FAQ’s

 

If You have questions about a renting a wedding canopy, we probably already have the answers. Your wedding day is supposed to be fun.

Chuppah Basics

What is the difference between a Chuppah and a Wedding Canopy?

Nothing, they are one in the same to us. Jewish tradition calls for a wedding ceremony under a chuppah. It has a solid canopy top and open sides, reminding one of the open sided tents in the days of Abraham. Other folks call it a wedding canopy, and they use it as a stunning focal point of the ceremony.


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What is a Chuppah?

A Chuppah is a wedding canopy (also spelled chuppa, huppa, huppah) that a bride and groom stand under during their wedding ceremony. The officiant most often shares this space with the wedding couple, and sometimes the bridal party as well. A chuppah symbolizes the first official home the couple shares as they become united in marriage. It also serves as a decorative focal point and set piece for the wedding ceremony. It is traditionally used in Jewish weddings, has a solid canopy and open sides. There is no requirement to have any writing or symbols adorning the canopy or structure, but occasionally family heirlooms are used to further personalize the design.


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Can I have a chuppah if I am not Jewish?

Absolutely! Wedding canopies are now common at weddings of all faiths and nationalities because they add beauty and symbolism to the wedding ceremony. (See New York Times). Charm City Chuppahs and Wedding Canopies are for Jewish and non-Jewish brides and grooms who wish to align their personal values and sense of style with their cultural values, whether faith-based or not.


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Renting Your Canopy

Are there restrictions on setup at the venue?

Setup is typically restricted by the physical constraints of the room in which the ceremony occurs. Any stage must be at least 8′ x 8′. There should be at least 8″ clear behind the chuppah, with a clear 8′ ceiling. Low ceilings and overhead chandeliers and light fixture may interfere with set up.

We have accommodated locations with uneven ground and even over steps. If you suspect we’ll have a problem, it’s best to discuss the situation with us first.

We do like to park our vehicle as close to the room as possible. Please let us know in advance if there are obstacles to load-in, such as remote loading docks, stairs with no ramps, uneven terrain or other conditions which will impede a speedy setup, as we will need to allow more time to arrive and stage our cart in the correct room. If the ceremony is in a location with limited or paid-only parking, you must arrange parking with us in advance. Details, details…


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What are the payment terms?

A non refundable deposit of $100 is due with the contract. Visa, Master Card or check is accepted. Balance of charges are due 14 days before the event date.


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What are your fees?

Pricing is simple. All designs fit on our exclusive telescoping lightweight frame, and rental costs $450.00 for up to 2.5 hours after setup. So, if for example your wedding ceremony is at 6:00 pm, we will arrive at 4:00 pm, setup will be complete at 5:00 pm. Rental will be until 7:30 pm. This would provide you with ample time before or after the ceremony to get pictures under the chuppah.

Additional time is billed at $50.00 per hour or fraction thereof. This is because we have a crew waiting in the wings to disassemble and remove the canopy.

In addition to the basic rental fee, we charge set up-take down fees based on distance from our home base. A list of the locations and the fees associated with them is provided on the Pricing page.

Options include Outdoor Set Up Fee of $75, if the final setup location is outdoors, and $35 for a floral pattern runner.

There are no additional of hidden fees aside from those listed.


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Where do you operate?

Our headquarters is in Central Maryland, and we serve locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey and New York. Delivery and pricing are broken out into zones.


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Is this for purchase or rental?

Our beautiful wedding canopy designs are offered for rental only at this time. Because our designs are made with expensive premium fabrics by commercial drapery manufacturers, and because our exclusive frame is a patented design, ownership is cost prohibitive. In any case, you need someone to properly erect the canopy, to stage it properly and on time, and to retrieve and remove it promptly after the ceremony. We are the only company dedicated solely to providing this unique service!


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Design Options

Do you offer accessories or decor?

We are the only company dedicated exclusively to renting chuppahs and wedding canopies. We offer with every rental a small (19″ diameter) table under the canopy, furnished with matching white table cloth, and a beautiful mirrored charger. This is perfect for wine glasses, bottles, candles and any other ceremonial accessories. If you prefer, we can place the matching table cloth on a different table provided by the venue. This table, tablecloth and charger are included in the cost of the rental.

We offer the option of a floral pattern floor runner for an additional $35, our only option, which must be pre-ordered.

We do not offer pipe and drape backdrops, lighting, or any other decor. We are happy to work with you and /or your wedding planner or florist to accommodate other design options you have in mind.


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Can you create a design other than what is listed in your gallery?

We may be able to modify our designs a bit, but only these designs on the site (see Gallery) are available through Charm City Chuppahs and Wedding Canopies. We are open to new ideas and suggestions. The designs shown on our web site are manufactured to fit on the frames we have and are not easily modified. We can add certain details and colors by use of attachments and ribbons. Please call us at 410-549-5490 with your specific requests.


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Can we use flowers to decorate the canopy?

Our chuppahs look amazing with flowers or without. You can place flowers at the foot the of the poles, in vases to the left and right of the chuppah and/or secure them to the poles. The chuppahs are designed to be visually complete, so we don’t advise putting flowers on top of the fabric. Some canopy designs can accommodate certain flower arrangements on the top. The Charm City Chuppah staff will gladly help to secure flowers where they are allowed on the design. See our Gallery page for ideas.


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At Your Wedding

Our reception is in the same room as the ceremony. How quickly can the catering staff expect the chuppah to be taken down after the ceremony?

Our staff works brilliantly with the catering staff, wedding planner or venue contact. We are usually called “The Chuppah Fairies” because we are quiet, always on time and show up to take the design down when-ever we are told too. You can expect the canopy to be completely down and out of the way in about 15 minutes or so, depending on the exact  arrangement of the room and access to the canopy.


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How many people can we fit under the chuppah?

All of the Our designs are very roomy! Charm City Chuppahs and Wedding Canopies are a generous 8′ wide x 7′ deep, and the height is adjustable from 7.5′ from 8.5’. The Bride, Groom, Officiant and almost your whole bridal party will be able to stand next to you.


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Can we set up a chuppah outdoors?

We do set up canopies outdoors, with certain limitations. There is a $75 outdoor setup fee for all outdoor locations. Completely enclosed tents and other structures are NOT considered outdoors. But open decks, porches, gazebos and other open structures, as well as all uncovered yards, fields, patios, etc. ARE considered outdoors.

Our Designs are free standing and can safely tolerate light to medium windy conditions. We add extra sand bag weights, and sometimes ground stakes, to the bases in any outdoor set up. Your planner or Venue contact will help you decide if your wedding can go ahead as planned outdoors, depending on rain and wind forecasts. Once your Chuppah or Wedding Canopy is set up outdoors, it cannot be moved inside, and no refunds will be given if the ceremony is suddenly moved inside for weather concerns. We begin setup about 2 to 2.5 hours before the ceremony; therefore you should be prepared to decide by the time we arrive if weather will cause you to move to an inside location. NOTE: Please always have a proper back-up plan for an inside site, just in case.


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Not finding what you need in our questions database? Relax, call us! (410) 220-0468