Quote from Arthur's (WTH)

edellis · October 2010

ESTIMATED TOTAL COST BASED ON 200 GUESTS

Discounted Menu Price 45.60* x 200 Guests…………………………………….……….9120.00

Staffing…………………………………………………………………………………..….2850.00

Bar Setups………………………………………………………………………..………….975.00

Discounted Alcohol 22.00 x 200 Guests………………………………………………….4400.00

Linen Rentals…………………………………………………..………..…………………1270.00

Delivery and Set up………………………………………………..………………………..200.00

Sub Total 18815.00

This is pretty insane. I'm not happy.

x3Harmony534 · October 2010

Whooooa. $1270 for linens? That's pretty crazy.

Theresa626 · October 2010

I was going to say you could probably get cheaper linens elsewhere. Are you having super fancy upgraded linens or something? I recommend Brass Pin Linens. They are super cheap. Do the staffing costs include gratuity? Also, 975 for bar set up seems kind of hefty as well. Maybe you could ask them to bring that cost down. Your price per person for food and alcohol is actually quite good. They just added on a lot of other costs.

Theresa626 · October 2010

I just saw on the other board that your budget was 15,000 dollars. Is that your budget for the whole wedding?

If so, you might need to rethink the number of guests you invite or what kind of dinner you serve. Estimating fifty percent of your budget will go towards the reception dinner and alcohol costs, that leaves you 37.50$ total per person for a 200 person wedding. That would have to include tax and gratuity and alcohol and any other venue costs so your meal would probably need to be around 15 to 20 per person and you'd need to have maybe just wine and beer bought from a discount store or a signature drink for your alcohol. You could do a just desserts reception and make the reception start later or you could get catering from a cheaper local restaurant like Toojay's for example. You might not be able to do a fancy sit down dinner with a full open bar. If you can cut half of those guests though, you'd probably end up with enough money for a very nice sit down dinner.

Also, before you meet with any other vendors, the very first thing you should tell them is your budget. Tell them what your budget is for that specific vendor, not the whole wedding so they can really work with you and come up with something in your price range.

edellis · October 2010

I'm really new to all of this. My parents are paying for the wedding, and my dad wanted to set the budget around $20,000, but he had no idea what things cost. This is also the first caterer we met with, and luckily there are 3 others to choose from. But I was shocked when I saw this price. Plus, this is buffet style and gratuity NOT included. I just dont want my parents getting ripped off. Plus, we never even tried any of the food yet to determine if we think it's worth it. I just bought a brand new car for that price (lol). We are inviting 200 or so, but that's not to say that everyone is coming. We hope they do, but this price seems totally unreasonable.

Does anyone know if Levans, cuisiner's, or Puff n Stuff is more reasonable?

x3Harmony534 · October 2010

I can tell you Levan's is providing an AMAZING menu, lots of choices - buffet with lots of extras included (colored linens, sodas, bar set up, etc.) for 150 + kids for $6,000 & they had the BEST food of all the caterers we met with. Our original quote was much higher but he prices matched with John Michael's (another one we went to) & even added some extras. I LOVE them, I wish they did takeout orders

lol

edellis · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_quote-arthurs-wth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e861c516-709c-4920-9e7f-432c54e5fc16Post:3b954a21-90cd-4bf5-ae93-071f0cc76cd2">Re: Quote from Arthur's (WTH)</a>:
[QUOTE]I can tell you Levan's is providing an AMAZING menu, lots of choices - buffet with lots of extras included (colored linens, sodas, bar set up, etc.) for 150 + kids for $6,000 & they had the BEST food of all the caterers we met with. Our original quote was much higher but he prices matched with John Michael's (another one we went to) & even added some extras. I LOVE them, I wish they did takeout orders ;) lol
Posted by x3Harmony534[/QUOTE]

Thats good to know. Thanks! I will make sure to check them out soon :)
Was yours a buffet? How many entrees did you have? Also, did you have a cocktail hour and dessert (in addition to cake)?

eso16208 · October 2010

I'm using puff-n-stuff. The menu is in my bio and the cost for 100 guests is right around $5000. There is no alcohol though. They were able to work with me though, on many of the prices. We cut an appetizer, and they cut a dollar or so off of each chair cover. I'm working with Heidi and she's pretty fantastic.

