
Chairs are the one rental item every single event needs, and somehow, they still end up being the one thing people do not think about early enough.
You probably already have the venue, the date, and the headcount. Then comes the chair question. Chiavari or folding? How many do I order? What does it actually cost? Well... you do not have to worry, we've got you.
We have been setting up events across Los Angeles since 2009, and we see this chair conversation come up every week. In this guide, we cover what we carry, what actually works for different events, and what to think through before you place the order.
See a lot of people pick chairs based on how they look in a photo. That is not the wrong instinct, but not the right one either.
The real question is who will be sittinWe g on them, where the event is, and how long guests will be seated. Once you talk through those three things with your rental company, the right chair becomes much easier to choose.
Take Chiavari chairs, for example. They look elegant in every photo, work for almost any formal event, and are the most-requested chair in Los Angeles. But if you put them on a backyard lawn in Bel Air or Malibu, those narrow legs can sink straight into the ground. Your guests end up sitting sideways during the ceremony, and nobody wants that.
Or take the opposite situation. Someone orders basic plastic folding chairs for a 40th birthday dinner, all in the name of saving money, and the setup ends up looking like a company picnic when the whole point was to make the evening feel special.
The chair sets the tone before anyone sits down. The question is just which chair fits the actual event, not the idea of the event.
Chiavari chairs are usually requested when people want seating to feel more dressed up. They have a slim frame, open back, light look, and come in finishes that match almost any event style.
At Del Rey Party Rentals, we carry Chiavari chairs in:
Gold is the most common choice for Los Angeles weddings and milestone events. Black suits formal dinners, corporate galas, and darker setups. Fruitwood and Mahogany fit events with a warm look, like garden parties, outdoor estate weddings, or setups with wood tables and natural linens. White is for events where you want the chairs to stay clean and quiet because the flowers, linens, or decor already do enough.
Chiavari chairs look good, no question. But they are firm, so the cushion is not just decoration. For a short ceremony, most guests will be fine. For dinner, speeches, and a long reception, the cushion helps. People may not remember the exact chair they sat in, but they will remember if they were uncomfortable all night.
If your event is on grass, mention it before you book. Chiavari legs are narrow. On soft lawns in Malibu, Bel Air, Silver Lake, or the Hollywood Hills, they can sink into the ground. We see this often. Sometimes the fix is a solid floor under the chairs. Other times, a chair with a wider base works better.
That is why the surface matters as much as the style.
Folding chairs are often underestimated. They are not the "cheap backup" people think. For many events, they are the right choice. Sometimes they are the smarter choice.
If your event is outside, kids are running around, the setup needs to move fast, or the ground is uneven, folding chairs can save you a lot. For outdoor chair rentals in Los Angeles, especially, plastic and resin are consistently the top requests, and for good reason.
Here is what we carry and when each one makes sense:
Plastic folding chairs, white or black, are the practical choice. Ideal for backyard parties, beach setups, graduations, school events, outdoor services, and big family gatherings. They do not sink into grass like narrow legs, are easy to move, and clean quickly. If your event has children, food, grass, or many people coming and going, these are the chairs you want.
Resin folding chairs feel a bit more dressed up than basic plastic without reaching Chiavari level. The white resin chair suits ceremonies, showers, and events that require a clean, simple look. If you want something better than plastic but not the Chiavari price, resin is a better option.
Wood folding chairs with padded seats come in natural, walnut, black, and white. They are for longer sitting, full dinners, ceremonies with speeches, garden setups, rustic weddings, or bohemian events. The padded seat is more than a nice extra; guests notice the difference after sitting for a while. The walnut finish pairs well with farm tables, greenery, and warmer linen colors.
Mid-Century Modern Oak Folding Chair. This one has more character. It works when you want the chair to feel like part of the design, but you do not want the formality of a Chiavari. It pairs well with farm tables, natural linens, and softer event setups.
Vintage Palmer Snyder 1942 Folding Chair. This is not the chair for every event, and that is the point. If the venue already has a vintage, classic, or old-LA feel, this chair will work well. If the rest of the setup is modern or very polished, it may feel out of place.
Bar stools are essential if you have cocktail tables, highboys, or a bar area. People often forget to order them, leaving guests standing around high-tops for hours with nowhere to sit. Check our bar stool options.
If your event needs a lounge area, cocktail space, or VIP section, we also carry lounge furniture, sofas, love seats, ottomans, and full groupings in black, gold, silver, and white. Browse lounge furniture rentals to see what we have.
