Parking

1mobags · August 2012

so the city our wedding is planned in has recently instituted a new meter parking that was previously free.....And right across the street from our venue And they are 30 min meters!!!!! Who ever heard of a thing???????

The next parking available is a garage two blocks away. The parking is free after 8 pm but our event starts at 5:30......... So people will end up paying five bucks in parking costs. I feel terrible and dont think I can prepay the garage.

Clearly I will include this information with the invitations with maps....... Am I getting to stressednout over what is in reality a small cost. I just feel bad about people having to pay to come to our wedding.

Someone calm me down please.....

1mobags · August 2012

I know, right? That was my first instinct..... But as this is a new system, they don't have anything in place.... Sigh....maybe they will by the time the invitations go out in Jan.

LeiselEB · August 2012

See if you can prepay. Also, double check that you do have to pay at meters on weekend. In some places you only have to pay during the week, or the hours are different on weekends.

1mobags · August 2012

Thus far I can't prepay and there is meter parking on Saturday until 8pm..... Would a $5 GC to supplement the parking cost be rude placed by the exit?

JoanE2012 · August 2012

I agree w/ PPs....see if you can prepay.

On a related note, even if the meters used to be free, would there have even been enough open spots for all your guests or is it always a packed area? If given the choice between circling the blocks for 15 minutes to park for free or paying $5 to park in a garage, I'd opt for the garage.

TheVirginians · August 2012

At a church in the city, I would expect a free private lot. At a private venue in the city, such as your reception, I always expect that I will be paying for parking, and I expect your guests would consider this normal as well. If you can figure a way to prepay, then that is great, but do not stress on this.

lauraanne9 · August 2012

OP, first, sorry that no one is noticing that you keep saying you are not able to prepay and that there is no system in place to prepay. Sometimes posts cross in the writing so I am sure the posters telling you to prepay are not intentionally trying to make life difficult.

I say put something on the website about the $5 fee so people know. I would also say that you are attempting to work with the city and arrange to pay for the parking for your guests, that as of yet there is no way to do so as the city has not set anything in place, and update as you contact them to make efforts.

Does the venue have any suggestions?

The other option, and this is a little out there, is to offer someone who will "valet" the cars, that way the guests exit their vehicles at the venue, give them to the valet, and you pay the valet. But, if there is no valet at the venue, NO idea how you would go about that one....

TheSlowskys · August 2012

I have the same problem. There is free on street parking but very little of it. There is a city garage next to our reception venue which is such a blessing because city parking in Boston can easily be 30 a night. I've called several times to see if I can prepay or do vouchers or something and they refuse. Fortunately it maxes out at 6 so I just had to get over it and I put the info on our website. I would love to pay for the parking but short of having a groomsman hand out cash to guests, I have to just let it go. Some people may just walk over from the hotel if they are staying overnight. Just put the cost on your website and dont lose sleep over it, you've done what you can and it isn't a significant cost.

TheSlowskys · August 2012

In Response to Re:Parking:[QUOTE]Thus far I can't prepay and there is meter parking on Saturday until 8pm..... Would a 5 GC to supplement the parking cost be rude placed by the exit? Posted by 1mobags[/QUOTE]

You're overthinking this!

loca4pook · August 2012

I think people don't necessarily realize the culture of the "big city". I didn't tihnk twice about having to park when I attend downtown chgo weddings, you just expect it actually..

I wouldn't stress about it. If people are used to parking in your area, they probably won't even think twice...If most of your guests are from a small town and suddenly attending a large city, you might give them heads up...but my guess is people usually know these type of things.

musicalcanadianbride · August 2012

If I go to an event (even a wedding) in the city, I figure that I will have to pay for parking. I also would never expect that the hosts pay for the parking for everyone... that, to me, is overkill. Pleasant overkill, but still overkill. I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

Nancy00714 · August 2012

I wouldn't find a problem for paying for parking. If you want to, include this info on your wedding webiste. If this $5 feel really is a HUGE problem then people can deduct 5 bucks from their original wedding gift budget, lol.

My guests had to cross a bridge and spend about $12 for the toll (back and forth) should I have paid their tolls?

I'm sure you are well worth the $5 parking and your nearest and dearest won't mind paying.

Ali092011 · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_parking-4?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:4aec0072-f4ca-4f98-bfdd-99fafbb8bd00Post:f627778c-179b-41f0-8bdd-900916970665">Re: Parking</a>:
[QUOTE]If I go to an event (even a wedding) in the city, I figure that I will have to pay for parking. I also would never expect that the hosts pay for the parking for everyone... that, to me, is overkill. Pleasant overkill, but still overkill. I honestly wouldn't worry about it.
Posted by musicalcanadianbride[/QUOTE]

I agree with this. I would not go to a city wedding without bringing cash for parking. I don't think the bride and groom's responsibility for everyone's comfort extends to parking.

You might consider putting a line somewhere on your wedding website saying, "Parking meters are available in 30 minute increments only. There is a parking garage available on X Street." Or something to that effect.

vbjoanna · August 2012

We've got the same issue, although we knew it when we picked our venues. I'm cheap and hate to pay to park, so on the wedding website I gave information about where parking is available, what the charges are likely to be and when the charges start, and how they might be able to avoid pay parking. I'm not in a big city, and the garages we'll be in only charge when there's an event.

1mobags · August 2012

I'm just going to put a little card with the invites detailing parking into and just call it a day. So much stress over such a small thing,

VillageBride85 · August 2012

DO NOT PUT THE PARKING COST ON THE INVITATION!(even if there is a fee)

I got an invitation in the mail and it said at the bottom "Parking is $10" - it made me soooooooo angry!!

They would have been better off just not telling me- no one should go anywhere without cash these days, and if they are dumb and do, then that is their problem.

You should pay for your guests parking, but, if you can't, don't bring attention to your poor etiquette, just don't do anything, people then will just think it was an oversight. I would rather have my guests thinking I overlooked a detail and not that I'm just rude & cheap.

Since, the parking garage is down the street and not part of your venue, I think you can justify not paying for it, anyone else out there, if the parking is part of your venue, you really should pay for it!

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