How much should a wedding reception cost?

MrMan2010

Hi,

Am looking at booking a wedding this year in Galway and have been told that I should be bargaining the hotels down big time with the recession etc... Easier said than done though. Looking at the Carlton Shearwater in Ballinasloe and for the normal menu package (with chair covers etc. included), they're not budging beyond €50 per person

Is €50 p.p. way too expensive for a wedding reception? What ballpark figures have others got?

Thanks

Cadiz

Mr my sister is getting married in April. She was getting quoted €70 a head in most places (hotels in the West). This apparently, has been a typical going rate in recent years :eek:

She haggled them down, I'm not sure to what (I'll ask her) but anyone I know who's had a wedding the last year has said the price being quoted is open to bargaining down.

hunnymonster

it's a how long is a piece of string type question. I have heard a lot of bargaining going on in irish venues for this year, mostly throwing in extra stuff rather than bringing the price down e.g. getting teas and coffee's on arrival thrown into the package.

We're paying a lot for our reception. It's going to work out at €120-€130 per person but the hotel is including cocktails after the ceremony (which is in the hotel), the meal and all he booze and the evening food. It's not in Ireland though. The hotel also provide the cake and the flowers and stuff like that. We don't have a choice of main but it's 6 courses with a fish main and a meat main so people can just leave one if they don't like.

spurscormac

Sounds like you're in the East of the county - have you tried Loughrea or Athlone as alternatives?

You may be able to get a better price than that, but as has been said, they sometimes leave the price as is & throw in the extras, chair covers, drinks reception, etc etc.

Also depends if you're getting a choice of main or not.

We're looking at Galway city hotels, and its gonna be in or around that mark - some have priced it all in, some lower the per head price, but charge the extras on top.
No decision or final price yet, will let you know how we get on when we make our minds up.

It might also depend on the year - I suspect they'll negotiate more on this year, in the hope that things pick up for 2011.

MrMan2010

Thanks guys - Was also looking at Loughrea - I see the MeadowCourt got a few good reviews in other forums here. I've heard rumours that the new Lough Rea hotel is on dodgy financial ground, but not sure how true that is.Will be interesting to see what you decide, spurs. Did you look at hotels in Loughrea/Ballinasloe at all, or did you just stick to the city?

You did well to get them to include booze, hunnymonster. I can imagine that some could take serious advantage of that!

antiskeptic

MrMan2010 wrote: »

Hi,

Am looking at booking a wedding this year in Galway and have been told that I should be bargaining the hotels down big time with the recession etc... Easier said than done though. Looking at the Carlton Shearwater in Ballinasloe and for the normal menu package (with chair covers etc. included), they're not budging beyond €50 per person

Is €50 p.p. way too expensive for a wedding reception? What ballpark figures have others got?

Thanks

I'm somewhat confused. We held our reception in a (Dublin) Michelin starred restaurant and paid a base price of 65 quid per head incl. half bottle wine per person. There was a cocktail/tea/coffee reception beforehand, we'd exclusive use of the restaurant for the whole time and had we wanted it, could have had a DJ/band in afterwards in a separate area from the dining room. There were 100 or so guests.

What do non-Dublin hotels offer in their basic package that adds to what we were getting - that justifies 70+ quid a head when the meal+service (surely a central element) can't be expected to compete on quality?

oxegen85

antiskeptic wrote: »

I'm somewhat confused. We held our reception in a (Dublin) Michelin starred restaurant and paid a base price of 65 quid per head incl. half bottle wine per person. There was a cocktail/tea/coffee reception beforehand, we'd exclusive use of the restaurant for the whole time and had we wanted it, could have had a DJ/band in afterwards in a separate area from the dining room. There were 100 or so guests.

What do non-Dublin hotels offer in their basic package that adds to what we were getting - that justifies 70+ quid a head when the meal+service (surely a central element) can't be expected to compete on quality?

well some people want champagne recpetion... afters food.. a few rounds of free drinks.. and the meal can vary dramatically depending on what you want..
Basically it is up to whoever is planning it to make it as cheap or expensive as they see fit

antiskeptic

oxegen85 wrote: »

well some people want champagne recpetion... afters food.. a few rounds of free drinks.. and the meal can vary dramatically depending on what you want..
Basically it is up to whoever is planning it to make it as cheap or expensive as they see fit

Granted. Which is why I was suggested a comparison with the basic package offered by a top grade city centre restaurant: a meal, wine with the meal, a drinks reception .. and a premises for the day (including space for a shindig if desired).

