Venue Changing Rental Price Based on Headcount??

KimberlyC122

We fell in love with a venue, so naturally we asked them to send us a contract. Our wedding is a year and a half out and this is a family owned venue. During our walk through I said that we anticipating about 100 guests.

When I first reached out she said the rental fee is $6900, when we got the contract, it read $6800 (I wasn't going to say anything) but the contract specified that we would have a max of 100 guests (the max capacity for the venue is 200). When I asked if I could increase our estimated count as a buffer she said that would bump my rent price to 7000.

This particular venue does not include tables or chairs or anything that should apply to our final headcount. Is this normal for venues to charge based on number of guests? 

MesmrEwe

Please when posting to multiple boards include a "XP" in front...  IMO $6800 for a venue that doesn't include tables/chairs/food of some level is highway robbery, so I'd be seeking out a different venue. 

thisismynickname2

As you wanted 100 and the capacity is 200, do they have the ability to have multiple events at once? That's the only reason I could see the rental price increasing. Where we had our event, it was one large room that could be divided into 4 small rooms. So we used 3/4 rooms and had x cost as a minimum spend. Had we had a smaller guest list, using 2/4 rooms, smaller minimum. 4/4 rooms, more spending expectation. 

princessleia22

Some venues require that a certain number of their staff be present when you go over a certain number of guests.  My venue had a small additional charge for them to have another employee there for each 50 guests in attendance. This would include someone to handle any issues that came up as well as any additional clean up or whatnot.

6fsn

For a couple hundred dollars I can easily see that being an extra person/tp/wear and tear on the place. 

kvruns

Ours had a different fee depending on size (not counting the per person table/chairs etc). You got a discount if it was 80 or under because then you are only using 1 of the 2 tent areas. In theory it is silly because the tents are basically permanent so it isn't like they take one down if you don't use it and guests could walk to that area but they don't set up tables or fans there. 

KimberlyC122

This particular venue only does one wedding a weekend. There wouldn't be anyone else on the property other than the people attending my wedding. 

VarunaTT

Did you happen to ask why there was a price change?