Negotiating with venue

king_of_inismac

Quick question: we're booking the venue for our wedding (last date available in the month we want).

We have to pay the deposit this week. When do people negotiate with their venue for extras or incidentals?

For example, corkage at our venue is very expensive. I'd like to negotiate this down (amongst other things).

Once I book, is that my opportunity gone?

stargazer 68

Before you hand over any money OP. When you pay your deposit they will give you a contract with all that you have agreed to so get it nailed down before handing over any cash.

godtabh

king_of_inismac wrote: »

Quick question: we're booking the venue for our wedding (last date available in the month we want).

We have to pay the deposit this week. When do people negotiate with their venue for extras or incidentals?

For example, corkage at our venue is very expensive. I'd like to negotiate this down (amongst other things).

Once I book, is that my opportunity gone?

Negotiate before.

seamus

If your booking deposit is non-refundable, then yes, once you've put that down you massively weaken the scope you have for negotiation.

Not completely of course - you still have some scope because you haven't yet agreed on the menu and the amount of money you're going to spend. So you can threaten to only serve one choice of main course unless they bring the corkage down. But so long as they have your deposit they have a captive audience so they know they can be less flexible.

Milly33

I would think the same get all these details ironed out before paying anything. If you want to negotiate do it now rather than later otherwise youll have no come back...

We just signed our contract for the food and himself was kinda saying sure we can do this and that and I was like no this is it, the time has gone for saying that.. For both the venues and yer sake to make sure everything goes to plan id say work it out beforehand

An Bhanríon

Read through your contract carefully. We agreed a few extras with our wedding coordinator but when she sent us the amended contract some of the items were not included. So we had to get a new copy of the contract with the corrections added.

Slattsy

king_of_inismac wrote: »

Quick question: we're booking the venue for our wedding (last date available in the month we want).

We have to pay the deposit this week. When do people negotiate with their venue for extras or incidentals?

For example, corkage at our venue is very expensive. I'd like to negotiate this down (amongst other things).

Once I book, is that my opportunity gone?

Do it before, as said above.

Chance your arm with everything, even you think you're being cheeky, you'd be surprised how much they relent if you push something.

king_of_inismac

An Bhanríon wrote: »

Read through your contract carefully. We agreed a few extras with our wedding coordinator but when she sent us the amended contract some of the items were not included. So we had to get a new copy of the contract with the corrections added.

Thanks for all the help so far.

Didn't know wed get a contract. What details did it specify?

PhoenixParker

Our contract specified our package level, minimum guests, the freebies that were included, room rate for guests, number of rooms blocked out at that rate etc.

Stuff to negotiate on:

Rooms & facilities

• Is your own room included on the night of the wedding
• What about the night before
• Is it their best room
• How many other rooms are included
• What about room upgrades
• Early check in for your guests
• Late check out for your guests
• What's the rate for wedding guests
• Does that include breakfast
• Are you the only wedding in the venue that day
• If the hotel has a spa can guests get discounts, can the bridal party get a discount, can the couple get a discount
• If the hotel has a gym can a free membership be given to the bride & groom in the lead up to the wedding (this is actually in my package!)

Reception

• Is there an arrivals red carpet
• Are arrival drinks included
• How many arrival drinks are included
• Is there arrivals food
• Can that be included/upgraded (biscuits - sandwiches - hot canapes)
• Is the cake stand included
• Can they provide any decoration for the cake table (arrangement, fairy lights, table cloth etc.)
• Can they provide any decoration for the guest book table
• Can they provide additional decoration for the top table (flowers, skirting, frills, back drops etc.)
• Are chair covers included
• Are table centre pieces included
• Is a microphone/speakers/projector & screen included
• Is a table plan included
• Are printed menus included
• Can we have a menu tasting included. How many people for? How many dishes can we taste?
• Can corkage be reduced
• Is wine included in the meal, can the wine be upgraded
• Can we have that wine at a lower price
• What are the menu options
• Can a choice be included for the main course (without extra supplement)
• Can a choice be included for the other courses (without extra supplement)
• Can you waive the supplement for X (the best main course option/tea & coffee/the scoop of ice cream with desert)
• Can the toast drink be included/reduced rate
• Can the evening food be upgraded
• Can a small side room be provided free of charge for babysitting
• What time does the bar shut, can the bar extension be included for free
• What lighting is available for the band/disco part of the evening?

Most of the answers to the above were somewhere in our final contract.
Also considering how inexperienced you seem to be at negotiating, I'd suggest lining up two visits to other venues. One before you go to book this one and one for afterwards. Go into your negotiation with the mindset that you have options and are prepared to walk away. You're more likely to do well. Though that said, if you're booking the last available date in a particular month for a popular venue, your chances of succeeding are relatively low. They'll have no problem selling that date to someone else, so are in a strong position not to negotiate.

almorris

As the above post mentioned, it's the last date in that month so...They may just say take it or leave it.