How on earth does a 3 star hotel 'down the country' justify charging the same kind of money for the same basic elements?

oxegen85

i dont know tbh but the cost range from like €30 per head to anything really.. You have to make sure you are getting quality for your money i guess

spurscormac

antiskeptic wrote: »

Granted. Which is why I was suggested a comparison with the basic package offered by a top grade city centre restaurant: a meal, wine with the meal, a drinks reception .. and a premises for the day (including space for a shindig if desired).

How on earth does a 3 star hotel 'down the country' justify charging the same kind of money for the same basic elements?

I love the basic assumption that its a 3-star hotel "down the country".:rolleyes:
Its actually quite a new 4-star hotel. I've eaten there a few times and the bar food has been pretty damn good - though haven't been to a function, so don't know what its like.

They also have a new gym and swimming pool - and some of the hotels down this end of the country have been known to throw in up to 6 months gym membership to get in shape for your big day - so there can be a lot more to a "country" hotels offering than meets the eye.

surfjunkie

hi, in exact same position as you. have looked at lough rea hotel and priced some of the athlone hotels but just prefer shearwater even though its dearer. have you done any kind of bargaining with them? their package does include a lot e.g. membership of gym of year for bride and groom, but i dont live near enough for that to be an option so hope i can work out something else.
i noticed that lough rea hotel is cheaper for the food but charge the guests twice as much for rooms. meadowcourt is competitive pricewise but im not to crazy about the place.
hudson bay in athlone are advertising some type of of all inclusive package for 60e a head including car and wedding cake.

BC

It depends on whats included. Some hotels include everything in the price, some include nothing (even basics like a cake stand that you would assume is provided!!). Some things that you may or may not want that you check for in the package:

- Red carpet on arrival
- Drinks on arrival (tea & coffee, sparkling wine? Sandwiches/canapes?)
- Table plan
- name cards on tables
- Cake stand
- Menu (30 euro might get you a menu but is it a good one)
- Cost for having options on courses
- Drinks included (wine, 1 glass per person? half bottle per person)
- Toast drink (sparkling wine, drink of choice?)
- Rooms included (bride & groom only or rooms for parents also?)
- Chair covers
- Evening food

MrMan2010

surfjunkie wrote: »

hi, in exact same position as you. have looked at lough rea hotel and priced some of the athlone hotels but just prefer shearwater even though its dearer. have you done any kind of bargaining with them? their package does include a lot e.g. membership of gym of year for bride and groom, but i dont live near enough for that to be an option so hope i can work out something else.
i noticed that lough rea hotel is cheaper for the food but charge the guests twice as much for rooms. meadowcourt is competitive pricewise but im not to crazy about the place.
hudson bay in athlone are advertising some type of of all inclusive package for 60e a head including car and wedding cake.

Have tried bargaining, but they're very tough to get anything out of them. Don't want the complimentary membership either, but I was told as soon as it was mentioned "Now this has no monetary value and can't be transferred ..." I thought that both LoughRea and Carlton worked out at the same price for rooms - about €59pps, but that LoughRea priced it per room, wheras Carlton priced it per person.

Reports from both suggest that the food is very good. Booking the Loughrea instead of the Carlton would save us about €2k, which is very hard to argue with even though Carlton looks nicer...

gimmick

Ive heard alot of hotels are willing to do weddings at a loss this year - and recoup the loss at the bar.

For example, the Imperial Hotel in Cork City, are asking €4999, for 70 people. Wine included. In that price the band is included and the honeymoon suite is there for the married couple and their other 2 signature suites there for the parents of the couple.

Joe Duffy was saying lots of places aroundthe country are offering such at the moment.

andylennon11

Love the carlton shearwater ballinasloe! I'm having small wedding of 50 people, has anyone been to small wedding there and how was it?

Cerulean Chicken

andylennon11 wrote: »

Love the carlton shearwater ballinasloe! I'm having small wedding of 50 people, has anyone been to small wedding there and how was it?

