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Brides with a reception budget of 5K-7K - WHERE??

kelciegormankelciegorman member
Second Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
in Massachusetts-Boston
Help! My FI and I looking for a small, intimate wedding (50-60 quests max) on a budget of 10-15K. I've read that typical receptions (venue, food, tables, chairs, alcohol, etc) should be about 50% of your overall budget so we're hoping to spend somewhere between 5K-7K for all of that (not including decorations). I've been researching venues for the last two weeks and I have found the places I was really excited about usually ended up being over 8,000 once you factor in cost of dinner etc.

We're hoping to marry either Sept/Oct 2015 anywhere 2 hrs from Boston (Maine, NH, VT, CT, RI are not out of the question). We've already slashed our guest list so making it a destination wedding makes it a little easier to swallow for family members that aren't invited. I'm open to doing a Friday or Sunday night wedding instead of Saturday, but definitely want somewhere romantic and beautiful (not the local town Elks). I love the idea of an outdoor ceremony and possible tent wedding.

Any other brides found luck with receptions in that price range?  Thanks!

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Re: Brides with a reception budget of 5K-7K - WHERE??

  • mander14mander14 member
    10 Comments First Anniversary
    I'm using the salem waterfront hotel in salem ma. It doesn't have a tent but it does have outside area for a ceremony. They are beautiful and the food is great! I would defiantly check them out. I'm getting it cheaper due to the fact that it's a Sunday so I think it's knocking off 15% or something like that. It's worth checking out I promise! Good luck!!!!
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  • kelciegormankelciegorman member
    Second Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
    Thank you @mander14! I'll have to check it out
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  • Mitch617Mitch617 member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary First Answer
    I'm sure you will get more good suggestions for that range, but you also might want to increase the 50% you are planning to spend on reception and cutting back in other areas like dress, flowers, etc. I think when people estimate 50% on reception that is assuming that you have lots of other costs that you might not really have-- are you having the ceremony somewhere else with its own fee? Separate musicians for ceremony and reception? If you fell in love with a place just over $8000 it might actually work out if you can scale back in other areas!
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  • jenna8984jenna8984 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    My venue sounds perfect for you! I'm getting married September at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, MA. It's a ski resort in the winter. So the ceremony is outdoors in front of a cute pond with the mountain backdrop, we get to take pics from the top of the mountain, the reception they offer indoor or outdoor in a fabulous draped tent so I chose the tent! They even let you have a firepit. I have the exact same guest list as you- 63 people are invited but 8 are from across the country and probably won't make it. Our entire cost for the Wachusett portion is $4200- this includes all everything at the venue- ceremony, chairs, horduerves, tables, linens, cocktail hour, reception, dinner, bridal suite, coordinator. When I add in the cost for DJ, photographer, attire, decorations, invitations, cake, etc the grand total is coming out to $8300. 

    Oh yea they have a minimum of 120 guests on a Saturday night but you said you're open to Friday or Sunday. I actually took the Saturday at 2pm slot because they have no minimum on that- only the 5pm has the minimum. So the 5pm wedding will get the indoor room while we have the outdoor tent. The mountain is so pretty- definitely check it out! :)

                                                                     

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  • ativnan16ativnan16 member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments First Answer
    The Granite Rose in Hampstead, NH
    The Andover Country Club
    Oceanview in Nahant.
    Cruiseport in Gloucester

    Just a few! ;) Happy hunting! Hope this helps!
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  • Kerigirl9Kerigirl9 member
    Knottie Warrior 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    Pleasant Valley Country Club in Sutton. They will do the ceremony on site for no additional fee (the ceremony area is stunning), the packages are REALLY reasonable, the chef will work with you to customize your menu and the salesperson there is not only responsive during the contracting process but afterward as well.
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  • grumbledoregrumbledore member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    kelciegorman said:
    Help! My FI and I looking for a small, intimate wedding (50-60 quests max) on a budget of 10-15K. I've read that typical receptions (venue, food, tables, chairs, alcohol, etc) should be about 50% of your overall budget so we're hoping to spend somewhere between 5K-7K for all of that (not including decorations). I've been researching venues for the last two weeks and I have found the places I was really excited about usually ended up being over 8,000 once you factor in cost of dinner etc.

    We're hoping to marry either Sept/Oct 2015 anywhere 2 hrs from Boston (Maine, NH, VT, CT, RI are not out of the question). We've already slashed our guest list so making it a destination wedding makes it a little easier to swallow for family members that aren't invited. I'm open to doing a Friday or Sunday night wedding instead of Saturday, but definitely want somewhere romantic and beautiful (not the local town Elks). I love the idea of an outdoor ceremony and possible tent wedding.

    Any other brides found luck with receptions in that price range?  Thanks!


    MA here -- we're budgeting $5,500 for about 80 guests and it's working out. We had to do a LOT of research though and avoided typical wedding reception venues. We ended up booking an independent art gallery for the reception and were familiar with a very affordable (but good) caterer in our area. The venue will let us supply our own alcohol which was a huge savings.

