What you need for a wedding festival

A wedding festival needs more than food, drinks and decorations. Guests need places to sit, eat, cool off and find their way around, while the ceremony and evening music need separate equipment. Use the complete list below to check purchases and rentals before the event. Plan quantities from your confirmed guest count, then add a small buffer for breakage, spills and unexpected guests.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Dinner tablesqty 8
High tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 90
Buffet tablesqty 3
Bar stoolsqty 8
Coat racksqty 2
Gift table
Ceremony chairsqty 90
Stage sectionsqty 4

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 100
Dessert platesqty 100
Coffee cupsqty 90
Water glassesqty 120
Wine glassesqty 120
Champagne glassesqty 100
Coffee spoonsqty 100
Dinner cutlery setsqty 100
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving tongsqty 8
Carafesqty 12

Equipment

Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Coolersqty 4
Refrigeratorsqty 2
Bar cooling
Wireless microphonesqty 2
Speakersqty 2
Mixer
Music player
Extension cordsqty 6
Power stripsqty 6
First aid kit

Lighting

String lightsqty 8
LED lampsqty 12
Lanternsqty 10

Decorations

Balloon archesqty 2
Table runnersqty 8
Napkin holdersqty 8
Flower vasesqty 12
Welcome sign
Program standsqty 4
Name badgesqty 90
Table numbersqty 8
Photo frame
Backdrop cloth
Candlesqty 36
Candle holdersqty 36

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knivesqty 4
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Measuring cupsqty 3
Serving spoonsqty 8
Aluminum foilqty 4
Food storage containersqty 12
Cake knife

Cleaning

Washing-up bowlsqty 3
Spongesqty 12
Trash binsqty 6
Hand broomsqty 3
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 3

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 10 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Spa Blauw - 12 bottles
- Spa Rood - 8 bottles
- Tonic - 6 bottles
- Ginger ale - 4 bottles
- Beer - 8 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- White wine - 18 bottles
- Red wine - 10 bottles
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- Prosecco - 12 bottles
- Non-alcoholic sparkling wine - 4 bottles
- Gin - 3 bottles
- Vodka - 2 bottles
- Whisky - 2 bottles
- Rum - 2 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Lemons - 3 kilos
- Limes - 2 kilos
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Basil - 6 bunches
- Mint - 6 bunches
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 2 kilos
- Herb butter - 1 kilo
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Brie - 2 kilos
- Gouda cheese - 3 kilos
- Grapes - 5 kilos
- Apples - 5 kilo
- Strawberries - 4 kilos
- Melons - 4 pieces
- Mixed lettuce - 5 kilos
- Arugula - 1 kilo
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Cucumber salad - 3 kilos
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Red onions - 1 kilo
- Potatoes - 12 kilos
- Rice - 5 kilo
- Pasta - 5 kilos
- Grilled Vegetables - 6 kilos
- Chicken breast - 10 kilo
- Salmon fillet - 6 kilos
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Falafel - 4 kilos
- Sandwiches - 100 pieces
- Mayonnaise - 3 jars
- Ketchup - 3 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Garlic sauce - 2 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 2 bottles
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Salt - 1 kilo
- Black pepper - 250 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Italian herbs - 2 jars
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Bouillon cubes - 2 boxes
- Breadsticks - 6 packs
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Mixed nuts - 3 kilo
- Olives - 2 kilos
- Bitterballen - 300 pieces
- Mini spring rolls - 200 pieces
- Cake - 1 large cake
- Petit fours - 100 pieces
- Chocolate - 2 kilos
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Paper straws - 150 pieces
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 box
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 4 bottles
- Trash bags - 40 pieces

Tips

Count one complete dinner cutlery set, dinner plate and water glass per guest, then add 5–10% extra. Dessert plates, coffee cups and wine or champagne glasses need separate counts because guests may use them at different times.
Plan seating by function: ceremony chairs for the service, dining tables and chairs for the meal, and high tables or bar stools for the festival area. Confirm the final layout at least one week before delivery so there is space for the stage, buffet and gift table.
Keep drinks cold in more than one place. Allow roughly one cooler or refrigerator section for every 40–50 guests, and check that the bar cooling can hold bottles, mixers and reserve stock before fresh groceries arrive.
Treat coffee as a separate service after the meal. For 50 guests, prepare at least 50 coffee cups and spoons, plus enough coffee machines or kettles to serve everyone without a long queue.
Check sound equipment before guests arrive, not during the ceremony. Test the wireless microphones, mixer, speakers and music player together during the site inspection, and keep all cables clear of dining and walking areas.

Frequently asked questions

How many plates and glasses do I need for a wedding festival?: Start with one dinner plate and one water glass per guest, then add 5–10% extra. For 100 guests, that means 105–110 dinner plates and water glasses; wine and champagne glasses should be counted separately according to the drinks list.
How much extra tableware should I buy for a wedding festival?: A 5–10% buffer is usually enough for breakage, dropped cutlery and replacements. For 80 guests, prepare 84–88 of the items used by everyone, such as dinner plates, cutlery sets and water glasses.
When should I arrange wedding festival furniture and equipment?: Confirm reservations and delivery details at least two weeks before the event. Complete the site inspection and final layout check about one week beforehand, then check deliveries as soon as the venue opens.
What cooling equipment do I need for a wedding festival?: Use coolers, refrigerators or bar cooling sized for the full drinks stock, not just the first round. As a starting point, allow one cooler or refrigerator section for about 40–50 guests and add capacity if the venue has no backup storage.

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