The staggering price of weddings in this country.

xpletiv · 20-10-2014 12:30pm #1

I have been engaged for 6 months and have been looking around Ireland for a nice venue. The church we are getting married in only does Saturday ceremonies so we have to have it on a Saturday. What I cant believe is the absolute greed of venues; MOST cost about 100 euro a head, for basic enough package of canapes, 3 course and evening food and wine, but they also have insane minimum numbers of 100 people and sometimes more (140 ive found) meaning a wedding costs MINIMUM 10000 euros. Now, call me cynical, but are we in Ireland not still in recession!? Are people actually paying this crazy amounts?! And most importantly, with the lovely new budget that just came out, new house buyers have to have 20% of their mortgage (thanks older generation!) so I would now assume people are going to spend less on their wedding, yet we cant get past the minimum numbers part, and no where seems to be negotiable for price or numbers. Any tips? Also, to vendors out there that may read this, consider that the generation that is currently getting married is being destroyed by tax and costs as it is and now have to save 20% for houses. I really think the minimum numbers thing is a joke. Especially for the prices you are charging!

_Brian · 20-10-2014 12:34pm

Suppose it depends where you are. Brother is getting married and €85 got them choice of local venues and I think minimum was 75/80.
Still a serious wad of cash though.

blindside88 · 20-10-2014 12:37pm

What part of the country are you in? I got married last year and I didn't price anywhere that was €100 per head. Also would you not consider a different church that way you can have it on a different day? It's not everyone's cup of tea but we got married on a Thursday and it saved us in the region of 3 grand

xpletiv · 20-10-2014 12:42pm

Dublin region, so anywhere 1 hour outside dublin really. Been to tons of venues. Just cant get over the price of everything... seriously puts a dampener on everything

fits · 20-10-2014 12:44pm

I agree its insanely expensive, but I didn't encounter any issues with minimum numbers or anything like that. Our meal is 60 euro. I expect it to be of very high standard, and wine, canapes, evening food etc are all on top of that but we can customise what we want. I think you can do much better than that though in terms of price. Kilkenny hotels have very reasonable packages I think.

I asked a friend in Italy and he said average cost would be about 100 euro per head also. Same in UK (even more expensive?)

The price of dresses is my major bugbear at the moment.

fits · 20-10-2014 12:47pm

we did up a very detailed budget and even with modest budgets for dresses, one bridesmaid, groomsman, no wedding car, only a bouquet for flowers, it easily would add up to 25 grand. Easily. For 85 adult guests. Now it wont come to that much but it probably wont be far off twenty.

xpletiv · 20-10-2014 12:49pm

Exactly, thats my point, is that it doesnt seem that you can get a venue for less than 10k and then of course theres all the rest of top of it, which we cant seem to get below 25k. And to me it just seems greedy; venues get the bar and accomodation as well so they make over 20k or 30k in a night.

clint_silver · 20-10-2014 12:50pm

xpletiv wrote: »

I have been engaged for 6 months and have been looking around Ireland for a nice venue. The church we are getting married in only does Saturday ceremonies so we have to have it on a Saturday. What I cant believe is the absolute greed of venues; MOST cost about 100 euro a head, for basic enough package of canapes, 3 course and evening food and wine, but they also have insane minimum numbers of 100 people and sometimes more (140 ive found) meaning a wedding costs MINIMUM 10000 euros. Now, call me cynical, but are we in Ireland not still in recession!? Are people actually paying this crazy amounts?! And most importantly, with the lovely new budget that just came out, new house buyers have to have 20% of their mortgage (thanks older generation!) so I would now assume people are going to spend less on their wedding, yet we cant get past the minimum numbers part, and no where seems to be negotiable for price or numbers. Any tips? Also, to vendors out there that may read this, consider that the generation that is currently getting married is being destroyed by tax and costs as it is and now have to save 20% for houses. I really think the minimum numbers thing is a joke. Especially for the prices you are charging!

Sounds like what youre doing is looking for a car armed with a budget for a mid range saloon but checking out the ferrari and complaining about the price. It doesnt work that way.

Set your budget for everything. Break out the costs so you have everything fixed or very close to it. Then start looking at venues that fit into your budget of which I guarantee you there are, youre just not looking at them.

ballymagarvey/bellinter/tankardstown are near me at 120e-140e a head. theres also 5-6 hotels within 20 minutes of there at 30-50e a head.

