, runners and tablecloths set the colour and texture of the whole table.

Glassware hire

Glassware hire, by drink.

Name the drinks you plan to serve and the hire company can suggest the shapes to match.

  • Water tumblers

    Straight-sided tumblers or stemless glasses for water at every setting.

  • Wine glasses

    Stemmed glasses for red and white wine. Some events use one all-purpose shape for both.

  • Flutes and coupes

    Flutes suit sparkling wine; coupes suit a vintage look and many cocktails.

  • Highballs and tumblers

    For spirits, mixed drinks and soft drinks at the bar.

  • Cocktail glasses

    Martini, margarita and other shapes for a cocktail menu.

  • Jugs and dispensers

    For water on the tables and self-serve drinks stations.

Linen hire

Tablecloth and linen hire: sizes, drops and colour.

Linen is sized to the table, so the table comes first.

  • Measure your tables

    Tell the hire company the table shape and size, or hire tables and linen together so they match.

  • Choose the drop

    A floor-length drop looks formal and hides table legs. A shorter drop feels relaxed and shows the table frame.

  • Runners and napkins

    Runners add colour without covering the whole table. Napkin hire lets you repeat that colour or contrast with it.

  • Cloths for tables from another company

    If the furniture comes from a different supplier, send their table sizes so the cloths fit.

  • Colour in real light

    Ask for swatches or daylight photos. Some colours read differently under warm evening lighting.

Crockery, cutlery and centrepieces

The pieces between the plate and the candle.

Crockery hire and cutlery hire usually come in matched ranges, from classic white and silver to stoneware and brushed gold.

Count each course separately: entrée, main and dessert plates, side plates for bread, and the knives, forks and spoons each course needs. Add teacups or coffee cups if hot drinks are served at the table.

Centrepiece hire and vase hire sit on the table too. Choose heights that let guests see each other, and leave space for share platters if the meal is served family style.

See event décor hire for vessels and candle holders

Overhead flat lay of stoneware plates, clear and amber glassware, silver and gold cutlery sets, folded napkins in white, sand and charcoal, and candles
Stoneware, glassware and cutlery in a mixed setting

Before, during and after

The life of a hired table setting.

Tableware passes through several hands on the day. Agree who handles each stage.

Before

Counting and delivery

  • Count by course and by drink
  • Ask how many spares the company suggests
  • Confirm the delivery time and where crates go

On the day

Setting and clearing

  • Decide who unpacks and sets the tables
  • Check whether your caterer clears and stacks
  • Keep the empty crates somewhere dry

After

Returning it

  • Ask whether items return unwashed, rinsed or clean
  • Count breakages before collection
  • Pack each item back in its original crate

By service style

How the menu changes the count.

Talk to your caterer before you count. The way food is served decides the tableware list.

Plated dinner

Predictable counts

Each course has its own plates and cutlery, and staff clear between courses, so counts follow the menu closely.

Shared or banquet style

Serving ware joins the list

Platters, bowls and serving utensils are added, and each guest may need fewer plate changes.

Cocktail and canapés

Glassware leads

Fewer plates, more glasses and small napkins. Plan where empty glasses will go.

Quotes

What affects a tableware quote.

The unit price of a glass is only part of the total.

Pieces per setting

Each extra course or drink adds a line to every setting.

Range and finish

Coloured glass, metallic cutlery and patterned plates can sit in different price bands.

Washing

Whether washing is included, or items must come back clean.

Breakages and losses

How missing and broken items are charged.

Delivery

Delivery and collection times, including late-night pick-ups.

Minimum hire

Some companies have a minimum order for delivery.

Keep building the list

Tableware is ordered alongside furniture and décor more often than on its own.

Questions

Tableware and linen, answered.

Practical answers about counts, cleaning and breakages.

Do I need to wash hired tableware before returning it?

It depends on the company. Some ask for items to be scraped and rinsed; others handle all the washing. Check before the event so the clean-up is planned.

What happens if a glass breaks?

Breakages and losses are generally charged. Ask how they are counted and what each costs before you book.

Can I hire linen on its own?

Yes, many companies hire linen separately. Send the table shapes and sizes so the cloths fit.

Does my caterer supply tableware?

Some caterers and venues do. Ask what is included before hiring separately, so nothing is booked twice.

How early should tableware arrive?

Early enough to unpack and set the tables before guests arrive. Share the venue’s access times with the hire company.

Wherever the table is set, add your suburb and venue in step 3 of the brief.

Browse locations

Build your brief

Set the table in one brief.

Tell us the guest count, the menu format and the look you want. Tableware and styling professionals who suit the event can review it and respond.

There is no obligation to book.