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Minnesota-Minneapolis and St. Paul
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Question about Venues

FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
Third Anniversary 100 Comments
in Minnesota-Minneapolis and St. Paul
So, we been talking to a venue about the price of food ect.
 She told me she would send me a quote for what everything would cost and send me a example quote of what i requested.

 I told her our budget is 8k for rental fee, food & drinks only.  Not including decorations or any extra stuff!

 I told her our max  is 9k that we would be willing to spend. With that in mind. She added some and gave a quote that the total was 20K for JUST FOOD AND DRINKS  ( there isnt a rental if you meet the mini) Which the Minium for this Venue for 200 people is 7K.

 Anyone else ever have this happen to them?

 Honestly, I am in SHOCK that she gave me a 20k total.. (It included all taxes and fees but STILL!)
 Anyone else think this is crazy?

 Thanks for help!
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Re: Question about Venues

  • maybe984maybe984 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    It sucks, but honestly, it doesn't surprise me. Minimums mean nothing at a lot of venues. If the food's not cheap that means the only way to trim back is to trim the guest list. There was one venue that on paper, I thought we could afford and then after meeting with one of their staff was told "Yeah, you can't afford this place unless you only invite 30 people."
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  • SuperRNluvsChefSuperRNluvsChef
    2500 Comments
    edited December 2011


    How much alcohol/other drinks did she factor in?  Open bar?  If so then YES 20K is to be expected.  And it depends on how much each entree runs.  At the PEC we're paying about $25ish for the chicken and $40ish for beef (filet mignon).   And then factor in an 18% gratutiy

    Is this quote pretty detailed?  I think you should look it over and ask more questions about what is all included.  

    Remember, it's this person's job to make this venue money, but they also want your business.  GL! 
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks ! i'll have to re look over it... but im pretty sure sshe ut open bar.. but im not really sure what is open ( i know we pay) but cash and hosted bar is....

     I want to  have like 2 kegs and then when its gone then o well.. and then cash bar.

     This is INSANE! it was metropolitan , Golden Valley,MN

     We are looking for 200 people.... I know the plates cant be that much.. But im unsure if i want to go with them if they are going to do that. I told her i had a 8K limit.. or most id go is 9k!

     
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011

     Makes me 2nd guess myself if my 8K budget will work :(

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  • graysquirrelgraysquirrel member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I can believe it. When you go to venues that will do package deals like that, they often cost a lot more than a la carte venues that will let you pick what and whom you like. If you have an 8-9k budget, stick to your guns! We had a venue picked that we really liked that refused to work with our budget and we ended up leaving because of it. If they refuse to itemize or work with you, I'd recommend to keep looking. You can always book with them later if you change your mind, but at least see what other options are out there. We are so happy that we stuck to our budget because we ended up finding something that we liked 100 times better. 
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks.. i willl. just sad when you tell them 8K and they give u a 20 K quote?! im like really? I was VERY clear on my quote also. Im going to contact some others also!
     I dont feel she was being honest with me at all!
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  • graysquirrelgraysquirrel member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_question-venues?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:81Discussion:264f8c83-f94e-4367-8219-ec8d5939c1f3Post:8a2217f7-d76a-49fc-960a-e5b7c18b133a">Re: Question about Venues</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thanks.. i willl. just sad when you tell them 8K and they give u a 20 K quote?! im like really? I was VERY clear on my quote also. Im going to contact some others also!  I dont feel she was being honest with me at all!
    Posted by FutureMrsS13[/QUOTE]

