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unsure about a venue..

id012id012 member
First Anniversary First Comment
in Connecticut
My fiance and i are having a very small weddings.. about 20 ppl. We looked at madison beach hotel and it is really truly beautiful. We can get married in the sand, and have dinnee outside which is ultimately what we want. They have a 2500 min. So we would be paying like 150 a plate. Which i guess im ok with. But there meals are like 70 pp so we will have a lot of add on's. The thing that i am unsure of is that they have a new wedding coordinator and they havent been open since 2009. I guess im worried that they don't know what they are doing with weddings. They have a ton of open dates so we can do it this summer no problem. There is also a 500 fee to have the wedding there and then a 500 fee to to have dinner out side.plus 20 service fee and taxes.. it adds up quick and if my math is right thats like 4200 for a wedding for 20 people. I guess im just trying to decide if its worth it. Maybe i could negotiate the price a bit since they really like so many open dates this summer.
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Re: unsure about a venue..

  • tanyamary627tanyamary627
    First Comment First Anniversary

    I would try to negotiate with them to have the 2,500 minimum include the rental fee, taxes, and service fee... Or at least part of them.  I would imagine alcohol would already be included in the minimum so if you planned to serve alcohol, you could probably offer open bar instead of a ton of menu add-ons to help reach the minimum.  Is your wedding on a Saturday?  If you do a Friday instead they may be more likely to negotiate.

    Also, regarding the wedding coordinator - the venue that I am getting married at had some iffy reviews about the coordinator, so I booked a day of coordinator to help w/ the rehearsal, day of, and in scheduling a timeline and whatnot w/ the other vendors.  She will be there to handle any minor issues that arise instead of me stressing myself out or having to rely on the provided wedding coordinator, who likely will also be in charge of other events going on at the venue.  I'm paying under 500 dollars for her so that might be an option for you to look into, to ease your mind.  Good luck!!

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  • RIFallBrideRIFallBride member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    Hmm I'm not familiar with the venue but if it hits everything you want I would negotiate with them.  If they are just getting back up and running they should be more than willing to negoatiate to get a guaranteed event this summer.   I would focus on reducing the minimum to a point that you are comfortable, maybe $1,500 to $2,000. 

    It is a gamble since they are new but often times new businesses will work the hardest for you since they want to impress.  I would just ensure the contract gives you all the comfort you need and that they lower the minimum.  GL!
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  • id012id012 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    In Response to Re:unsure about a venue..:[QUOTE]I would try to negotiate withnbsp;them to have the 2,500 minimum include the rental fee, taxes, and service fee... Or at least part of them.nbsp; I would imagine alcohol would already be included in the minimum so if you planned to serve alcohol, you could probably offer open bar instead of a ton of menu addons to help reach the minimum.nbsp; Is your wedding on a Saturday?nbsp; If you do a Friday instead they may be more likely to negotiate. Also, regarding the wedding coordinator the venue that I am getting married at had some iffy reviews about the coordinator, so I booked a day of coordinator to help w/ the rehearsal, day of, and in scheduling a timeline and whatnot w/ the other vendors.nbsp; She will be there to handle any minor issues that arise instead of me stressing myself out or having to rely on the provided wedding coordinator, who likely will also be in charge of other events going on at the venue.nbsp; I'm paying under 500 dollars for her so that might be an option for you to look into, to ease your mind.nbsp; Good luck!! Posted by tanyamary627[/QUOTE]

    She said that the price is the same across the board.. so whatever day ee decide we will pay the same.
    I guess i need to brush up on some negotiating skills!
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  • MichelleBee773MichelleBee773 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    Who is the new coordinator? I catered at the Madison Beach Hotel during college and worked with Beth McDevitt. She is AMAZING and definitely knows what she is doing. Is that the woman in charge still? Or is their a new coordinator. It is possible Beth moved up to a higher level. 

    Personally, I love that venue. The food will be out of this work, the view is unbeatable, and they can work with your price point. I would go for it, but I am biased because I have loved it there since I was a child.

    Good luck!
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  • id012id012 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    Its not beth.. the girl is new there. I had called a few month ago and they said they didnt have a event person yet. I really want to go for it but we will see. I have to convince myself to spend 5grand on a wedding with 20 people 5 of which are kids.
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  • LizlangevinLizlangevin
    First Comment
    PM me with the coordinators name. I think I may know who it is... :
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
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