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  • grumbledoregrumbledore member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    kelciegorman said:
    Help! My FI and I looking for a small, intimate wedding (50-60 quests max) on a budget of 10-15K. I've read that typical receptions (venue, food, tables, chairs, alcohol, etc) should be about 50% of your overall budget so we're hoping to spend somewhere between 5K-7K for all of that (not including decorations). I've been researching venues for the last two weeks and I have found the places I was really excited about usually ended up being over 8,000 once you factor in cost of dinner etc.

    We're hoping to marry either Sept/Oct 2015 anywhere 2 hrs from Boston (Maine, NH, VT, CT, RI are not out of the question). We've already slashed our guest list so making it a destination wedding makes it a little easier to swallow for family members that aren't invited. I'm open to doing a Friday or Sunday night wedding instead of Saturday, but definitely want somewhere romantic and beautiful (not the local town Elks). I love the idea of an outdoor ceremony and possible tent wedding.

    Any other brides found luck with receptions in that price range?  Thanks!


    MA here -- we're budgeting $5,500 for about 80 guests and it's working out. We had to do a LOT of research though and avoided typical wedding reception venues. We ended up booking an independent art gallery for the reception and were familiar with a very affordable (but good) caterer in our area. The venue will let us supply our own alcohol which was a huge savings.

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  • Jessa617 Jessa617 member
    1000 Comments 100 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I would look into any venue in the South Shore. Lots of pretty and affordable venues in this area. (Bridgewaters, Kingston, Halifax, Pembroke, etc etc). 
    Anniversary
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  • lareng114lareng114 member
    10 Comments Name Dropper
    Such great information here!  WOW!
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  • superblackcatsuperblackcat member
    10 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    edited January 2014
    I second looking into South Shore venues. They tend to be much more affordable.

    We just booked Bittersweet Farm in Westport, MA. If you're flexible with days, you can get a great deal here. Their food & beverage minimums are MUCH less on Sundays especially. Their first wedding package is only $48 per person and includes lots of things - champagne toast, cake cutting, colored napkins, portable bar (for the first floor - it has a second floor with loft), etc.

    It's a beautiful spot if you want an outdoor ceremony, too. Nice gazebo on the lot :)
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  • lavenderfields13lavenderfields13 member
    Seventh Anniversary 500 Love Its 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    beth, do you know if Bittersweet Farm is still doing a buffet option? I saw their 2013 menu and really wanted to do the buffet if we liked that place. But they emailed me the updated 2014 menu with no buffet option :(  I emailed them back a week ago to ask if they're not doing it anymore and still have not received a response.
    //sorry to threadjack
     




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  • superblackcatsuperblackcat member
    10 Comments First Anniversary Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    No buffets :(! We originally wanted station buffets, too. They told us the same thing.

    Honestly though, when we actually went to see the place, we would have Xed the buffet anyway. We would have had to lose too many seats on the first floor for buffet tables. Also, when we did the math, it was more expensive to do the buffet we would have wanted than the new 2014 package.
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  • lavenderfields13lavenderfields13 member
    Seventh Anniversary 500 Love Its 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    beth YGPM
     




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  • kelciegormankelciegorman member
    Second Anniversary Name Dropper First Comment
    edited January 2014
    @grumbledore What art gallery??

    Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!!
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  • grumbledoregrumbledore member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    edited January 2014
    kelciegorman said:
    @grumbledore What art gallery??

    Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!!

    Gallery X in New Bedford - but they do not normally do wedding receptions. And it's quite small. I had to do a lot of negotiating to even get them to consider letting us have it there. The main reason they don't do receptions is because they don't have staff to handle anything for you. We have to bring in everyone we need.

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  • grumbledoregrumbledore member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    edited January 2014
    dupe

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  • calabria96calabria96 member
    Knottie Warrior 10 Comments
    danversport yaht club
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  • JoeJoe67JoeJoe67 member
    10 Comments
    This was my original budget but I upped it shortly after looking everywhere. Ugh! Everything is so expensive!
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  • tortoisebridetortoisebride member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    edited April 2014
    I'm looking at Cafe Escadrille in Burlington, MA. It's indoor but there's outdoor spaces for photography. It's probably not what you're envisioning since it's mostly inside, but there's tons of natural light and pretty details. Also, it's full service and for 60 guests for a brunch buffet I'm looking at under $3500, AFTER taxes & gratuities! It's more expensive for dinners and possibly the ballroom is more expensive, if you want to do dancing and stuff. Still, your budget is twice what mine is so I'm sure you can get what you want :)

    Failing that, if you're really set on outdoors, I thought about Look Park in Florence, MA (next to Northampton, MA on I-91). They have indoor & outdoor locations. It's beautiful and it's a wonderful area to be in for the fall. I don't remember the prices but it's affordable or I wouldn't have given it a second thought. I recommended it to someone else and she loved it and had a great wedding. Definitely worth looking into.
    This is me reading threads on TK
    image
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  • tootsy26tootsy26 member
    Tenth Anniversary 10 Comments
    Independence harbor in Assonet, MA is simply beautiful.
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