Whereabouts is your wedding being held in there, not the large reception room obviously, is it the smaller one in front of that, the Marina Lounge I *think*?

andylennon11

She showed us 2 rooms. One huge one which is main wedding room but she had it sectioned in half and it was so pretty with fairy light backdrop. The other room she showed us had a bar in it and was not sound proofed. I'm not sure of the names of the rooms

Cerulean Chicken

andylennon11 wrote: »

She showed us 2 rooms. One huge one which is main wedding room but she had it sectioned in half and it was so pretty with fairy light backdrop. The other room she showed us had a bar in it and was not sound proofed. I'm not sure of the names of the rooms

Yeah the big one would need to be sectioned off alright for 50 people, considering I was at a wedding in that room that held 400 people, 50 would be quite little even in half of it.

TAPA2012

Lots of room to bargain! I got alot thrown in with my package and I booked a 4*hotel in the west. I haggled on everything even got reduced room rate over the weekend of the wedding incase guests want to come before or stay afterwards. Got a huge discount (20% off) on a predinner with family too! I did alot of research of other competiting hotels in the area and remember to always ask very nice questions... give them your ideal budget and ask what they could do for you! If they are rude, leave and move on! I found some were getting business on the hotel looks alone and were desperate to deal with! You will know when you have found your perfect venue but dont rush the decision!

krissovo

Dont negotiate too much cost away or they might cut too many corners, I went to a wedding in October to a nice venue but it was clear corners were cut and the bride since regrets over haggling on the cost.

Examples: Staff clearing tables before the food was eaten so the hotel didnt have to pay overtime, very plain decor, heart burn inducing wine, wine bottles topped up from those nasty foil bladder containers, increased bar prices (25% higher than a wedding I went to in September in same venue), the "free" rounds of drinks came from non main labels i.e. O'Conner Cream was the baileys and Wodka instead of vodka.

You get the idea;)

TAPA2012

krissovo wrote: »

heart burn inducing wine

Yep I agree you cant cut corners on some things like wine! The wines on offer with packages are usually very cheap awful wines! I would advise picking your own wines and look up off licences online or go in to them for a chat about various wines and what would go with your meal.

I was at a wedding in August and the same again! huge inflated prices at the function bar compared to the normal bar. The guests were all leaving to sit in the bar or were coming back and forth from the bar! Definitely something to raise with your venue wedding co-ordinator! I dont know how hotels think they can get away with it....lol everyone talks!

paulbok

It's been 2 years since we looked at hotels for our wedding (in summer 2012) and prices ranged from €30 per head to €120 per head depending on the hotel and the package/ menu, time of year and the day of the week. This was in the Roscommon area.
The €30 per head hotel wasn't very appealing mostly because the decor was outdated, but if we had a smaller budget to work with, we would have considered it.
In the end it came down to a choice between the Landmark in Carrick & The Hodson Bay near Athlone and they had similiar packages for €60 which included;(went for the Hodson so this is based on them)

• drinks reception & canapes on arrival, & red carpet
• choice for all 3 courses in the Hodson. (some mains had a surcharge but didn't choose them)
• 1/2 bottle of wine per person + top up for toasts. (no shortage of it in truth:))
• choice of evening food
• free rooms for us, parents & a number of reduced rooms for nominated guests. also got use of gym before hand, and heavily discounted use of spa the day after.
• flowers for the church (got that changed for a backdrop)
• I think the cake may have also been included, but that was changed for something as we already had a provider.
• Got an alternative to the house white (red was nice, the white not so much)
• get a free night there on 1st anniversary.
• cake stand, chair covers, table plans, table decor included, bar extension included. There were other little touches like this included which I can't remember, (use of safe in reception for cards etc, able to make little suggestions after the food tastings to the chef, like extra dressing on a starter) which could have been charged for but were included.

most of those should be standard in hotels these days.
Overall we were very happy with them as they were open to discuss any changes to the package and hardly anything (small) incurred a charge.


We got the same impression from the Landmark when speaking with them as well, and we could have got a similiar package for mid-week in Kilronan Castle,I think it would have been €75-80 for a weekend date there.


If we reduced the menu choices and a few other bits, we could have probably got that down to around €50 a head. I'd also say if we were booking now, we'd get an even better deal.

I'd agree that most hotels are prepared to negotiate, and I'd shy away from those that aren't prepared.


When you do get as far as making changes, confirm by email with the hotel immediately just so every one has it in black and white. Details can be forgotten inbetween booking and the wedding (by ourselves ) and a email record of whats being provided makes it easier for everone. When we did start one, we documented every change, the date and agreed by who.

lazygal

I think 50euro a head is the minimum you should expect to pay. I've also been to weddings where its really obvious the couple drove a hard bargain and its showed in the food, service and overall impression of the day.