It is what it is. someone will pay the big money cos they can afford it, (to the victors go the spoils and all that) someone will pay the small money cos thats all they have in their budget. I work at weddings, the happiness index on any given wedding day is 100% affected by the people there, not the price of the venue.

fits · 20-10-2014 12:51pm

When are you looking to get married xpletiv?

munchkin_utd · 20-10-2014 12:52pm

xpletiv wrote: »

<snip> And to me it just seems greedy; venues get the bar and accomodation as well so they make over 20k or 30k in a night.

thats the bit I dont get. They make a clean fortune on the booze, especially when half of it doesnt even get drank (meaning the amount purchased is actually out of kilter with the number of guests)

Dolbert · 20-10-2014 12:55pm

Are you only looking at very high-end venues OP? Our reception cost less than €2,500 for 80 people, that included a four course meal, wine, finger food and evening food. The food was standard wedding fare but perfectly nice, the hotel were willing to do it for that price as they were a small place with limited rooms, competing with larger country manor style venues nearby. Shop around.

fits · 20-10-2014 12:58pm

Also check out the Stephouse, Borris house, and Ballybeg house (friend of mine got married there quite cheaply and raved about it). They're all driveable from Dublin and wouldn't be large venues.

Lord Bagenal is very nice also (and on the river) as is the Rivercourt in Kilkenny.

clint_silver · 20-10-2014 12:59pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

thats the bit I dont get. They make a clean fortune on the booze, especially when half of it doesnt even get drank (meaning the amount purchased is actually out of kilter with the number of guests)

Can you clarify this please, Are you suggesting the cost of drink at any given venue should be less because someone ordered a drink and didn't finish it? (not really a way for any business to operate)

Or are you talking about the wine where you either
A) get charged for amount of wine bottles opened

you agree beforehand how many are to be opened, pay a fee on that, and get a refund if less
C) you get charged corkage on your own wine and any unopened wine is returned to you.

Sparks43 · 20-10-2014 1:00pm

Have a look at the Woodenbridge in arklow

Got married there last week and it was a brilliant day

Food service drink and hotel were amazing

The view is not bad either

Its also very cheap and only want minnimum numbers of 60

All the guests that attended are still raving about it so it comes highly reccommended

Best of luck

fits · 20-10-2014 1:01pm

Sounds lovely Sparks!

Dolbert · 20-10-2014 1:04pm

Off the top of my head the following have reasonable wedding packages, all an hour from Dublin:

The Lucan Spa Hotel
Springfield Hotel Leixlip
Glenroyal Hotel Maynooth
Station House Kilmessan

wexie · 20-10-2014 1:08pm

xpletiv wrote: »

What I cant believe is the absolute greed of venues; MOST cost about 100 euro a head, for basic enough package of canapes, 3 course and evening food and wine, but they also have insane minimum numbers of 100 people and sometimes more (140 ive found) meaning a wedding costs MINIMUM 10000 euros. Now, call me cynical, but are we in Ireland not still in recession!? Are people actually paying this crazy amounts?!

Yes, people are, which is why the venues are charging it, if there was nobody paying that kind of money and bringing the required minimum amount of guests then the venues would quickly change their pricing structure.

It's absolutely nothing to do with greed, it's running a business. Believe it or not hotels aren't in the business of making happy memories on people's wedding days, they're in the business of making money.

clint_silver · 20-10-2014 1:09pm

Dolbert wrote: »

Off the top of my head the following have reasonable wedding packages, all an hour from Dublin:

The Lucan Spa Hotel
Springfield Hotel Leixlip
Glenroyal Hotel Maynooth
Station House Kilmessan

yep, all fine places & to add to that off top of my head for reasonable venues....
riverside donabate
city north
pillo ashbourne
darver castle p in ardee (think they start at 60, fantastic spot, take a look if you can)
navan has 2 or 3
citywest
bracken court
red cow
green isle
louis fitz
finnstown
westgrove clane
and on and on...
....
....

