Wedding Tasting - Is it acceptable to chrage?!?!

ecg129

I am getting married at The Ocean Place in NJ and I'm super excited about it because it's beautiful and a great location - unfortunately, I feel like they are trying to nickel and dime me for everything that's going on there. I wanted some advice from you ladies. We are emailing back and fourth about the tasting and they told me at the tasting we will be able to try: 2 appetizers 2 salads and 2 entrees. I feel like the 2 apps and 2 salads is appropriate but was concerned about the 2 entrees. We are allowed to serve 2 entrees at our wedding, so I think at the tasting we should be allowed to try more then just the 2 - so that we can better decide which 2 to have. For example, maybe we would try 4 at the tasting - to pick the 2 to serve our guests. I suggested that to my catering manager and she fired back that she would charge us $70 to "TRY" the four etnrees. Is this a little ridiculous? What's been custom for your tastings? Am I out of line - should we only be trying the two entrees we want? What are everyones thoughts? Thanks! Emily

alliecarrie41

sorry but no i dont think it's unreasonable... they can charge whatever they want.  some places dont even have a tasting.  since my reception was at a restaurant, they invited us to have dinner there and then took the pp$ we'd pay for us on the wedding day off that dinner, which i think was very reasonable and nice.  she brought us 1 plate each with two things on them that we were deciding between -- i had salmon & steak, he had steak & chicken and then they brought out all different dipping sauces to try.  we picked the two we liked best and went with it.

justkris10

Ok so clearly you're booked for this place, right? If so, I do not think you should be charged for a tasting - I think they should let you sample (meaning small portions of each item) all of the entrees so that you can determine which you like best and want I really don't think you are out of line for asking - we had a tasting and they gave us a decent sampling of the CH food, then gave us a chicken, fish and meat entree to taste and all of the sides and then 2 types of desserts, both red and white wine and champagneWe also went for the tasting a couple hours prior to an actual wedding so they were already preparing those dishes (this is why I think our tasting was so "bountiful")We didn't really need to taste every option because we were basically just trying to see if we liked the food overall which we did

kewltif

I wanted to have a tasting before I booked, so they charged me a p/p amount and then took it off my deposit when I booked (so my tasting was free). We got a tray of appetizers, one dinner each (we chose different things) and one dessert.

ecg129

kris - that's what I thought. You don't have to give me a FULL entree- just a tasting! For trying 2 additional entrees they want to charge us $35 each, which seems steep. YES I have already booked this place - meaning they are guaranteed at least 25,000 grand from me. Charging me an additional $70 for this seems tacky!

ddelo23

I don't think you're out of line in asking this.  I had a tough time with a couple things with Ocean Place, which is why I didn't book there.  I really wanted a beach wedding, but they weren't very "nice" to me.  With that said, I heard it is BEAUTIFUL and they do great jobs with their weddings!

justkris10

Ok yeah if your spending $25K - $70 is ridic imo Why don't you ask them if you can come in the morning/afternoon on a day that a wedding is planned and that way they're really not going out of their way to prepare you a meal...explain to them that you just want to 'sample' all the options so you can make a choice what's the big effin deal - its not like your not already booked and are planning on eating their food and never returning...i mean, really

erikag23

i agree that you should be able to sample more than 2 appi's, salads and entree's.  i went to a wedding there a few weeks ago and the appi's weren't very good except for the spring rolls~ they rocked.  also, the filet was delic!  cooked perfectly!  our tasting was a little different since we had our reception was in the banquet room of a restaurant.  we were allowed to order anything off the menu and as much as we wanted.  there was also a wedding going on when we had dinner and they brought us a ton of appi's to try.

Lola Minnie

I wish my venue offered tastings But I do agree with you, Emily, you shouldn't have to pay extra for that.  However, if there is nothing you can do, then try your best to accept it.

I <3 Seabass

When they say you get to try 2 entrees does that mean you get 2 entrees and your FI gets 2 entrees? If so problem solved. If not and it's just 2 entrees for the 2 of you then yes I wouldn't like being charged (but I wouldn't have picked a place that charged for a tasting) for a tasting especially after I already booked, but unfortunately that is just the way some venues work.

ecg129

When we booked they told us the tasting was included. It is just 2 entrees for myself, fiance, and parents - so 2 entrees for the four of us. I think four entrees for the four of us would be more appropriate. It'd be one thing if before we booked they warned us about this - but they keep trying to surprise us with new charges for different things.

justkris10

2 Entrees for 4 people???? Damn they're really serious when they say a 'tasting' because what are you going to get a bite each?

I <3 Seabass

It is just 2 entrees for myself, fiance, and parents - so 2 entrees for the four of us. That's completely ridiculous IMO. I would tell her that you'll pay the $70 for the tasting but that $70 needs to be deducted from your final balance.

justkris10

Agree with Steph - that is the perfect way to approach it

DarylE

I just found out yesterday that my venue doesn't even OFFER a tasting :(I could have sworn when we booked that they did.  I'm a little disappointed.Has anyone been to the Pleasantdale Chateau? Any memory of the food you ate?

FutureMrsF111

I would ask about coming on a day when there is a wedding to try what they are serving that night in addition to the included tasting otherwise your entrees are still limited to the 2 served at the wedding....not even your choices. Either way I think $70 is crazy unless they are deducting it from your total. As for Pleasantdale, my understanding when we looked there was that you could arrange to go during a wedding and they would make a plate for you with some food from the CH, apps, salad and entrees in the rooms all the way off to the side where they have the after party. 

uppereastgirl

Daryl, a fellow knottie went to PC a few months ago for a wedding and wrote up a full review.  I can't find the review, but in another thread she said "I am remembering the wedding at the Pleasantdale Chateau I went to...not all around that great of food, but really really showey."

uppereastgirl

(that could have been just talking about cocktail hour though -- not clear from the thread I was reading)

kewltif

Daryle- I've always heard good things about that place.

I <3 Seabass

There was an old knottie that had her wedding at Pleasantdale. Jess...something?? It's really weird boardreader isn't coming up with anything for pleasantdale.

mrs.spunky1508

It was Jessica0306 that had her wedding there and attybride02/Jill said it (a different wedding at the same venue) was showy.

I <3 Seabass

Thanks spunky! Daryle ~ Here's a link to her PC review. http://jessica0306.blogspot.com/search/label/Wedding

Denise91980

I know there are some venues that do not do a food tasting...but most seem to, especially after you book the place. I think it is reasonable to pay if you did not book it yet...but I feel that they should allow you to taste the food for free so that you know what you like and don't like to choose for your menu. Our venue gave us a private testing for free before we booked it, and they also invited us to a more formal tasting and allowed us to bring 4 others as well for free.

lovbulldgs

We had our tasting and we had our choice of 2 salads, 4 entrees and 2 desserts.  We were not charged for the tasting.  They were all full sized portions and there were 4 of us at the tasting.  2 entrees doesn't seem like it would be enough to make a decision.