Venue Minimum Issues

loveislouder · November 2014

Okay ladies, I'm going to start with this: My friend is an idiot. Now for the real question.

She agreed to a venue with a 150 person minimum. No big deal, right? Except they could only afford the price for 150 people, so she only invited 150 people and now has about 20 declines. The venue said if she doesn't get that number back to 150 she'll have to cancel, or absorb the extra cost for 20 people, plus a $1,500.00 fee. I should also mention her wedding isn't until March next year, and she requested all the RSVP's back by November 1st.

She asked me what to do, and all I could think was "Wow you're an idiot." So I thought I'd put it to my fellow Knotties.

Does she:

A) Absorb the cost of the 20 people and the $1,500.00 fee;

B-list (even though you're never supposed to); or
C) ... I can't think of a C right now.

I have terrible friends when it comes to etiquette. Help a girl out.

Thanks!

southernbelle0915 · November 2014

Invite me and my husband plus 18 of our friends. We are really fun!

birdybride2014 · November 2014

This all sounds yucky and I have no advice.

I don't understand how venue minimums work since we didn't have one, so I don't get why there is a fee if they are eating the cost of the people. Personally, I would absorb the cost since they have over a year to save the $1500

edited: just realized this may mean march of this year. either way my opinion stands lol

novella1186 · November 2014

Holy crap. I can't get past making people send in RSVPs by November 1 when the wedding isn't till March. WTF?

Also, is that huge fee normal? That is crazy.

Has she already extended a +1 to everyone? Could she tell all the single people to bring a date?

JennyColada · November 2014

Can't she just tell the venue that she has 150 people to avoid the fee? I mean, how is the venue going to know anyway?

Also, I do find it slightly unethical for them to charge her for the additional people AND charge her a fee. I mean, isn't that what the charge is in the first place?

Maggie0829 · November 2014

She has to pay a fee plus the costs of 20 "people"? That seems like utter bullshit to me and the venue being kind of assey. Typically if you have a minimum you pay that minimum regardless if you actually have 150 people there or 100. But I have never heard of the venue invoking a fee as well.

Wow, she requested RSVPs back 5 months in advance?

Okay I agree with your "wow you're an idiot" thought.

Um well she has 5 months or so till her wedding. What would she lose if she changed venues? Would she be able to find another venue at the same or lower price? Since she is so far out can she adjust anything else to make up the $1500? Like decrease the flowers, get rid of the favors, etc.

Do you know how much she was paying per person? Depending on that and what she can find elsewhere, changing venues may actually save her a little bit of money in the end as opposed to sticking with her current venue. But that is of course she wants and can change venues.

sarawifenow · November 2014

There is just so much wrong with this. RSVP's required 4 months early?!

Can she upgrade her food/bar?

KatWAG · November 2014

I think she gives a plus one to every single person. Maybe invites kids if she hasnt already. ANd then she starts to save her pennies for the $1500 fee.

penguin44 · November 2014

Could she ask the venue about upgrades that would equal the cost of 150 people.

I don't understand the need for the fee when she would already be paying for 150 regardless. Is that in the contract? If not, I would question it.

PrettyGirlLost · November 2014

birdybride2014 said:

This all sounds yucky and I have no advice.

I don't understand how venue minimums work since we didn't have one, so I don't get why there is a fee if they are eating the cost of the people. Personally, I would absorb the cost since they have over a year to save the $1500

edited: just realized this may mean march of this year. either way my opinion stands lol

This. This makes no sense to me.

1st let's just cut to the chase- venue minimums are pretty much bullshit. Oh yeah, I'm going to know for certain in March, when I need to sign my contract, the exact number of people who will accept my wedding invitation.

When we signed our contract for our venue last March, we told them we were inviting 200 people and they had 170 people as our minimum. Fast forward to right before the wedding, and we only had 150 affirmative RSVPS. So we had to add another app to cocktail hour in order to make up the difference.

So if her venue is going to make her make up the difference- which is normal, then I don't see why she has to pay a penalty fee on top of that. That seems like real grade A bullshit to me. They are essentially getting an extra $1500 out of your friend for no reason.

climbingsingle · November 2014

Holy crap. I can't imagine having to RSVP in November to a wedding in March. I'm surprised she didn't have more declines.

I also don't understand why the venue would charge a fee on top of paying for 150 guests. That makes no sense, and I'd probably have a conversation with them about that. What does it matter if she pays for 150 and only 130 are there? What is the extra fee for?

lacqueredlover · November 2014

Why not just get upgrades? Our venue has a person or dollar amount minimum. Our person minimum is under what they wanted but we are getting upgrades (like hot cider during the ceremony, a mac & cheese bar, higher shelf liquor) to make up the difference.

thisismynickname2 · November 2014

penguin44 said:

Could she ask the venue about upgrades that would equal the cost of 150 people.

I don't understand the need for the fee when she would already be paying for 150 regardless. Is that in the contract? If not, I would question it.

I agree with this, and I also agree that this fee is bullshit and maybe there's time to find another venue like Maggie said.