Children's chairs are important if kids are coming. Adult folding chairs are too big and not the safest or most comfortable choice. We carry chairs made for smaller frames. Do not skip this item if you are setting up a kids' table.
Before you decide, think through a few things:
Is the surface grass, pavers, concrete, sand, or a solid floor?
Will older guests or anyone with mobility needs be there?
How long will guests actually be seated?
Is the event formal, casual, or somewhere in between?
That is usually where the right chair starts to show itself. For more information, check out this guide on how to plan a wedding.
Order one chair for each confirmed guest, plus a few additional chairs.
Seating arrangements rarely match the guest list exactly. Guests may avoid the front row, reserve seats for family, or move chairs for accessibility. Vendors may also require seating, and unexpected attendees can further impact the chair count.
A practical guideline is to order 5 to 10 percent more chairs than your confirmed guest count. For 100 guests, order 108 to 112 chairs. The additional cost is minimal, and it prevents the inconvenience of running short on the event day.
If your ceremony and reception are at the same venue, you might be able to use the same chairs twice. But please do not assume that happens by itself. A chair flip needs time, crew, and a real gap between the ceremony and the next part of the event. If cocktail hour starts immediately and guests are still in the same area, there is no magic moment for 100 chairs to move.
We had a couple in Manhattan Beach thinking the ceremony chairs would automatically become reception chairs. Not quite. It worked, but only because we talked through the timing and built it into the setup plan. Tell us early if you want to reuse chairs, not when the first row is already seated.
When to book: April through June is the busiest stretch for event rentals in Los Angeles. October is close behind. Gold Chiavari chairs in large quantities go fast. For spring and fall events, six to eight weeks out is the minimum. For weddings and milestone events, three to four months gives you a better chance of getting the chair style and count you actually want.
Here are the actual rental rates from our 2026 inventory, straight from the catalog:
Chiavari Chairs
Gold Chiavari: $8.50 per chair
White, Black: $10.75 per chair
Folding Chairs
Plastic Folding (white or black): $2.75 per chair
Resin Folding (white or black): $4.25 per chair
Wood Folding with Padded Seat (natural, walnut, black, white): $4.75 per chair
Mid-Century Modern Oak: $5.50 per chair
Vintage Palmer Snyder 1942: $7.50 per chair
These are per-chair rates. Delivery, pickup, and setup are separate and quoted based on your zip code, site access, and order scope. Setting up, placing and arranging chairs is available at additional cost and must be arranged in advance. Our minimum order for delivery is $250, not including fees.
One thing you might miss when comparing quotes: a lower per-chair rate with separate delivery and setup fees can easily end up higher than a full-service quote. Get the full invoice total before you decide.
Need tables too? Browse our full table and chair rentals in Los Angeles to build your complete setup in one order.
Browse the complete chair and bar stool inventory to see every option we carry.
When you reach out, bring your guest count, your event date, your venue address, and whether you need delivery only or delivery with setup. That is enough for us to give you a clear quote.
Whether you need party chair rentals for 30 guests on your we or event chair rentals for 300, we carry what fits, and we will help you figure out which chair that is.
Set up means our crew places the chairs for you, so please mention that early. It is not something to figure out when the truck is already at the venue.
Call us at 310.676.6363 during business hours, Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 2 PM, or browse and build your order anytime.
We have been doing this in Los Angeles since 2009. If you are not sure which chair fits your setup, just ask. That is exactly what we are here for.
Do you handle outdoor events? Yes, and we do it across Los Angeles all the time. Backyards in Bel Air, rooftops in Downtown, garden venues in Pasadena, beachside setups, and private homes. For outdoor events, the chair choice matters. Plastic and resin folding chairs usually handle grass and uneven ground better than Chiavari chairs because Chiavari legs are narrow and can sink on soft surfaces. Tell us what kind of venue you have when you request a quote, and we'll steer you the right way.
Can I change my order after booking? Adding items is usually fine up until a few days before delivery, as long as the items are still available. Cutting items close to the date is where it gets tricky. Reductions may mean losing that part of your deposit, depending on the timing. The better move is to lock in your core count early, then add as your guest list gets clearer. That is much easier to manage.
What happens if something gets damaged? Rental items are your responsibility from delivery to pickup. We offer a damage waiver at 6.25% of your order total, and it covers accidental damage during normal use. It does not cover missing items or misuse. Anything outside the waiver gets billed at replacement value. It is optional, but if you are placing a large chair order, it is worth considering.