Wedding venues

lilolilly

Hi all,
completely new to this (website and wedding planning!) so I would like some advice on planning. At the moment we are at the hotel stage and I would like to know approx what price to look for ie what would expensive be? I am completely clueless never been in close contact with anyone planning a wedding before.
All help appreciated

Toots

Well it really depends on where you're having it and how many people you're inviting. Expensive is relative really, what one person would consider a rip off, others might consider a bargain. Roughly what would your budget be if you don't mind me asking?

We're having about 130 to ours, and when we looked at hotels, the prices (when you add up all the extras: tea, coffee etc on arrival, wine with dinner, a round for the toast, and finger food for the afters, bar extension etc) varied a good bit. The cheapest place we got a quote from was offering us that for €40 per head. Unforutnately when we went to see the place it was an absolute kip and was much further out from Dublin than we were lead to believe.

The priciest place was about €180 per head, and they literally charged for everything. Most hotels will do the tea/coffee/biscuits reception complimentary. This place was looking for €5 per head for tea/coffee, and €7 if we wanted biscuits included :rolleyes:. Some places will waive the bar extension fee, which is usually around €500. Also, a lot of places we looked at provided finger food for say 100 people for the afters, so if you're having say 150 people, you wouldn't need to get any extra (apparently the guide to finger food, if you're doing it, is enough for 70% of the guests, because obviously people should still be full enough from the meal so you shouldn't need that much).

Drinks wise, they recommend 1/2 bottle of wine for each person drinking, so you have two options you can either buy your own wine and pay corkage to the hotel, or you can use their wine. When we looked into it, the hotel we went with was very reasonable with the wine, so we just bought from them. You can negotiate on corkage with a lot of hotels. However, some hotels will not let you bring in your own wine, and you have to use their wine.

It also depends on what time of year you're having it, and some (most) hotels will charge more if you're having it on a Friday or Saturday.

The best advice I can give you is budget for the worst case scenario. We're inviting about 130 (probably less), but we've budgeted for 130 people turning up. Realistically, we'll probably have between 100-110, cos a few of the people we're inviting probably won't go, but it's better to have a nice surprise of paying less than you thought you'd have to, rather than blanching when you see the bill at the end. Worst case scenario, our reception is going to cost €7200. Our total wedding budget is €15k, but again, we're expecting to come in under that. We've got about €2k contingency in there for unexpected expenses.

Another thing, don't be afraid to haggle. At the moment, a lot of hotels are running good offers because in the current climate they're doing all they can to get custom. Good luck with your planning!

MariMel

lilolilly.....you dont say where you are based in the country.....if westmeath is within your catchment area have a look at the website for the hotel I am getting married in in a few months...

saw on their website that they are doing mideweek weddings for 29.95 a head!!!!.....the menu is the same as the one we had, infact everything is more or less the same except for the midweek offer 2 glasses of wine per person is included (and here is me paying for corkage)

the hotel is beautiful, the staff are very helpful and if its a civil ceremony you are going for then they can accomodate for that too...up to 80 guests....reception room holds many more though.

www.annebrook.ie and look under special offers, its on the bottom of that page.

good luck and enjoy this time x

sineadCharl

I'm getting married next year and haven't even started to look! It's quite scary reading all of this. SO much to organise.
Here's to get loads of bargains!

Dublin13

you should try going onto http://www.weddingsonline.ie/discussion/

You will get any wedding info on this site that you need. I'm on it every day. Its helped loads.

nige1982

Im getting married in sept in castleknock hotel, for dublin prices its very good aprox 70 with the wine and all, dont be afraid to ask for any free extras like free bar extension

sineadCharl

I was in the wineport lodge last weekend for a few nights. ABsolutely gorgeous but way too expensive. It's alot to ask people to stay there as well.

But it's so gorgeous! Think I need to elope!