    <div>Yeah, I know how you feel. We had a few that were like that. We told them per plate what we wanted to spend and they kept trying to sell us on $30/pp meals and $20/pp apps. Not in our budget! They wanted to keep adding and adding all the time, too. I had to ask for itemized lists and then question little things that they wanted to include. A lot of times they will charge a huge hourly fee for servers, even if it is a buffet. Make sure to watch out for that. They don't like to tell you about that cost upfront a lot of times. </div>
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Oh my goodness! Thats awful! Id def but turn off by that.. I talked to FI about it and he told me to forget it and not email them back and look for others...
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  • joka0606joka0606 member
    100 Comments Third Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    The minimum at the Metropolitain is 15,000 to begin with...
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    They told me to use the whole ballroom its 10k. Although I would not be using the whole thing and they gave me a 7k quote .
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  • plum10plum10 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Ask for a host bar when shopping around. You buy 2 kegs and a certain # of wine bottles and then ask for cash bar for the rest.  Don't buy the expensive plates - they should have a menu listing price per plate for you.  That budget is on the low end for a nice place in the cities, but I think possible.  Maybe if you go an hour out of the cities or further it will be cheaper.
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  • khornbachkhornbach
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Talk through the itemized plan with the coordinator. If this is the venue you really want they will work with you. We had a minimum at the Saint Paul Hotel (that also does packages) and it worked out well, and we were even a little under. Package deals can be nice and don't feel discouraged. Also considering looking at the venue you like for a Friday or Sudnay. You'll usually get a lower minimum.
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  • SSaltzman87SSaltzman87 member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    It is expensive, but like others said- it's not surprising. I'd aim for one or all of these options: looking further outside the metro area, cutting back guest list, not having an open bar, or going with a venue that lets you use your own vendors (Centennial Lakes Park, Washington County Courthouse etc).

    I know the Metropolitan uses D'Amico's for their catering and they almost always charge an arm and a leg.
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  • TCbride1TCbride1 member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011

    Hi! I was stressing out about the reception venue prices in the cities, too. It's unbelievable how much some of them charge. A lot of those unique venues (Metropolitan, Mill City, etc) use D'Amico catering, which bring costs way up. :(

    For a 200+ guest list, I'd suggest either looking for places that allow you to bring in your own caterer, or look a little further from the cities. I had my heart set on places like Semple Mansion & Mill City, but decided to venture out of the cities & ended up finding unique venues that give you much more for your money.

    Good luck!

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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks ladies!
     Me and FI decided not to email them back. and we had a couple other venues in mind.. so emailed them and they gave us a price quote within our budget!

     We are interested in the Great hall.. which *might* be a option.  Cause you just pay their rental fee (2500) and then get your own cater ect from what i hear... and im planning to look into places that you can bring your own vendors!

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  • jentabersonjentaberson
    100 Comments Second Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Check out The Mermaid, in Moundsview we went to a wedding there in their Coral ballroom, and it was beautiful. FI really liked the food.
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  • LCW2LCOLCW2LCO
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    With an open bar that's to be expected for sure... especially with that many people. We are doing only hosted beer, 200 guests, three meal options $25-$38/plate, appetizers, hosted wine during cocktail hour, champagne for head table and rental of space etc... for $15,000. With open bar it would have been around $20K. With 200 guests it may be tough to get to a $7K figure :/ especially with open bar I don't know that it could be done truthfully. :/
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    My thought is to do 2 kegs hosted and then cash bar  after that! :) plan to do a toast also  but other then that they can buy the hard stuff if they want :)
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  • AETS26AETS26 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I second the Mermaid. We're having this budget trouble too - see my post here:

    200+ wedding for under $20K?? <-- link

    I've looked into sooo many venues (I don't even want to admit how many), and the Mermaid is a great price for what you get. Nice ballrooms, budget food options (i.e. pasta meals). Good policies, like they can put a keg on "reserve" for you and ask you before tapping it. Then you can decide whether you want to spend that extra money depending on how the night is going. The woman we worked with (forgot her name) put together a couple estimates for us that came out to $8,000 - $10,000 for 200+ people.

    Be wary of any place in the cities that seems too good to be true... there are a lot of hidden costs. And don't forget that with that big of a guest list, even sales tax, alcohol tax, and service tax can end up being a couple thousand dollars.

    Good luck! PM me if you want to chat :)
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  • AETS26AETS26 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    ...and now I realize you've already seen that post of mine :) This budgeting can be frustrating, right?!
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  • FutureMrsS13FutureMrsS13 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    AETS26- I SOOOOOOOOOOOOO agree sooo frustrating!   Are you having your wedding at the mermaid?
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