1K for Parking

minsu5

My FI and I have just gone over our budget and we are debating whether we should pay our guests' parking at our venue.

We're getting married at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. The hotel has a garage conveniently located beside the it with a link to their convention/ballroom space. Parking passes in the garage are $26 per vehicle ($40 valet). Street parking and other parking garages are available near the venue, but those drivers would need to walk a block or two and likely pay a meter.

I would love to pay for everybody, but for about 40 cars (80 guests), we'll pay about $1,000 in parking passes. That money could go towards another wedding expense (like, say, the cake or videographer). Then again, we are asking people to come to a venue in the Inner Harbor and I don't want guests (especially my more frugal friends) checking their watches to see when they need to feed the meter.

What do you think? Is it our job as the grooms to pay for our guests parking?

CreoleBride30

Great question!  I think it is appropriate for the hosts to pay for guests parking IMO (especially at that price). However, I'm wondering if you have other options rather than using that particular parking garage? Is it possible for you to provide transportation for your guests with a chartered bus, trolley, limos, etc? Your guests can park at a designated location in which a wedding bus, trolley, limo, etc can bring your guests to and from the wedding location for instance.  Or, can you rent a parking lot close by for the day in which it may be a little cheaper? 

Also, consider negotiating a special rate or discount for the parking passes or at least to where your guests only pay $5-10 for parking if you pre-pay for a portion of their parking passes.

If you and your fiance choose to not pay for parking, let your guests know about any free parking available on the street and cost of parking passes so they are aware.  I would put that on your wedding website or as an informational card in your wedding invitation.  

Are most of your guests already aware that parking in that area is not free?  If so, they may already suspect that they will need to pay for parking. 

Cha

RanyattaCasey

Also can you cut from other places to pay for parking. I am in the Baltimore area and i just got married in May. I saved a tremendous amount of money on my cake and cupcakes and my videograpger. Of you want their info let me know. They may help you save some money to contribute more to your parking.

thedivav

they can take the light rail or look for street parking i would not pay... 

nerp.... 

island07b2b

Every last one of her suggestions make sense.  I would definitely expect that you would be able to negotiate pricing for parking with the Marriott since you are having your wedding there.  I would most certainly ask.  Also I like the idea of providing transportation from an alternate parking site if need be.   

Personally as a guest and being familiar with the Inner Harbor I would be prepared to pay for parking myself.   I would definitely include the parking information/arrangement on your wedding website and in the travel details of your invitations so folks have the heads up.

CreoleBride30 said:

Great question!  I think it is appropriate for the hosts to pay for guests parking IMO (especially at that price). However, I'm wondering if you have other options rather than using that particular parking garage? Is it possible for you to provide transportation for your guests with a chartered bus, trolley, limos, etc? Your guests can park at a designated location in which a wedding bus, trolley, limo, etc can bring your guests to and from the wedding location for instance.  Or, can you rent a parking lot close by for the day in which it may be a little cheaper? 

Also, consider negotiating a special rate or discount for the parking passes or at least to where your guests only pay $5-10 for parking if you pre-pay for a portion of their parking passes.

If you and your fiance choose to not pay for parking, let your guests know about any free parking available on the street and cost of parking passes so they are aware.  I would put that on your wedding website or as an informational card in your wedding invitation.  

Are most of your guests already aware that parking in that area is not free?  If so, they may already suspect that they will need to pay for parking. 

Cha

LeciaB

Great question!  I think it is appropriate for the hosts to pay for guests parking IMO (especially at that price). However, I'm wondering if you have other options rather than using that particular parking garage? Is it possible for you to provide transportation for your guests with a chartered bus, trolley, limos, etc? Your guests can park at a designated location in which a wedding bus, trolley, limo, etc can bring your guests to and from the wedding location for instance.  Or, can you rent a parking lot close by for the day in which it may be a little cheaper? 

Also, consider negotiating a special rate or discount for the parking passes or at least to where your guests only pay $5-10 for parking if you pre-pay for a portion of their parking passes.

If you and your fiance choose to not pay for parking, let your guests know about any free parking available on the street and cost of parking passes so they are aware.  I would put that on your wedding website or as an informational card in your wedding invitation.  

Are most of your guests already aware that parking in that area is not free?  If so, they may already suspect that they will need to pay for parking. 

