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When you rent glass dishes for your next event, it pays to look beyond their obvious uses and get creative with your presentations and displays. There are many ways to use these versatile dishes to add amazing flair to any party, dinner, or reception.

Glass Dishes You Can Rent

There are many different types of clear or colored glass dishes available for rent. While the exact options will vary based on the rental company you choose and what they have in stock at the time you make your reservation, popular glass dishes to rent include:

• General glasses for water, juice, or soda
• Clear mugs for tea or coffee in different sizes and styles
• Alcohol glasses such as brandy snifters, martini glasses, and beer steins
• Elegant toasting options like wine goblets and champagne flutes
• Smaller glasses such as espresso cups and shot glasses in different proportions
• Glass plates for salads, desserts, entrees, and bread, as well as chargers
• Cake stands and cupcake stands in different tier arrangements
• Soup, punch, salad, and other styles of bowls
• Candy dishes and display urns
• Pitchers, creamers, carafes, and other servers
• Mason jars, cruets, and other unique pieces
• Candle holders, vases, and other decorative glassware

Getting Creative With Glassware

While it’s obvious that a water glass is used for water, a salad plate is perfect for a salad, and a candle holder should hold a candle, there are many more creative ways to use rented glassware to make a stunning statement at your event.

• Use glasses to hold tea lights or votive candles for unique candle holders, or invert a wine goblet with a broad base to hold a pillar candle.
• Use large, low bowls to create floating candle displays, or use them for simple succulent gardens or other creative centerpieces.
• Use a variety of dishes to create a toppings bar for sundaes, tacos, or burgers for a unique and personalized touch to the menu and buffet display.
• Create a whimsical candy bar with differently shaped dishes, or use multiple glass dishes to create a dessert bar, s’mores bar, or other tasty focal point.
• Decorate the rims of dishes with colored sugar or salt, sprinkles, or other accents to add flair to clear dishes.
• Use a larger dish to hold paper napkins, or put cloth napkins inside the drinking glassware at each place setting.
• Use different glasses as small vases, including using a shot glass or thin champagne flute as a bud vase for simple elegance.
• Fill a display of glasses with dyed water to decorate a bar area or to create a colorful burst on a windowsill or backdrop area.
• Use cocktail glasses and rustic boards to create tiers for a bar or drink display or as part of a bartending area.
• Consider adding live fish to watery displays in clear glassware, as long as the fish are properly cared for and will be safe in the display.
• Layer glass dishes with pebbles, flower petals, greenery, and other fillers to create a nested display as a centerpiece or as part of a serving area.
• Balance name cards or table numbers in glassware to help guests find their table or seat at a more formal event.
• Use small glassware to hold individual servings of candy, such as for wedding or party favors, without the need for disposable containers.
• Use a large bowl or plate to hold towels in a restroom, accompanied by a smaller dish with mints, lotions, or other essentials.
• Use a display of cocktail glasses at the coat check area to hold guests’ car keys for a responsible arrangement to minimize unsafe driving.

This is just the beginning of where creativity can take you when renting and using glass dishes. Try new arrangements and ideas, and you just may find a stunning option that your guests will remember and talk about long after your event ends.

Taking Care of Rented Glassware

No matter how you use your rented glass dishes, be sure to read all contract terms and conditions. Be careful with unconventional uses so you don’t risk damage that could result in fees or penalties, and return all dishes in the appropriation condition and cleanliness as stipulated by your rental agreement. While an unusual use or creative display can be amazing, you won’t be nearly as amazed if that use creates problems or adds to your overall cost. By carefully working with your rental company and complying with their contract terms, however, you can easily opt for more unusual and eye-catching uses for glass dishes, turning these simple but versatile dishes into a focal point for your event.