I can't believe there's a minimum "person" requirement. I had a minimum issue myself, and we ordered extra desserts and late night pizza. On top of the appetizers and 5 course meal everyone was already getting. If they'd charged us a fee for being 10 bodies short I'd have pitched a fit, and that's only if I was blind and stupid enough to sign a contract with that fee in the first place.

Maggie0829 · November 2014

lacqueredlover said:

Why not just get upgrades? Our venue has a person or dollar amount minimum. Our person minimum is under what they wanted but we are getting upgrades (like hot cider during the ceremony, a mac & cheese bar, higher shelf liquor) to make up the difference.

I am sure she can get upgrades to make up for the cost of the missing 20 people, BUT it is the $1500 fee she is going to incur because she doesn't have exactly 150 people that is the issue.

lacqueredlover · November 2014

is it in her contract that she has to pay a fee? Because if that's the case, she's kind of out of luck

hellohkb · November 2014

I agree with PPs, 5 months in advance is nuts. But like others said, can you give every single person a +1 and invite kids?

loveislouder · November 2014

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

Maggie0829 · November 2014

loveislouder said:

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

Well the fact that she sent her invites out so far in advance and wanted RSVPs back so early, if she changes the dates on her RSVPs then people may not even realize they have been b-listed. Because who would think they have been b-listed when the wedding is still so far out?

luckya23 · November 2014

loveislouder said:

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

I don't really think this is a big deal at all, since it was silly of her to assume all 150 were going to RSVP yes in the first place. In addition to the 20 "no" replacements, I think she should invite at least 30-40 since the next round won't be all Yeses (?) either, and things may change for some of those saying yes today from the original list.

southernbelle0915 · November 2014

Can she just say there will be 150 people?

sarawifenow · November 2014

I am curious, too, did she explain why the 1500 fee was on there?

lacqueredlover · November 2014

It seems to me that if it's a sit down dinner, the venue would know how many people there are because there would be empty seats and leftover meals

beethery · November 2014

loveislouder said:

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

B-listing now, on top of all the other shit? Nope.

Cookie Pusher · November 2014

luckya23 said:

loveislouder said:

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

I don't really think this is a big deal at all, since it was silly of her to assume all 150 were going to RSVP yes in the first place. In addition to the 20 "no" replacements, I think she should invite at least 30-40 since the next round won't be all Yeses (?) either, and things may change for some of those saying yes today from the original list.

And what if all 30-40 respond yes?

bethsmiles · November 2014

scribe95 said:

I think this $1,500 fee is crap. She agreed to pay for 150 people and if she pays for 150 people there shouldn't be a fee. I gotta believe there is some confusion in translation there. Like maybe the cost of the extra people is $1,500?

Either way, I would tell the venue there are 150 people and give them a seating chart with random names and they will never know.

This is my thought too. $1500 for 20 people would be around $75 per person. I think your friend needs to figure something out with the venue, hopefully this is a miscommunication. She should also check her contract. B-listing people is a horrible solution to this problem.

theartistformerlyknownas · November 2014

There's no point in her even figuring it out now; the wedding is still so far away I'm sure more people will end up declining and she'll be right back in the same boat. Four month early RSVPs, ay ay ay.

I kinda have to give her credit for not inviting more people than she could afford to host, though. :-p

luckya23 · November 2014

Cookie Pusher said:

luckya23 said:

loveislouder said:

I looked into the plus ones and kids... she already invited all the plus ones and kids. She says shes just going to invite the people she missed the first time around. Apparently I can't change her mind.

I don't really think this is a big deal at all, since it was silly of her to assume all 150 were going to RSVP yes in the first place. In addition to the 20 "no" replacements, I think she should invite at least 30-40 since the next round won't be all Yeses (?) either, and things may change for some of those saying yes today from the original list.

And what if all 30-40 respond yes?

At least she's likely still under the fee amount.

loveislouder · November 2014

So I just looked over her contract. The minimum is 150 people, with an additional $1,500.00 fee if the minimum is not met. Also, no upgrades or substitutions allowed. WTF is wrong with this venue. I feel like I should tell her to find a new one and just eat the deposit.

beethery · November 2014

loveislouder said:

So I just looked over her contract. The minimum is 150 people, with an additional $1,500.00 fee if the minimum is not met. Also, no upgrades or substitutions allowed. WTF is wrong with this venue. I feel like I should tell her to find a new one and just eat the deposit.

She needs to mosey and then do something about her invitation situation because it is FUUUUCKED.

bethsmiles · November 2014

loveislouder said:

So I just looked over her contract. The minimum is 150 people, with an additional $1,500.00 fee if the minimum is not met. Also, no upgrades or substitutions allowed. WTF is wrong with this venue. I feel like I should tell her to find a new one and just eat the deposit.

WTF? She needs to dump this venue, I can't believe she signed that contract!

luckya23 · November 2014

loveislouder said:

So I just looked over her contract. The minimum is 150 people, with an additional $1,500.00 fee if the minimum is not met. Also, no upgrades or substitutions allowed. WTF is wrong with this venue. I feel like I should tell her to find a new one and just eat the deposit.

What's the per person? I guess they must be counting on nobody ACTUALLY having only the minimum.

If she does get a new venue, book it before letting this one go on such short notice!

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