Wedding venue vs. renting a large oceanfront property?

bettyloobrown

Is anyone familiar with renting a house for a wedding (south shore/Cape, etc.)? I have quotes to rent multiple properties for @/<$3k for 2 nights. Even if I use a party rental company and have it catered - it still seems way less than using a venue (where all of our quotes thus far have been ~$15k+). Plus we'd get to pick our own vendors and have a place for us and our bridal party to stay the night. It's a lot more work to setup/clean up- but I think it sounds fun. Has anyone done this? Are there a million hidden costs? I'm also open to suggestions. Thanks!

Iamnowmrsjms

Hi! I've never heard of this, but I think it sounds like a great idea! As long as the people you're renting from are OK with it.  Look at Rentals Unlimited for your chairs/table/ linens.  I believe they have a location on the Cape.  They will charge you a set up/break down fee so you don't have to feel overwhelmed w taking care of the clean up. As a newly married couple, the last thing you want to do after your wedding is clean up!

penelope4612

I did not do thorough research because I think it ultimately ended up being too complicated.  When you got the quotes, did you tell the people renting the house that you intended to have a wedding there?  Are you planning a large wedding or a small wedding?  I think if you have over a certain number of people on the property, you may have to rent additional bathrooms and, depending upon the town, you might not be able to make noise after a certain hour, you may have to pay for security or a policeman, etc.  So you're going to want to go with a property where the owners know the laws regarding having an event on their property and make sure you figure out what all the extra costs are going to add up to be. 

frenchiekin

Ditto what PP's have said... I would definitely make sure the owners are aware of your plans and your tentative guest count - and check out the local laws for noise ordinance, alcohol policies, etc.

Also, are you having a large number of guests, and planning to rent a tent?  Or having the ceremony and reception indoors?  I was originally thinking of having our wedding in my parents' back yard, but once I got a quote for how much the tent would be for ~175 people (including labor, dance floor installation, lighting/electricity, tenting for caterers, Man on Premises charge, plus all the other rentals like chairs, tables, etc.), I quickly dropped that idea!  If you have it in your budget though and either LOVE planning/logistics or are able to hire a coordinator to help with all of the details - GO FOR IT!  I would do it in a heartbeat if we could!  Good luck!

Edited because grammar is hard.

500days

Definitely make sure that you have the permits required for a large party. I looked into this option- but the costs added up when I had to get a tent, dance floor, chairs, tables, silverware and plates....$$$

And another think to take note of is your bathroom situation. You'll need to rent one of the trailers or port-a-potty. 

redheadedjen

I am also on the SS (Quincy) and originally I wanted an outdoor bbq or something simple for my small wedding but finding a place to have it, has been hard. We live in an apartment and have no yard and it is the same with most everywhere. I want to have roughly 60 people and something simple but I am begining to think it will be better to have it somewhere else. 

jenandcris

When H and I first got engaged, we were considering a rental on the Cape (we vacation in Chatham every spring) for a spring wedding. There are a number of rentals on VRBO (and sites like it) where you can put your desired budget, length of stay, etc. It would also list whether or not the owners allow weddings on their property, any restrictions (if any), etc. Moreover, depending on what time of the year you'd like to hold your wedding, you'll be hard pressed to find a rental that will allow you use of their property for only 2-3 days. Most require a minimum of a week's stay.

everlastinglaughter

That sounds so nice assuming everything goes as planned. I would look into town ordinances to make sure the party is able to go on until an hour you are comfortable with. If a house doesn't do this all the time what is to say that a crabby neighbor won't spoil the party with a call in to the cops? For a classy event like a wedding, do 75 people pee after 3+ drinks? 

jk2b016

bettyloobrown we have been considering the same thing or trying to find a venue on the water in MA/NH and everything seems so expensive. So far our costs are running out of control trying to maintain a $20,000 budget.