Milly33

That is a very handy list of questions there Phoenix!

Even the one with the early check it, very important one to ask or even what is the check in time. I remember going to a wedding and we just though like 1 - 2 was normal checkin so planned to get ready at the hotel. Went done nope checkin was 3 I was like a demon

PhoenixParker

Milly33 wrote: »

That is a very handy list of questions there Phoenix!

Even the one with the early check it, very important one to ask or even what is the check in time. I remember going to a wedding and we just though like 1 - 2 was normal checkin so planned to get ready at the hotel. Went done nope checkin was 3 I was like a demon

This is one of the reasons we're starting at 4pm.

There's a lot of stuff other than corkage where a hotel can charge you a high price if you don't pin it down earlier. Also stuff on that list can change a very cheap package to a very expensive package when you start putting together the day you actually want. It can also make a very expensive package look a hell of a lot more reasonable when you do a like for like comparison.

Hurler85

PhoenixParker wrote: »

Our contract specified our package level, minimum guests, the freebies that were included, room rate for guests, number of rooms blocked out at that rate etc.

Stuff to negotiate on:

Rooms & facilities

• Is your own room included on the night of the wedding
• What about the night before
• Is it their best room
• How many other rooms are included
• What about room upgrades
• Early check in for your guests
• Late check out for your guests
• What's the rate for wedding guests
• Does that include breakfast
• Are you the only wedding in the venue that day

Reception

• Is there an arrivals red carpet
• Are arrival drinks included
• How many arrival drinks are included
• Is there arrivals food
• Can that be included/upgraded (biscuits - sandwiches - hot canapes)
• Is the cake stand included
• Are chair covers included
• Are table centre pieces included
• Is a microphone/speakers/projector & screen included
• Is a table plan included
• Are printed menus included
• Can corkage be reduced
• Is wine included in the meal, can the wine be upgraded
• Can we have that wine at a lower price
• What are the menu options
• Can a choice be included for the main course (without extra supplement)
• Can a choice be included for the other courses (without extra supplement)
• Can you waive the supplement for X (the best main course option/tea & coffee/the scoop of ice cream with desert)
• Can the toast drink be included/reduced rate
• Can the evening food be upgraded
• Can a small side room be provided free of charge for babysitting
• What time does the bar shut, can the bar extension be included for free

Most of the answers to the above were somewhere in our final contract.
Also considering how inexperienced you seem to be at negotiating, I'd suggest lining up two visits to other venues. One before you go to book this one and one for afterwards. Go into your negotiation with the mindset that you have options and are prepared to walk away. You're more likely to do well. Though that said, if you're booking the last available date in a particular month for a popular venue, your chances of succeeding are relatively low. They'll have no problem selling that date to someone else, so are in a strong position not to negotiate.

Anyone have an excel sheet for comparing venues? Would be very handy to have!

Milly33

Are you asking someone for a sheet or did they have a sheet? If tis did they have one yep we done one out, must say it was great.

It came down to three venues in the end and we put in all the basics and then what we were getting from each, and calculated it up.. It was great for keeping track of things like which ones charge extra for having the ceremony in the venue, corkage etc...

Hurler85

Milly33 wrote: »

Are you asking someone for a sheet or did they have a sheet? If tis did they have one yep we done one out, must say it was great.

It came down to three venues in the end and we put in all the basics and then what we were getting from each, and calculated it up.. It was great for keeping track of things like which ones charge extra for having the ceremony in the venue, corkage etc...

I am looking for a template. Its difficult to keep track of everything, especially with different venues including items and others charging for them.

Milly33

I see, I see there is one out there alright in one of the bridal sites ill have a look there. Or just cut and paste into excel that's what we done... Ill be back

PhoenixParker

Just to note, I've added a few more to the list - tastings, spa & gym discounts, & disco lighting.

If anyone has anything else I've left out, please comment.

pooch90

Fairylight backdrop/cake & top table skirting.
So never thought I would want any of the above but they made the world of difference to our reception room and were bloody expensive! Lots of venues have their own ones though so I'd see if I could get that thrown in for free if they have them.
Also see if they have lanterns and other bits and bobs they could throw in too.

PhoenixParker

pooch90 wrote: »

Fairylight backdrop/cake & top table skirting.
So never thought I would want any of the above but they made the world of difference to our reception room and were bloody expensive! Lots of venues have their own ones though so I'd see if I could get that thrown in for free if they have them.
Also see if they have lanterns and other bits and bobs they could throw in too.

That's added.

westernlass

Or we just asked for an overall discount and they gave it to us.

Milly33

sorry I didn't get a chance to look up the spreadsheet I shall later on this evening