hotel pricing for extra reception...

Stepha19

My fiance and I are getting married at a hotel (in the garden) on a Friday night (it is a significant date for us) and then having our dinner reception on the Saturday. We would like to have a champagne and dessert reception (kind of in leui of a rehersal dinner) after the ceremony on the friday night. The problem is the cost of the sparkling wine. It costs $12.99 in liquor stores, but $39 a bottle from the hotel. I thought maybe we could have the champagne reception elsewhere (at a hall or something) but FMIL doesn't like that idea. The hotel doesn't normally stock that brand of sparkling wine (but even at $39 a bottle it is cheaper than any they do stock) so they would bring it in for us. They do not allow outside food or drink, but we are spending a lot of money and they didn't even give discounts on rooms for our guests. I'm not sure how much I can 'barter' with them.. I hate that idea but I also think they are taking advantage a bit. Our wedding coordinater keeps changing which is a bit stressful too...  Any ideas on what we could do to keep costs down?

trix1223

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_hotel-pricing-extra-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:4abc18de-5f40-444c-bc6b-84e4df08ef91Post:697fab87-1d13-42cd-b8bd-0a4cbbe5ff29">hotel pricing for extra reception...</a>:
[QUOTE]My fiance and I are getting married at a hotel (in the garden) on a Friday night (it is a significant date for us) and then having our dinner reception on the Saturday. We would like to have a champagne and dessert reception (kind of in leui of a rehersal dinner) after the ceremony on the friday night. The problem is the cost of the sparkling wine. It costs $12.99 in liquor stores, but $39 a bottle from the hotel. I thought maybe we could have the champagne reception elsewhere (at a hall or something) but FMIL doesn't like that idea. The hotel doesn't normally stock that brand of sparkling wine (but even at $39 a bottle it is cheaper than any they do stock) so they would bring it in for us. They do not allow outside food or drink, but we are spending a lot of money and they didn't even give discounts on rooms for our guests. I'm not sure how much I can 'barter' with them.. I hate that idea but I also think they are taking advantage a bit. Our wedding coordinater keeps changing which is a bit stressful too...  Any ideas on what we could do to keep costs down?
Posted by Stepha19[/QUOTE]

I agree with pp.  I don't really understand why you'd be having a wedding ceremony one night, and a reception the next.  I really thing you should do the whole shebang on Friday night.

As for the venue:  their place, their rules.  I don't really think that you can barter with them.  If you don't care for their policies, find a venue whose policies you can live with.

good luck.

lyndausvi

IME - alcohol is one of those things that most venues do not barter.  I'm sure there might be some venues out there who do, but they are very few and far between.

While it's easy for you to compare the price in a store vs a hotel.  That 100+% markup is hardly straight profit.  What you forget is the hotel has to pay insurance, taxes, payroll (and there are a lot of other people to pay than just the server), glasses to serve the wine, dishwashers and water to wash the glasses, cocktail napkins, linens for the tables, electricity, etc., etc.  

  I'm sorry you feel like they are taking advantage of you, but it seems their prices are pretty clear.  They are under no obligation to barter with you.