I think people are kidding themselves if they think a hotel will be pulling out all the stops if they are only getting 40euro a head for a meal, drink and other food. I've had manky sparkling wine and red wine, really skimpy portions and very slow top ups at a few weddings. I know every bride and groom are on a budget, but you have to wonder sometimes when they have over 200 guests, a large bridal party, vintage cars hired and frills for themselves like pricey wedding dresses why they think so little of their guests that they cut the reception experience to the bone.

Chocoholic84

MrMan2010 wrote: »

Reports from both suggest that the food is very good. Booking the Loughrea instead of the Carlton would save us about €2k, which is very hard to argue with even though Carlton looks nicer...

We had ours in Lough Rea Hotel and the manager at the time (booked in Feb 2011) was brilliant, he was really flexible and we got a hell of a better price than €50 and got alot for it! Management has changed since so not sure how flexible they'd be...
Lough Rea Hotel is lovely, my only gripe is that they didn't have grounds to take nice pics but on the day it was bucketin so glad we didn't let that stop us!

The food was AMAZING - in particular everyone who had the monkfish raved about it. I had fillet of beef and it was also fab - really tender! Service was very quick also...and the residents bar stayed open til around 5:30am...

Didn't actually go view the Shearwater as the price on the brochure was enough to put me off....although it does look like a lovely hotel also!

Chocoholic84

lazygal wrote: »

I think 50euro a head is the minimum you should expect to pay. I've also been to weddings where its really obvious the couple drove a hard bargain and its showed in the food, service and overall impression of the day.

Disagree entirely! Ours was (excuse the trumpet blowing) was fantastic in the line of food and service (as mentioned above) and plenty of people are still talking about it! (according to parents, friends, etc)

You most certainly don't have to spend a huge amount of money per head to make sure guests enjoy the day!

lazygal

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

Disagree entirely! Ours was (excuse the trumpet blowing) was fantastic in the line of food and service (as mentioned above) and plenty of people are still talking about it! (according to parents, friends, etc)

You most certainly don't have to spend a huge amount of money per head to make sure guests enjoy the day!

I'm not saying you need to spend loads, just that I've been to weddings in places like Trim Castle where the couple had boasted of getting a 40 quid a head 'great' deal and the food, drink and service left a lot to be desired. It was obvious the price the couple paid was reflected in the attitude of the hotel towards how much attention the couple's guests should get on the day.

I read glowing reviews of hotel venues on some other forums and I wonder if the bride and grooms experience was somewhat skewed by their top table food and service. There's a large cohort of 'hotel wedding' venues that are pretty much interchangeable when it comes to catering for the typical Irish wedding. I've attended many a wedding the couple has gushed about afterwards and sometimes I wonder if I was at the wedding, eating the same meal, because their view certainly wouldn't match mine.

Cerulean Chicken

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

We had ours in Lough Rea Hotel and the manager at the time (booked in Feb 2011) was brilliant, he was really flexible and we got a hell of a better price than €50 and got alot for it! Management has changed since so not sure how flexible they'd be...
Lough Rea Hotel is lovely, my only gripe is that they didn't have grounds to take nice pics but on the day it was bucketin so glad we didn't let that stop us!

To be fair, Lough Rea hotel is in a sh*te of a location and must be clawing for wedding business, of course they'd do a good deal, the only other hotel I have seen doing €35-45 a head for weddings is closed in winter months and trying to undo years of a bad reputation. I've been there and find it quite poor in terms of service, appearance, etc.

Chocoholic84 wrote: »

Disagree entirely! Ours was (excuse the trumpet blowing) was fantastic in the line of food and service (as mentioned above) and plenty of people are still talking about it! (according to parents, friends, etc)

Family and friends will always say your wedding was amazing so that's not a good judge!

Lazygal I completely agree, plenty of top tables have a totally different experience to those a few feet away.

Senna

Very Very hard to do, but if you're a guest at a wedding and the food, service etc is rubbish, (and I mean rubbish, not just mediocre) say it to either the bestman/bridesmaid/parents etc. I hate to think of couples paying €0000's out the next day and not realising how rubbish the wedding was.
I know its an impossible situation.