Cha

 

 

 

This^^^ also like the other ladies siad.. I am suprised that the hotel is not giving you all a break on the parking because you all are having your event at that location. Also do you think that the bus/trolly shuttle idea would be more cost efficient than to pay for an extra $1000 for parking.

[Deleted User]

island07b2b said:

Every last one of her suggestions make sense.  I would definitely expect that you would be able to negotiate pricing for parking with the Marriott since you are having your wedding there.  I would most certainly ask.  Also I like the idea of providing transportation from an alternate parking site if need be.   

Personally as a guest and being familiar with the Inner Harbor I would be prepared to pay for parking myself.   I would definitely include the parking information/arrangement on your wedding website and in the travel details of your invitations so folks have the heads up.

CreoleBride30 said:

Great question!  I think it is appropriate for the hosts to pay for guests parking IMO (especially at that price). However, I'm wondering if you have other options rather than using that particular parking garage? Is it possible for you to provide transportation for your guests with a chartered bus, trolley, limos, etc? Your guests can park at a designated location in which a wedding bus, trolley, limo, etc can bring your guests to and from the wedding location for instance.  Or, can you rent a parking lot close by for the day in which it may be a little cheaper? 

Also, consider negotiating a special rate or discount for the parking passes or at least to where your guests only pay $5-10 for parking if you pre-pay for a portion of their parking passes.

If you and your fiance choose to not pay for parking, let your guests know about any free parking available on the street and cost of parking passes so they are aware.  I would put that on your wedding website or as an informational card in your wedding invitation.  

Are most of your guests already aware that parking in that area is not free?  If so, they may already suspect that they will need to pay for parking. 

Cha

This.  I'm not familiar with the Inner Harbor and I'd still expect to pay for parking.  I wrote this whole long thing, finna brevitze (hursh it is so a word).   For ya'll to cover parking is over a thousand, for your guests to cover it is $26 per car OR $13 per person.  By the way Dougie, dude and I are available that weekend, so I'll PM you the address for the invitation - thanks for asking. lol.  Say all that to say I agree with cha, 'lette and vee, in that yes, it's a lovely gesture, if it's in the budget.  If not though it would be my first casualty.  Additionally it could get kind of dicey if you cover up to a cap so that some guests paid and some didn't.  The take away (for me) is this:  we're being supplied with appetizers, dinner, dancing, booze and cake and for our part what we need to do is pay thirteen.american.dollars.per.person?  baby?  we haven't come further than this as a people?  if you hear me complain to you about this at the reception, go out and get you a replacement friend, imme'jutly. Normally I'm the chick who says it's rude to make your guests pay for anything, this an exception as far as I'm concerned because it is not your choice and essentially it's not part of the cost of your actual wedding. To quote the man from the nationwide insurance commercial talking to Lucy:  not everything can cost 5c. 


gmerning hershey kisses

M1ssJ

I think as the host you should pay for parking. Although its small from our perspective, I do think its not right for guests to pay to attend your wedding more than necessary. I would arrange for parking maybe at one of the cheaper garages and have passes available for guests at the ceremony. We were faced with a meter situation for the ceremony and we had someone hand out 75 cents to a dollar worth of quarters in little organza baggies. While I understand it could go to other stuff, maybe cutting the bar or something could take the place. of the cost

minsu5

Thanks for the advice and perspectives. I was doing more research of other garages in the area and I discovered there's a garage across the street from the Marriott (near the Landmark movie theaters on Exeter) that charges $14 per vehicle. This is almost half of what it cost at the Marriott. Also, Both this cheaper garage and the Marriott garage are operated by the same company, PMI Parking. Later on, I'm going to try to negotiate a lower rate or see if I can get passes at the cheaper garage. $560 is a lot less than the $1K I would have to spend at the Marriott.

minsu5

RanyattaCasey said:

Also can you cut from other places to pay for parking. I am in the Baltimore area and i just got married in May. I saved a tremendous amount of money on my cake and cupcakes and my videograpger. Of you want their info let me know. They may help you save some money to contribute more to your parking.

@RanyattaCasey, please let me know who did your videography. I have been thinking about it because I've heard from other couples that they regretted not capturing their wedding on video. I would like to do it, but only if we could afford it. I would love to hear your experience.