Theresa626 · October 2010

Levan's, Puff n Stuff and Arthur's all come highly recommended on this board. I think you should tell Arthur's and the other caterers your maximum budget and they will try to make it work. If you have 20,000 dollars budget, you want to aim for around 50 dollars total per person for 200 people, 10,000 for the food, etc. at the whole reception. Here's the thing: You might not have all of them say yes but you need to be able to afford it if they do. So, find someone who can work with that budget. When people say no, you can always add nicer linens or better alcohol or whatever but stick to the bare bones when planning.

edellis · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_quote-arthurs-wth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e861c516-709c-4920-9e7f-432c54e5fc16Post:5e2a2ad7-f4e0-4669-862c-772f6d8b459f">Re: Quote from Arthur's (WTH)</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm using puff-n-stuff. The menu is in my bio and the cost for 100 guests is right around $5000. There is no alcohol though. They were able to work with me though, on many of the prices. We cut an appetizer, and they cut a dollar or so off of each chair cover. I'm working with Heidi and she's pretty fantastic.
Posted by eso16208[/QUOTE]

Thanks, I just took a look. That will make a cute brunch! Btw, your ring is beautiful!

chiokevan · October 2010

Arthurs was the first that I met with. They were also the most expensive. I wished they had put some prices on their website so I knew not to even bother. I met with Levan's and didn't have a good experience and ended up going with Puff N Stuff. We have a very small budget and they had a special menu just for couples like us. Our linens are included and we are supplying our own alcohol.

edellis · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_quote-arthurs-wth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e861c516-709c-4920-9e7f-432c54e5fc16Post:41009d84-f14a-421b-b013-bf2f55ad58a6">Re: Quote from Arthur's (WTH)</a>:
[QUOTE]Arthurs was the first that I met with. They were also the most expensive. I wished they had put some prices on their website so I knew not to even bother. I met with Levan's and didn't have a good experience and ended up going with Puff N Stuff. We have a very small budget and they had a special menu just for couples like us. Our linens are included and we are supplying our own alcohol.
Posted by chiokevan[/QUOTE]

Well, that's good to know that they are the most $$$; at least, it cant get any worse (lol). The day we met with Lori, she said she couldn't give us any idea on pricing until she made up the proposal. That should have been a red flag, I guess. Well, I'm going to meet with Puff n Stuff next week, so Im crossing my fingers.

ashbosity · October 2010

Arthur's told me over the phone that their prices start at about $48pp for a buffet only, no hor d'ouevres. So I said, sorry, I'm looking at other menus that are doing buffet with hor d'ouevers for $26pp, linens, full bar setup and staff included. I met with Levan's and they quoted me a nice menu (2 app displays plus I think 4 butler passed hor d'ouvres, 2 entrees, starch, veg, rolls, tea and coffee, basic linens and staff included) for about $30pp. Bar setup was $4pp more for a full bar and $3pp for beer and wine. Like Kevan, my tasting experience with Levan's was also blah. I got some quotes from Puff 'n Stuff too and there's was in about the same range, $30-35pp including bar setup. Their bar setup prices are very high, so I would try and bargain those down if you can. Forgot to say we are getting married at LMEC and can bring our own alcohol. I have heard great things about Arthur's, but if they can't work with your budget, there are other good options. I agree with Theresa, your reception food and drink should be 40-50% of your total budget. We ended up going with River City because their prices were amazing and we felt very at ease and valued by the staff. Good luck!

jamieandben2011 · October 2010

We are using Creations by Chef Aaron out of Stanford and they are great! Chef Aaron use to work for Aurther's. The food is incredible and if I remember correctly we are less than $30 a person.

http://creationsbychefaaron.com/

Good Luck!

Britt1406 · October 2010

Holy moly, that does seem like a lot! What is the "guests" charge for $4400? Seems random. I've heard that Aurther's was expensive, that's why we never contacted them. $1270 for linen rental is also pretty insane. You could BUY linens for that price and resell them to get your money back. (The vendor I bought my tablecloths from on ebay had them on sale the other day, for just over $9 each for 120" round, 12 colors to choose from. I paid just over $11 each for them before they were on sale.)

I'd def shop around with the other caterers. When they ask what your budget is for food, low ball it! If you have $15K to spend on food/alcohol, tell them $10K-$12K. That way they will give you a lower price trying to meet your budget and then you can act like your are compromising at a higher price.

