The Red Carpet: How to Rent a Red Carpet for Events That Impress

The red carpet treatment is no longer reserved for film premieres and award shows. Event planners, photographers, and businesses rent red carpet setups for corporate galas, wedding receptions, product launches, and charity fundraisers of all sizes. The visual impact is immediate, the cost is manageable, and the photographs it produces justify the investment many times over.

Whether you’re searching for red carpet rental options in your city or want to understand what red carpet rentals typically include, this guide covers everything you need to plan a setup that looks the part.

What Red Carpet Rental Packages Usually Include

Carpet, Stanchions, and Backdrop

Most red carpet rental packages start with the carpet itself, typically 3 to 6 feet wide and available in lengths from 10 to 100 feet. Premium rentals offer velvet-pile carpets that hold their shape under heavy foot traffic. Economy options use felt or polyester, which flatten more quickly but still photograph well.

Stanchions, the rope and post barriers that line the edges of the red carpet, are usually included. Crowd control barriers and velvet ropes reinforce the VIP atmosphere. A rent red carpet package that includes a step-and-repeat banner backdrop, typically 8 feet tall by 10 to 16 feet wide, gives photographers and guests a photo opportunity that drives social media engagement.

Lighting and Additional Elements

Professional red carpet rentals often include uplighting in matching colors on either side of the carpet. For the red carpet look that photographically matches what you see at premieres, add two to four spotlights aimed at the carpet surface from the sides. This eliminates the flat, washed-out look that ambient venue lighting creates.

Some rent a red carpet packages include staff for the event, including someone to manage the photo line and keep the carpet clean between guests. For larger events with 200 or more attendees using the carpet, this is worth the additional cost.

Finding Red Carpet Rentals in Your Area

Search for red carpet rentals through event rental companies, photo booth vendors, and production companies in your city. Most urban markets have several vendors competing for this business, which keeps prices reasonable. Expect to pay between $200 and $800 for a basic setup covering a 20-foot carpet with stanchions, more if you add a backdrop and lighting.

Ask vendors specifically about delivery, setup time, and pickup logistics. Some red carpet rental vendors deliver and set up the day before your event, which gives you time to test lighting and adjust placement. Others require same-day setup, which means you need venue access at least two hours before guests arrive.

Planning the Photo Line

The most important element of the red carpet experience that rentals alone cannot provide is a clear photo line flow. Position your step-and-repeat backdrop at the far end of the carpet so guests have a destination. Put two photographers: one at the carpet entrance for walking shots and one at the backdrop for posed shots.

Brief your team on moving guests through the line efficiently. A well-managed red carpet processes guests in about 60 to 90 seconds each. At that pace, 100 guests take roughly two to two-and-a-half hours, which means staggering your guest arrival times or planning a longer carpet period into your event schedule.