Gmol · 20-10-2014 1:09pm

Wooden Bridge Arklow
Amber Springs Gorey
Ashdown Gorey

All the above should be under that, I think one of them was doing a package for 5K for 100 people there recently

wexie · 20-10-2014 1:12pm

Sparks43 wrote: »

Have a look at the Woodenbridge in arklow

Got married there last week and it was a brilliant day

Food service drink and hotel were amazing

The view is not bad either

Its also very cheap and only want minnimum numbers of 60

All the guests that attended are still raving about it so it comes highly reccommended

Best of luck

Also helps that the bar opening hours tend to be somewhat holistic there.

Sparks43 · 20-10-2014 1:16pm

We had 60 at the woodenbridge and it worked out less then 3k

That included our stay for 3 nights
Parents room
Cerimony room
4 course meal with choice of main
Half bottle wine for meal

Sparkling toast
Drinks reception on arrival
Evening food

And more that I can't remember right now

mrsbyrne · 20-10-2014 1:17pm

I think part of it is that most Irish couples having the "full monty" expect to be paying in excess of €15000 for their wedding so the vendors charge accordingly.
B&G have either saved or borrowed between €15000 and €20000 and hotel/florist/photographer/baker/band/DJ/car hire are pretty determined to part them from that cash.
But then the B&G also have a genuine expectation that each person invited to their wedding will be making them a gift of at least €75, more likely to be €100 for a single guest and at least €150 for a couple or family.
So, its an Irish thing.
Its still perfectly acceptable in the UK to have a wedding and serve your guests buffet followed by a DJ in the local sports hall. But then that B&G consider an envelope with a card and £30 inside generous so its all relative really.

An Bhanríon · 20-10-2014 1:27pm

People go mental when it comes to weddings. They spend money they don't have / parents chip in / the couple hope they will get cash gifts to make up the cost of the wedding. Such is the way of the world and that is why these places / services are so expensive.

I would love to have my wedding in one of those lovely country house places. But I didn't even go view one of them because I knew I could not afford them. We are having ours in a hotel, €55 per head for the usual arrivals reception, five-course meal, afters food, a bit of wine. The food will not be amazing but it will be okay. The location will not be amazing but it will be okay. What I know will be amazing, though, is the party. Everyone is so looking forward to my wedding and so excited I know it will be a great day. We have also found a lovely country church to have our wedding mass in.

Our budget is €15,000 and we will manage to keep within this. This includes a short (and very simple!) honeymoon. We will not be having a lot of the 'normal' stuff people have at weddings, e.g. special car, bridesmaids, pew ends in the church, extra decorations at the hotel, cake, photographer. But we know it will be brilliant as we are having 130 of our nearest and dearest all in the one place at the one time.

Back to your original question....!!!!.... have a look at Leixlip Manor, Step House, Thomas Prior Hall, Angler's Rest (a bit more expensive), Tulfarris, Kippure Estate (may not be your thing but interesting venue and have heard good things about it), Station House. These were all within our budget. We visited nearly all of them and have heard good things about those we didn't visit. They all have a bit of character and are not soulless hotels. All seemed professionally run.

You will probably have to compromise a bit from your original plans. But remember, it's the people at the wedding that count. That's what will make your day! (Sorry I'm getting all over excited here because my own wedding is only 6 weeks away!!!)

Best of luck with the wedding planning. It will all come together. And most importantly, enjoy!

munchkin_utd · 20-10-2014 1:56pm

clint_silver wrote: »

Can you clarify this please, Are you suggesting the cost of drink at any given venue should be less because someone ordered a drink and didn't finish it? (not really a way for any business to operate)

<snip>

nope, I'm simply saying that the money a venue makes on drink is massive. The wastage just means they are making an even tidier profit from drink sales.

But the point in general is that sales of drink are so lucrative in the first place that theres little excuse to ride you on the food cost on top of it.

If there was no culture of drinking loads, and/or drink was cheap, then you'd understand the crazy cost of the food.
But the venues want to make insane cash on the food AND the drink.
Mad stuff.

Anyhow, despite the pair of us being irish and having a wedding in Ireland could be considered an option, we got married abroad.
There was a number of factors, but the cost for a reception in Ireland with fairly mediocre food was definitely one of the main reasons.

Liam McPoyle · 20-10-2014 1:59pm

Myself and herself had manys an argument over venue and prices but we settled on Rathsallagh @ €85 pp for a Friday in July.

There was a lot of haggling done and you can reduce costs by changing some things. For example, we decided that as it's a July wedding it will hopefully be hot so we removed soup from the menu and saved nearly €5 pp.