Britt1406 · October 2010

Oh also, some of the catering companies allow you to purchase your own alcohol and then they serve it (so you only pay a bar set up/bartender fee). Puff and Stuff was willing to do that with us, but we went with a different vendor still. That could save some money too.

edellis · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_quote-arthurs-wth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e861c516-709c-4920-9e7f-432c54e5fc16Post:ab726519-ef5c-4c07-b5fd-a97ff59c936d">Re: Quote from Arthur's (WTH)</a>:
[QUOTE]Arthur's told me over the phone that their prices start at about $48pp for a buffet only, no hor d'ouevres. So I said, sorry, I'm looking at other menus that are doing buffet with hor d'ouevers for $26pp, linens, full bar setup and staff included. I met with Levan's and they quoted me a nice menu (2 app displays plus I think 4 butler passed hor d'ouvres, 2 entrees, starch, veg, rolls, tea and coffee, basic linens and staff included) for about $30pp. Bar setup was $4pp more for a full bar and $3pp for beer and wine. Like Kevan, my tasting experience with Levan's was also blah. I got some quotes from Puff 'n Stuff too and there's was in about the same range, $30-35pp including bar setup. Their bar setup prices are very high, so I would try and bargain those down if you can. Forgot to say we are getting married at LMEC and can bring our own alcohol. I have heard great things about Arthur's, but if they can't work with your budget, there are other good options. I agree with Theresa, your reception food and drink should be 40-50% of your total budget. We ended up going with River City because their prices were amazing and we felt very at ease and valued by the staff. Good luck!
Posted by ashbosity[/QUOTE]

What didn't you like about Levans? Was their food just not all that?

edellis · October 2010

Btw, thanks for letting me know about the whole 50-60% of the wedding budget for food and alcohol. This helps a lot.

Also, I just found out (just didnt realize) that we don't HAVE 2 use holy trinitys list of preferred caterers....they are just recommendation (Phew!).

So I am def looking into the ones you ladies have mentioned - also creative cuisines.

Theresa626 · October 2010

From the knot:

Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay:
Reception: 48%-50%
Ceremony: 2%-3%
Attire: 8%-10%
Flowers: 8%-10%
Entertainment/Music: 8%-10%
Photography/Videography: 10%-12%
Stationery: 2%-3%
Wedding Rings: 2%-3%
Parking/Transportation: 2%-3%
Gifts: 2%-3%
Miscellaneous: 8%To avoid stress, allot about 5% of your budget for a "just-in-case" fund.If you're paying for your honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well.This is a great guide to use when budgeting how much you will spend on each vendor. YOu also want to think about what is important to you. For example, I spent nowhere near 8% of my budget on flowers. I spent more around 3%. But, I spent about 8% of my budget on ceremony music which was way more important to me.

edellis · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_florida-central-florida_quote-arthurs-wth?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:66Discussion:e861c516-709c-4920-9e7f-432c54e5fc16Post:ce293451-aef5-46db-bb98-86b7ffece667">Re: Quote from Arthur's (WTH)</a>:
[QUOTE]From the knot: Here is a basic breakdown of what you can expect to pay: Reception: 48%-50% Ceremony: 2%-3% Attire: 8%-10% Flowers: 8%-10% Entertainment/Music: 8%-10% Photography/Videography: 10%-12% Stationery: 2%-3% Wedding Rings: 2%-3% Parking/Transportation: 2%-3% Gifts: 2%-3% Miscellaneous: 8% To avoid stress, allot about 5% of your budget for a "just-in-case" fund. If you're paying for your honeymoon yourselves, remember to budget for that as well. This is a great guide to use when budgeting how much you will spend on each vendor. YOu also want to think about what is important to you. For example, I spent nowhere near 8% of my budget on flowers. I spent more around 3%. But, I spent about 8% of my budget on ceremony music which was way more important to me.
Posted by Theresa626[/QUOTE]

Thanks, Theresa! This is a great breakdown and will definitely help.

liz1379 · October 2010

Puff N Stuff you can supply your own liquor, drop it off at their shop the day before, and they bring it with them the day of. Then you will only get charged around $5 per person for bar set up and mixers. Also most liquor store let you return unopened bottles. Also they include basic linen with their packages and have many options to choose from in that catergory. They are who i'm using. Good luck!

ashbosity · October 2010

edellis, you've got a private message from me.

AdriO · January 2011

arthur's is very expensive! i wanted to book casa feliz which was around our budget as far as venues go but them having exclusive catering with Arthur's was a deal breaker. Thanks so much for listing such great suggestions guys me and the hubby are trying to spend between $25-30 on guests and going the brunch route for a sunday wedding. I only hope i'll find a outdoor ceremony/ indoor reception venue that will let me bring in some of these cheaper (and probably better!) vendors you guys were talking about

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