Red carpet hire does not come with one fixed price. What you pay depends on the size of the carpet, the type you choose, whether you want it installed, and where your event is held.
If you are planning a red carpet runner for a wedding, gala, product launch, premiere or corporate night, this guide walks through what shapes red carpet hire cost and how to get an accurate quote.
Event Flooring has supplied event carpet across Sydney and Melbourne since 2006, so the price on your quote reflects the real details of your event rather than a flat rate that ignores them.
Key takeaways
- Red carpet hire is quoted per event, not sold at a set price.
- The main cost factors are size, carpet type, installation, accessories, delivery and hire length.
- Standard runners range from 1m to 2m wide and 3m to 10m or more in length.
- Event Flooring delivers, installs and removes across Sydney and Melbourne, with nationwide freight available.
What Affects the Cost of Red Carpet Hire
A few clear factors move the price up or down, and most of them come back to the choices you make about your event.
| Cost factor | What pushes the price up | What keeps it down |
| Size | Longer and wider carpet, custom shapes | Shorter, standard-width runners |
| Carpet type | Plush or custom printed | Velour |
| Installation | Professional install, complex layouts | Rolling out a short runner yourself |
| Accessories | Ropes, bollards, underlay, ramps | Carpet only |
| Delivery | Freight outside Sydney and Melbourne | Local delivery or warehouse pickup |
| Hire length | Multi-day or long activations | Single-day hire |
Carpet size
Size is the biggest factor. A longer, wider carpet uses more material and takes longer to lay, so a short 3m runner sits well below a 10m red carpet entrance.
Carpet type
Our velour carpet is the cost-effective option, with a 6mm pile and 22 colours that suit most events.
Plush carpet is thicker and softer underfoot, which gives a premium look for VIP arrivals and high-end weddings, and it sits at a higher price.
Custom printed carpet, matched to a Pantone colour or printed with your logo, is the most involved option and needs extra lead time.
Installation and accessories
You can roll out a short runner yourself, which keeps costs down. For larger setups, high-traffic events or precise layouts, professional installation is the safer choice and adds to the quote.
Accessories add up too. Ropes and bollards, double-sided tape, non-slip underlay and ramps all make the finish more polished and more secure, and each one is a line on your quote.
Delivery and hire length
We service Sydney and Melbourne directly and can freight nationwide for larger events, so distance affects cost. A longer hire period costs more than a single night.
How Much Red Carpet Do You Actually Need
The right length depends on the moment you want to create. Our runners are usually 1m to 2m wide, with lengths from 3m up to 10m or more, and we can cut custom sizes when a venue needs something specific.
For a wedding aisle or a walkway, measure the full run from start to finish and add a little extra so the carpet sits flush at both ends.
For a grand entrance, a wider runner makes more of a statement and gives guests room to gather.
In front of a media wall, match the carpet width to the wall so photos look clean from edge to edge.
| Use case | Typical length | Typical width |
| Aisle or walkway | 3m to 10m | 1m to 1.2m |
| Grand entrance | 5m to 10m or more | 1.2m to 2m |
| In front of a media wall | 3m to 6m | 1.2m to 2m |
| Arrivals or photo line | 6m to 10m or more | 1.2m to 2m |
These figures are a planning guide. We confirm the exact size on your quote.
Red Carpet Hire vs Buying
For most events, hiring is the simpler and cheaper option. It suits one-off occasions, custom colours and tight setup windows, and it saves you storing, transporting and cleaning a heavy roll afterwards.
Buying can make sense if you run the same activation many times and have somewhere to keep the carpet between uses, though the upfront cost and the ongoing care soon add up.
Event Flooring works mainly as a hire service, and we can help with purchase enquiries for repeat-use runners when that is the better fit.
| Factor | Hire | Buy |
| Best for | One-off events, custom colours | Repeat, long-run use |
| Upfront cost | Lower | Higher |
| Storage | Handled by us | Your responsibility |
| Transport | Included in delivery | Your responsibility |
| Cleaning | Handled by us | Your responsibility |
How to Get an Accurate Red Carpet Quote
The more detail you give us, the more accurate your quote will be. To price your event, our team needs a few things.
- The full venue address, and a floorplan if you have one
- The exact length and width you need in metres
- The existing floor surface the carpet will sit on
- Your delivery and installation date and time
- Your removal date and time
Send these through and we can advise the best options at a competitive price.
Call us on 1300 588 550 or request a quote online, and we will handle delivery, installation and removal from our Sydney and Melbourne warehouses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does red carpet hire include delivery and installation?
It can. Delivery, setup and removal are available across Sydney and Melbourne, and we can freight nationwide for larger events. What is included depends on your event, so it is confirmed on your quote.
How much does it cost to hire a red carpet for a wedding?
It depends mainly on the length you need and whether you want us to install it. Weddings are one of our most common bookings, and a simple aisle runner costs far less than a long, fully installed entrance. Our red carpet runners page shows the styles available.
Can I hire a red carpet for just one day?
Yes. Hire length is one of the factors in your quote, and a single-day hire is the most affordable option.
What is the most cost-effective red carpet option?
Velour is the budget-friendly choice, with a 6mm pile and 22 colours that work for most events. Plush carpet costs more and gives a premium, softer finish for high-end events.