****RachelC7487****

Re: ****RachelC7487****

• rachelc7487 member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  Absolutely...I'm getting married there in less than two weeks! AHHH!!!
  
  We visited a few other venues before picking them too so feel free....
  
  Ask away!

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• Christinab22 member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  Well first of all...Congrats! Two weeks away...you must be super excited. I can't even fathom being so close.
  
  Okay so let me bug you a bit..
  Did you think it was weird that they charge a room rental fee? I feel like no other venue I looked at did this. I was also wondering if you tried negotiating things at all? Lastly, what did you decide on for food?
  
  Thanks a bunch for being so helpful!
  
  Christina

  

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• rachelc7487 member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  Sorry this is super long...
  
  I really didn't think about the room charge. FI parents live in the community so they gave us a discounted price for that. While they do have a room charge, there is no minimum person or food charge. I do remember one of the places we looked at required a certain number of people, and the other had a minimum food charge of like 6,000 or 7,000.
  
  I am honestly TERRIBLE at negotiating. I think if you tried they would work a little with you. We knocked off a dollar here and there, on the open call bar and the room charge, so it didn't seem like a lot, but every dollar we took off saved us about $100, for 100 guests.
  
  Rather than negotiating, I asked Roseann if I could do my own things like candy buffet and bring in our own dessert trays. It would have cost $600 to have them do a candy buffet, where as I did my own for less than $200. Same thing with dessert trays, FI parents are getting Italian cookies and desserts from a local restaurant, instead of paying for the sundae and chocolate fountain. 
  
  Other freebies made them a definite in my book. Right now she is not charging for black chair covers. She does not like the chairs she has now, and is in the process of ordering new ones, so until she gets them, no charge!
  
  She suggested the idea of having one of the bar tenders have a separate bar set up with a signature cocktail. I decided to run with that idea and now have a martini bar!
  
  She is even creating a lounge area off to the side of  the dance floor using furniture from the other rooms, no charge.
  
  For my centerpieces I am using the effiel tower vases she has, which saved me $6-$12 per table. I am using the low bowls for the cocktail tables as well. My florist would have had to buy these since she did not have this type.
  
  She also is giving us 5 hrs of service instead of just the typical 4hrs I saw in other places. 5-6pm is cocktail hour and 6-10 is the reception.
  
  For food we went with the fillet and chicken marsala, or the herb crusted sea bass. I have eaten there many times so I knew those would not disappoint.
  

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• Christinab22 member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  Wow that is awesome. I'm not a negotiator either, but with how expensive weddings are, I was kinda wondering if it was worth it to try and be one.
  
  I still have a couple of more places to go to-my mom and I are checking out Saddlebrook and A La Carte Event Pavillion on Saturday. We both liked Glen Lakes though and it would be the most convenient for everyone.
  
  Roseann did mention about the chair covers being free for now, but nothing about the signature cocktail table. I really like that idea.
  
  Thanks so much for sharing. I appreciate all of your help. I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures!

  

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