Shyboy

MrMan2010 wrote: »

Thanks guys - Was also looking at Loughrea - I see the MeadowCourt got a few good reviews in other forums here. I've heard rumours that the new Lough Rea hotel is on dodgy financial ground, but not sure how true that is.Will be interesting to see what you decide, spurs. Did you look at hotels in Loughrea/Ballinasloe at all, or did you just stick to the city?

You did well to get them to include booze, hunnymonster. I can imagine that some could take serious advantage of that!

I got married in the Meadow Court Hotel 12 years ago (God, doesn't time fly!!:eek:) and have lost count of all of the weddings I have attended there. I have never, ever heard one bad report about it. They have always been a close knit family run hotel and it shows.

As far as I know they are kept very busy through reputation alone.

andylennon11

Has anyone got married in carlton shearwater ballinasloe and what was it like?

Cerulean Chicken

andylennon11 wrote: »

Has anyone got married in carlton shearwater ballinasloe and what was it like?

I've been to 3 weddings there as a guest, very nice, very well run in terms of service, timings, etc. Food is pretty good (sometimes amazing, sometimes not so great), the room is lovely but very big. Would definitely recommend it from a guest point of view.

andylennon11

Thanks, dat sounds good. I'm either goin to have it in the big room and partition it down or else hav it in the smaller marina lounge room, have you been to wedding in the marina room atall?im thinking turkey and ham or salmon as ill be gettin married at Xmas! It's a small intimate wedding of 50 people.

Cerulean Chicken

andylennon11 wrote: »

Thanks, dat sounds good. I'm either goin to have it in the big room and partition it down or else hav it in the smaller marina lounge room, have you been to wedding in the marina room atall?im thinking turkey and ham or salmon as ill be gettin married at Xmas! It's a small intimate wedding of 50 people.

Never been to one in the Marina Lounge no, only been to massive weddings there! I personally wouldn't go with turkey and ham near Christmas because people get so sick of eating it at Christmas parties/Christmas weddings/at home.

goat2

as a matter of interest, what price are photographers, for the big day, and would it be a good idea to get someone who is coming to the end of their training as a photographer, on a good deal, and it would be advertising for that person also,
just wondering

lazygal

I would NOT skimp on photos. We have talented family members who took great shots on the day but there is no comparison between those photos and the professional ones. The colour, clarity, composition, its all worlds apart from the ones we got from the photographer. The photos will be there long after the food, wine and band are finished. I don't think you have to spend a fortune but you should do a lot of homework and find a reputable photographer within budget. Price is not always an indicator of quality either - I've seen some very old fashioned work from expensive photographers.

We found a style we liked, reportage, mainly candid, unposed shots, someone who could do a few formal ones for the mammies, would do a full day, not disappear after a fake cake cutting posed shot, and would give full digital rights for all retouched and colour corrected pictures. It took a fair bit of legwork but we shopped around and found someone who wasn't a rank amateur but had a few weddings and satisfied clients under their belt and could show us a range of work. The price for her has since doubled, and I'm not surprised!

If you're on a very tight budget, go for a quality photographer and a disk only option. You can always get an album designed at a later date and source archive grade prints (the standard ones won't cut it for nice pictures for the walls) when you've the money in place.

goat2

goat2 wrote: »

as a matter of interest, what price are photographers, for the big day, and would it be a good idea to get someone who is coming to the end of their training as a photographer, on a good deal, and it would be advertising for that person also,
just wondering

I wouldn't be spending too much on photos. How often so people look at them? You only need a couple of decent ones for display.

lazygal

Deleted User wrote: »

I wouldn't be spending too much on photos. How often so people look at them? You only need a couple of decent ones for display.

We look at them every day on our walls. My parents still regret not having a proper wedding album 35 years later. We also love our wedding album. We didn't spend over the odd though, and good photos were important to us. Its only once the day is over you appreciate them TBH.

pwurple

Deleted User wrote: »

I wouldn't be spending too much on photos. How often so people look at them? You only need a couple of decent ones for display.

People look at them fairly often. My nieces and nephews often ask for ours, and will chuckle away at the photos of themselves when they were tiny. I look at the photos of my grandparents wedding, and other family weddings as far back as I can go in history. They are really useful historical documents if nothing else.

My mothers wedding album and negatives were eaten while they were on honeymoon by the family dog! She still complains bitterly about not having any decent photos of her wedding day.

Photos are very important. I would say one of the most important aspects of the day. You will still be looking at them in 50 years time hopefully.