Venue Vent

chantico23

I am so mad right now!  We had our tasting at the venue last Friday, and LOVED the food!  What we requested was not on the menu as a meal, but were bits and pieces of their packaged meals.  We also tasted their house wines, which are included in the open bar package that we selected.  The wines were HORRIBLE!  I love, love wine, and I couldn't take more than 2 sips. 

Today she got back with me for pricing for everything.  It is going to cost us an extra $16 per person for the food than we had budgeted, and an additional $13 per person for the wine that we want.  The wine is only a dollar more per bottle (retail) than their crappy stuff, and they want to charge $13 per person to serve it!  Not to mention, I want to bring in Starbucks coffee (I'm a DM for Starbucks...couldn't serve anything else) and they want to charge me $75 to just brew it!

This venue was already a stretch on our budget.  I fell in love with it knowing that.  Our initial budget was $12K.  When we booked this place we increased it to $15.  Then to $22.  Now it looks ilke it is going to be over $26K!  I can't do that!  I e-mailed the coordinator letting her know how ridiculous this all was.  But it looks like I might have to cancel my contract with them and start from scratch at a more flexible place. 

Devastated.

chantico23

I am so mad right now!  We had our tasting at the venue last Friday, and LOVED the food!  What we requested was not on the menu as a meal, but were bits and pieces of their packaged meals.  We also tasted their house wines, which are included in the open bar package that we selected.  The wines were HORRIBLE!  I love, love wine, and I couldn't take more than 2 sips. 

Today she got back with me for pricing for everything.  It is going to cost us an extra $16 per person for the food than we had budgeted, and an additional $13 per person for the wine that we want.  The wine is only a dollar more per bottle (retail) than their crappy stuff, and they want to charge $13 per person to serve it!  Not to mention, I want to bring in Starbucks coffee (I'm a DM for Starbucks...couldn't serve anything else) and they want to charge me $75 to just brew it!

This venue was already a stretch on our budget.  I fell in love with it knowing that.  Our initial budget was $12K.  When we booked this place we increased it to $15.  Then to $22.  Now it looks ilke it is going to be over $26K!  I can't do that!  I e-mailed the coordinator letting her know how ridiculous this all was.  But it looks like I might have to cancel my contract with them and start from scratch at a more flexible place. 

Devastated.

bridgetlb

that really sucks! will you lose any money if you cancel?

chantico23

More than likely.  In the contract it says I'd lose what I've given them, which is $4K. 

bridgetlb

did they change their prices since you booked?

chantico23

Their prices are the same.  However, what we are wanting for food is a combination of several things that are on their menu.  What they will charge to do that is far above what you'd expect.  They are attempting to charge us $16 more per person for about half of the food.  I'm willing to compromise on the food too.  I don't *have* to have that menu.  I just think it's outrageous that they are trying to get away the price they quoted me.

And when I booked I didn't know what their house wine was, and obviously hadn't tried it.  I would have been fine with a house wine if it was drinkable.  It is not.  I requested a similarly priced (cheap) wine that I know is drinkable, and they want to charge $13 a person extra.  That's upsets me even more than the food.  I can settle for a menu that they offer that is within my budget.  I cannot settle for a wine that people cannot enjoy.

Elleeaver

I cant believe the stories I am reading here about venues and all their stupid rules and charges. Then there are the churches with their high and might snootyness and rules with 15 mins for pictures after ceremony. Vote with your dollars I say, vote with your dollars!

chantico23

Cheers to that, Elle!

Terriniski

If food and wine are important to you, I say it's worth it not to compromise.  That is one thing DH and I definitely don't regret - we splurged on food and we are still so glad that we did.  Admittedly, we lucked out with wine and we were able to buy our own and just pay for a bartender to serve it.  Not to ask the obvious question, but have you checked with them about whether they'll let you do that?  Maybe then they'll only charge you like $5 per person to serve the wine instead of $13.

Jeff and Deepthi

I'm sorry you have to deal with this. Maybe you can really just talk and negotiate with them. We did that and got prices down. Just us the fact  you know a lot of people getting married in the area and if they work with you, you would refer them to these people. If you can be a sales person yourself. If you can't go somewhere else and I hope it works out well!

bbybluz77

This is just my .02, and feel free to disregard it, but for $26k+, I think you should be getting a prime time, Saturday evening wedding.

MarieSD

For the sake of the $4k, I hope you can negotiate with them. If it was me, I'd just go with the basic menu and the house wine. And if I was a close friend or family member of yours, I wouldn't want you to more than double your budget on my account.

I know everybody says that people remember the food at the wedding, but honestly, I'm a picky eater. I know going to any wedding that whatever they're serving probably isn't what I'd choose if I was at a restaurant. I don't go in expecting the best food of my life - I'm just hoping they do feed me.

I'd feel horribly guilty drinking wine that cost a friend $12 extra dollars a glass or whatever. If the house wine is really undrinkable, see if they'll substitute something else for it in your open bar package - perhaps not another wine, but additional beer, another signature drink, whatever. If it's a little cheaper for them, they might go for it.

Hope it works out for you!

chantico23

Okay, we are making some progress.  Looks like we are going to have to "settle" with the food.  They are not adjusting their price on the meal that we want, so we will do an Italian buffet instead (more food, and within our budget). 

For the coffee, they came back and said that they would brew it for $12 a gallon.  That's pretty reasonable, considering I am getting the coffee beans for free.

The wine is the only thing that remains and issue. We'll probably end up buying 2 cases of wine (at $28 a bottle) and having them reduce the open bar price.  Thing is, they only want to reduce the first hour by $2/pp, and not at all on additional hours.  Working on negotiating that one.

Whew...it looks like we are going to be able to keep our venue.  I'm over the moment of panic.  Thanks for letting me vent.