Wedding Forum - Negotiating with venues???...

We didn't but we are getting a package. Really don't know if there is room for negotiation but if you try they can only say no x x

We tried to negotiate but got a big fat no (in fairness the deal that we got was a good one anyway but thought we may aswell ask) I don't see any harm in asking - don't ask, don't get :-) x

The worst you can expect is a no, I think it is always worth asking. You might get more leverage if you are willing to change the date & day of the week.

speak to them at a wedding fayre if they have one there as thy can do discounts and things sometimes then xx

i have had alot of dealings with my venue first of all they said yes to me having a range of choices for my wedding breakfast then they changed their minds and said only 1 choice for each starter, main and dessert so i told them that wasnt good enough and i was disappointed so would be looking for another venue they came back and agreed what i wanted... I have also asked them if i booked in 2011 would they keep 2011 prices instead of the 5% increase each year and they said yes so we have saved a 10% increase you can always try and they can say no but at least you have tried xx

Thanks for all your replies everyone, I hope to book some viewings this week so will probably try for discount first and then freebies second if that fails! The trouble I'm having at the moment is finding the right venue at all... we live in Worcestershire and my fiance is from South Wales so have been trying to find somewhere in the middle but everywhere seems a bit naff or completely out of our budget....aaarggghhh! xxx

I agree with millz. Regardless of where you pick, it sounds like people would have to travel, so I wouldn't be too worried. We recently went to a wedding down in Weymouth (we live in York) and although it was quite a trek, we were more than happy do so to be a part of the couples special day. Most people are happy to travel Hun, so you just go with where you like xx

We got £2000 off ours in the end but that was cutting a few bits out but not a lot! Little things like canapes and only having one option for each course (that saved £10pp which was £700 for us). We're also having sausage and bacon rolls instead of a normal buffet which saved £11pp so another £770 x x

We spoke to a venue and he started at the highest price and told me there's room for movement but we can't see where that would be we are in the process of a second meet to discuss I shall let you know

I am in the same boat! Fallen in love with two venues that are both over our budget and i'm just praying i can haggle them down with a promise of a large deposit there and then! How much has everyone been quoted for the venue plus food etc? We are wanting to do the whole lot at a manor house and the cheapest weve been quoted is £10,500 to include venue, wedding breakfast, evening buffet and DJ. Trying to bring the costs down as thats around our budget for the whole thing as we are funding it ourselves! Soooo hard!!

Always haggle! There's no harm in asking.

I think best things to haggle on are 'fixed' cost items such as room hire etc.

Also, give them reasons why they should give your a discount.....are you having your wedding off peak, on a weekday, out of season....is it a particularly large wedding party etc, do you have lots of guests who will want overnight accommodation?

Our venue offer a twenty percent discount if you book out eight or more rooms....plus a twenty percent discount on the rooms.

Don't be afraid to ask for freebies...after all, you are paying them an awful lot of money for one days work!

Xx

we found on the whole venues wont budge on price but it is always worth asking. We got nowhere.

Hi, newbie B2B here, I live in south Wales and only have a total wedding budget of 2.5k which, from what I've read is absolutely nothing. I started looking online for venues in Wales and was horrified that most of them seem to want every penny I have and more so I am definitely going to have to negotiate! I already plan on getting my dress online from overseas, my rings cheaply through work (i work for a scrap metal buyer so have dibbs on nice jewellery that comes in at cost price) and making all the decorations and cake myself. I'm even easy about the date- we would get married in January if It's cheaper. I've now found a hotel nearby that looks lovely and has had good reviews, that does a package for £1000. I'm worried there must be a catch and am a little nervous about sounding like an idiot on the phone if I ask, I'm so new to all this! The package includes a free room for the ceremony, breakfast for a small party (we don't plan on having many guests anyway), eve buffet for a good size party, and free bridal suite. Does this sound like a good deal? Is there something obvious I'm forgetting, and would it be wise for me to just ask them? I don't want them to see me as easy prey and rip me off... sorry for the wall of text!

Nic

Nicola, are you getting married there too or just having your reception? ask about drinks packages, chair covers, any decorations, is it exclusive, is that price for any day of the week. I found they did a good deal and then added on extras and the budget was gone. I'm doing my wedding for about 3k but we are having a village hall with a marquee liner. we've cut our costs by not having a seperate evening do.x

Hi Nic - wow that is a tight budget but anything is possible :)

That deal sounds great! I expect the only catch is that the dates would be very limited - but as you said this isn't a problem then I assume this wouldn't bother you. I expect they will try to upsell as well to push up your spending with them so stand your ground :)

They will also make money on the bar for your guests and any hotel rooms they book so they will be making their profit there.

I think yYou will also need to pay for the registrar to come to the venue if you want to get married there – I expect this isn’t included and is about £300 I think (someone may correct me here –7 years ago I worked as a wedding co-ordinator at a hotel but my memory is a bit hazy!)

Give them a bell – you won’t look silly! I didn’t know what a wedding breakfast was and asked why people would have breakfast AFTER the wedding service on my first day at the hotel! Oops!

bump

Hi I negotiated big time and got my venue for £200 for an evening. This was easy for me as I only need it for the evening anyway therefore I only want a buffet which brings the total venue price to £900. It's two ballrooms of the house of a former Lord. Beautiful building overlooking a lake.
I wholly recommend bargaining to anyone. I think venues are mostly overpriced anyway.

Some venues will budge on price it does depend solely on the day of the week and the time of year. I got mine so cheap and with no trimmings because I know the owner, although I did go through two months of looking at other venues before this and as my wedding had to be in summer as we've guests coming from England and I felt it best to do it during what might be their normal months for holidays.
I found the whole experience gut wrenchingly hard and that's no joke and I honestly thought we were destined to have our reception in a crappy old working mans club or something at that rate. But I called the owner of my venue as a last resort and talked for a while and got the ballrooms for the evening. I think what really breaks the bank is the sit down meal so brides who are on an extremely tight budget could benefit from only having the bridal party and immediate family only at the ceremony, and go for dinner somewhere then have an evening reception with a buffet for the rest of the guests. I get married in England and am having a very small ceremony here then a week later I have a big party in Ireland. I have a good excuse to get rid of the meal :-)

When I was originally enquiring into venues for my reception in Ireland I was being quoted £5000 and most of those didnt even include a DJ lol so I think I'd rather pay £200 and hire two Bar staff and a DJ.