To some I'm sure €85 pp seems a lot (don't get me wrong, it is) but before the usual suspects chip in with their "people are stupid paying that kind of money blah blah blah" speil, we can

A) Afford it with some belt tightening before the day

We adore the venue (anyone that's been I'm sure will agree)

and

C) We wanted exclusivity ie it will be the wedding and only the wedding there on the day so there are no restrictions on noise or when it has to wrap up.

Ultimately it's about supply and demand and the price of anything is dictated by the number of people willing to pay it.

We are happy with our choice and it works for us which is ultimately the most important thing.

pwurple · 20-10-2014 2:14pm

munchkin_utd wrote: »

If there was no culture of drinking loads, and/or drink was cheap, then you'd understand the crazy cost of the food.
But the venues want to make insane cash on the food AND the drink.
Mad stuff.

Crikey, you're nearly persuading me into going into the wedding business! Sounds like loads of easy money to be had.

Are you doing it yourself?

jimmii · 20-10-2014 2:23pm

We had a micro wedding in August (20 people!) you are right its hard to find somewhere that will hold such a small group! Total venue cost ended up being about €1200 but we did have the ceremony there which was handy to be able to do. As soon as we mentioned we only wanted 20 people places were just like sorry not interested even if I suggested we pay the 60 person minimum they still didn't want it for some reason!

reeta · 20-10-2014 2:26pm

xpletiv wrote: »

I have been engaged for 6 months and have been looking around Ireland for a nice venue. The church we are getting married in only does Saturday ceremonies so we have to have it on a Saturday. What I cant believe is the absolute greed of venues; MOST cost about 100 euro a head, for basic enough package of canapes, 3 course and evening food and wine, but they also have insane minimum numbers of 100 people and sometimes more (140 ive found) meaning a wedding costs MINIMUM 10000 euros. Now, call me cynical, but are we in Ireland not still in recession!? Are people actually paying this crazy amounts?! And most importantly, with the lovely new budget that just came out, new house buyers have to have 20% of their mortgage (thanks older generation!) so I would now assume people are going to spend less on their wedding, yet we cant get past the minimum numbers part, and no where seems to be negotiable for price or numbers. Any tips? Also, to vendors out there that may read this, consider that the generation that is currently getting married is being destroyed by tax and costs as it is and now have to save 20% for houses. I really think the minimum numbers thing is a joke. Especially for the prices you are charging!

Please explain that comment.,..

Sunny Dayz · 20-10-2014 2:26pm

Seriously what places are you looking at that charge €100 per head for a basic wedding package?? Ours was about €35 per head for standard package not including corkage or chair covers which were extra.

Haggle haggle haggle!!!

wexie · 20-10-2014 2:40pm

jimmii wrote: »

We had a micro wedding in August (20 people!) you are right its hard to find somewhere that will hold such a small group! Total venue cost ended up being about €1200 but we did have the ceremony there which was handy to be able to do. As soon as we mentioned we only wanted 20 people places were just like sorry not interested even if I suggested we pay the 60 person minimum they still didn't want it for some reason!

it's because they would rather have a wedding that pays for 60 people, with 60 people in attendance spending for 60 people

marialouise · 20-10-2014 2:43pm

xpletiv wrote: »

I have been engaged for 6 months and have been looking around Ireland for a nice venue.

Also, to vendors out there that may read this, consider that the generation that is currently getting married is being destroyed by tax and costs as it is and now have to save 20% for houses.

1. If you want a nice venue, it comes with a price tag. There are lots of other options other than hotels with minumum numbers, you'll find some great suggestions here. Saturdays in November or January might be cheaper, but it's €220 for the marriage plus a bit for the priest and whatever ye decide to wear to the church, everything else is optional.

2. Also, many vendors (ie not hotels) are sole traders who are also trying to make a living, and I am one of them who is also in the generation being destroyed by tax and I too need 20% of a house for a mortgage, so this works both ways, the prices we are charging are what we need to make our ends meet.
If a certain vendor seems too expensive, shop around, haggle, get extras thrown in, whatever. There are ways to do it cheaply but unfortunately the average cost of a wedding in Ireland is something like €21,000. There's some lovely helpful people on this forum and weddingsonline and Mrs2B who should hopefully be able to give you some great advice!

The staggering price of weddings in this country.

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