Specific budget caterers, restaurants, reception venues?

randerson123

Specific budget caterers, restaurants, reception venues?

Hey! I've been lurking on this board while planning my wedding, it has been a tremendous help! 

Like almost everyone, we are trying to keep costs low. One place I am struggling is the food/reception cost. We have an estimated guest list of 90 and the lowest quote (Riverwalk golf course) is around $7k for appetizers, food, and drinks. 

Those of you having weddings under $15k - what reception restaurants/hotels/country clubs are you using? Or if you are renting out a venue, which specific caterers are you using? I understand you may not want to reveal exact price quotes, but if all you budget brides could start naming off your purveyors of food and drink, it would help a TON!

THANKS!!

Chels&Jimmy

We have a guest list of 110 people with an estimated 80 people attending and a budget of about $13K. Our reception is at the Marine Room at Marina Village - $1,100 for a Friday night. We are having Phil's BBQ cater at an approximate cost of $3,400 which includes appetizers, food cooked on site, cake cutting, napkins, plates, utensils, a water/coffee/tea/lemonade/soda station, bartender and bar supplies, set up and clean up, etc. We are supplying our own alcohol - just wine and beer. Catering is our biggest expense and photography a close second. It can be challenging planning a wedding on a small, strict budget but it is totally doable. Best wishes with planning!  

[Deleted User]

Okay, So I think I am unfortunately becoming a wedding venue pro.  I have looked at close to 20 venues, I know crazy, and we still haven't picked!  So here's my rundown on what I've seen so far, and my opinions:

Green Gables: This is a private estate, the first venue we looked at, its sweet and charming, but super expensive, off season(feb) minimum on a Friday was 12k, in season months, minimums are like 20k

Mission Beach Woman's Club: Cute location, I wish we could book this venue, but for our guest count it would be a tight squeeze, we are about 125-150.  It can accommodate 120.  Includes tables and chairs, there's a patio that over looks the bay, room rental on a Saturday 1,200 and you bring your own caterer and alcohol.

Mission Valley Resort: Really reasonable pricing, though I was not a fan of the two guys who worked there.  In my opinion they were rude, and the place is a little blah, nothing special.

Handlery Hotel: The pricing is defiantly affordable, and I think the minimums are 6 or 7K.  I didn't like it because the ceremony site fee was about $1,400.  Although they gave us a mini bottle of champagne and truffles for going on a tour.

Carmel Mountain Ranch Country Club: Our quote for 125 guest was about 14K, so too expensive for us. Beautiful though!

Coronado Community Center: I actually went to a wedding here this past weekend, after we decided this wasn't the venue for us.  Room rental is about 2500, you must pick a caterer from their list and you can bring your own alcohol. Beautiful views of the bay, down fall.... They book out 18 months in advance for summer months. so off day or non summer here.

Cosmopolitain Hotel in Old Town:  They have a patio area, we are still considering this as an option, including beer and wine, food, for 100 guest our quote is just under 10K.

Grand Pacific Palisades: This is a cute place, their food is catered through next door Karl Strauss, minimums(depending on the date) very between 3,500-5,500.

Karl Strauss Gardens: They have a pond, and you rent out the whole restaurant. There minimums are 7K-8K

Tom Ham's lighthouse / Bali Hai:  Appear to be owned by the same company, so pricing is identical. Friday minimums are 8K, Saturday 10K,  Beautiful, both are located on the bay with gorgeous views of downtown!

PQ Hilton Golf Course: Cute gold course, but its owned by Hilton, so service charges are on the high end, 22%, The ballroom is huge and minimums no matter when are 6,500

Bernardo Heights Country Club: So we just left here a couple hours ago, I love love love this place!  For us, this just may be it! It is a private country club, views of the mountains, beautiful golf course, and beer, wine, and cocktails included in pricing, starts at $75/pp! The gal is super nice too!

So this isn't all the places that we looked at, but all the ones that came to mind or would be worth a look, or not a look if its out of your budget.  My last place to consider would be Old Poway Park.  I love old Poway park, we are Poway residents, so its a cute place to go any day!  There is a sweet gazebo to rent for a ceremony and an old barn style, old rustic, type of building for your ceremony.  My step brother just got married here a month ago, and they did BBQ food and had alcohol. I think the room holds like 75-85 people.

I hope I helped answer your original question!  Let me know if you need any more suggestions!  I have reached out to close to 80 venues at this point!

[Deleted User]

Oh one more thing!  My Fiance's co-worker owns a catering company, they are pretty busy and seem to be pretty affordable.  if we end up going with a place we can cater we will use them.  His name is Tom, if you contact him, tell him Jenny, Adam's fiance refereed you, not sure if it will help, but never hurts to mention someone to try to get something extra!.  Here's a link to his website and his menus are online, though they can customize anything.

http://evergreencuisine.com/weddingmenus.html

randerson123

Chels&Jimmy,  - - This is so helpful. Omg, what a good idea to have Phil's BBQ cater, and that's amazingly cheap for $3,400.

Jco619 - Wow, this is a fantastic and comprehensive breakdown of wedding vendors! THANK YOU! 

I've reached out to a few of these as well. We really like the Cosmopolitan, it's our top choice so far. It's gorgeous, we're just struggling with where we would have the ceremony and transporting guests to the restaurant. 

Bernardo Heights Country Club looks AWESOME, I just googled pics and I love the high ceilings on the reception area. Plentiful parking, on site ceremony option, good prices, hotels nearby, that simplifies things! 

That reminds me, Carlton Oaks golf course might also be worth checking out. I haven't gotten info yet but it definitely  has scenic ceremony options.

alyssalang

We are having our wedding at the Mission Beach Women's Club, and because ours is on a Sunday, its only $1,000. Such a steal. We are also having a taco cart cater our wedding, and get this-its a whopping $500 for 100 people. (Overall budget is $10k.)

The great thing about the MBWC that we love is that the coordinator gave us a list a taco places that have worked there before, so this type of thing obviously works well there and many weddings have had it. Highly recommend this place if you have 100 guests or less. They say they can go up to 120, but I think that would be a really tight squeeze.