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is $120 pp for a reception still a realistic price?

hipanniehipannie member
First Comment First Anniversary
in Canada-Ontario
i am planning on having 120 people at my wedding and my bedget for the reception is MAXIMUM $18 000. i figured with kids about half price, taxes of 13%, of course, and the 10% of the total-before-taxes gratuity fee that the venue will charge (which i have been told has now become a manadory fee with most vendors) this works to about $120 per person

is this price realistic? i know it was when my sister got married about 8 years ago but i'm out of the loop with current prices. i know it all depends on what the meal is but for your basic meal, is this realistic?

if yes, what venues are offering this price?

i'm finding it a bit hard to plan a $25 000 wedding with 120 guests without going over my budget
thank you!
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Re: is $120 pp for a reception still a realistic price?

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    hendersonsarahhendersonsarah member
    First Comment

    Are you having an open-bar? That also hikes the price up.

    Also, don't hesitate to try and hussle them down. I was scared to do that but my father-in-law was with us and handled it very well. At the end of a day, you are giving them business and all business is a form of advertisement for them (since your guests will rave about how great the venue/food was).
    Good luck!

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    melfactomelfacto
    First Comment
    Mine is About $120 per guest, at Chateau Le Jardin in Woodbridge, with lots of extra's premium bar, chocolate fountain, ice sculpture, with a full menu, antipasto and desert bars. FI is italian so food with his parents was VERY important and I am getting married in peak season... I guess pricies could have gone up in the year since we booked, we also have booked for 300 people, so that could have added to our price..
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    Jewel224Jewel224 member
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary First Comment
    Hipannie - for what you're being quoted - and your cake is being served as dessert - that's high.  See if they can throw in a sweet table with your cake served as that.  As well, like Sarah said, what kind of bar are you having?  If you're having a deluxe bar, maybe bring it down to the standard bar.  Or serve wine and beer and have a signature cocktail served.  It depends on what you're willing to compromise.

    For example, I originally was going to have my wedding in peak season albeit on a Friday night at my current venue and they were charging me $110/person taxes and gratuities in and it included standard bar with signature drink, hors d'oeurves, pasta, BBQ, sliders, fries, poutine, salad, veggies, cured meats, and sweet table.  If I had it on a Saturday night it'd be $120.  But I changed it to a month later and am getting it even cheaper which is saving me about 3K. 

    Hope that helps.
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    amme5832amme5832
    First Comment
    Mine is $45 a person, but we paid a separate fee for the venue ($1300) and are buying our own alcohol. Our caterer also offered us 1/2 price meals for anyone that exceeds the 80 person expectation. Have you considered asking what they can offer you in your price point before getting a fixed cost from them? That's what Idid with our caterer, and we ended up with a comprehensive menu: 6 hor d'ouvres a person Salad Pasta 2nd course Salmon or beef entree Crepes: Dessert Their fee also includes basic linen (tablecloths, napkins), setup, bartenders, and waiters. I contacted one of our venues approved caterers based on a conversation I had with the venue coordinator, and approached it as "this is how much I can spend per person, what can yougive me for that?", and it worked out well, I think. These costs are pre tax, pre gratuity though - and I would expect the fee to bepre ax and pre gratuity, so you may want to go less than your final number so the finalnumber comes close to your intended amount.
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    agnes16agnes16
    First Anniversary First Comment
    $120 seems a bit high to me as you mentioned the menu is basic.  Try asking for a discount if you pay in cash.  We got the hst knocked off. 

    I'm getting married in Sep and at $95 this is what we're getting:
    Open Bar
    welcome shots at receiving line
    Buffet style appetizers hot and cold including seafood
    Soup, salad, 2 pastsas, 2 meats, veggies, potatoes + a platter of grilled meat that will be served family style in the centre of the table
    followed by dessert and midnight buffet

    We are also getting our candelabra cetnerpieces. 

    I found that it also helped that during the consultation, my fiance complained that we cant afford this and cant afford that and the dollars just came off.
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    whatyoudotome24whatyoudotome24 member
    First Comment
    edited March 2012
    To me that seems high.

    Our venue is charging $98 per person for a very full menu -- hor d'ouvres, soup, salad, pasta, two main entrees with potatoes and vegetables, dessert, with a midnight buffet (desserts and things such as seafood and cold cuts and cheese) with an open bar.

    We also negotiated and got half the taxes taken off. 

    Our venue isn't super fancy, but still nice and the food is supposed to be great (FI's parents have been there for weddings before), and the owner is very helpful.

    They also offer to include free centrepieces (obviously can't give them away -- you get a choice between three different ones), table numbers, and a fake cake if needed.

    FI and I aren't taking any of the offers, but it's nice to know they're there.
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    StephieBowStephieBow member
    First Comment
    Depends on where your venue is but if you are in Toronto proper or Vaughn/Mississauga/Thornhill it's probably going to run you about that.  Do your research and ask around.

    I found a private golf club gave us a $15/head lower price than halls for the same menu during high season.  It's worth a look and you don't need to be a member to book at golf clubs!
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    paulandjen2012paulandjen2012
    First Comment
    $120 seems abit high for what it includes...

    We are paying $90 for...

    Anti Pasto
    Salad
    Pasta - Cheese Filled with meat sauce
    Roast beef n Gravy
    Pees n Mushrooms
    Roasted Potatoes
    Roasted Chicken Breasts
    Broccoli
    and desert

    then a late night with pizza, pastries and fruit

    plus open bar from 530 to 1
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    dokchampadokchampa
    First Comment
    Is that $120 pp after taxes/gratuity including alcohol? Seems like a good deal to me for a four course meal, but then my wedding is downtown so my view on prices might be skewed. 
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    RowenaDRowenaD member
    First Comment
    We're paying 120.00 a head but with ours we get a dj, our wedding cake, open bar, discount for guest at a local hotel, we get a hotel room for the night, and our guest get to chose between 3 different meals and the hall will work with any food allergies. 
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