This is my first post on here, I really need to get some advice!
We got engaged at the beginning of December and my OH and I have been looking into venues, even though our wedding day is not until May 2016. The date is special to us so we wanted to book somewhere early to secure it as well as give us time to save up.
We have only looked around one venue, but we really love it. We have looked at a lot online and this is the only one that has really stood out to us. However, they require half of the venue fee and a chunk toward the catering as the deposit, which is just short of £5000.
I've looked into wedding insurance but we can't seem to take out a policy until 720 days before the wedding, which is May. The venue say that we need to secure our booking if we want the venue as our provisional booking time has lapsed. But we don't feel comfortable handing over that amount of money without insurance. The venue only take cheques or bank transfers, so its not like we can pay with a credit card for security. I'm just not sure what to do, we don't want to lose the date but we don't want to risk losing the money if anything were to happen between now and May.
What do other people think? I'd really appreciate your views and opinions. Thanks in advance x
CommentAuthor*KelBel*
I think that's a ridiculous amount for a deposit tbh and I think you should put a request in that u pay a lower amount and explain the wedding insurance thing to them, about wanting to know the deposits secure and covered x
Velcro...my wedding day twinny! The Two Kel's!
Got engaged 14/10/12 in Central Park NYC!
Became Mrs Macdonald 13th September 2014
Mummy to 4 girlies and baby blue boy Due 10/05/2016
CommentAuthor*KelBel*
Maybe get the to put in your contract that you agree to pay the remaining deposit amount needed at the 720day mark when u get wedding insurance...that way they still have you in a legally binding contract to pay that amount, ... Just when you know the money is more secure x
Velcro...my wedding day twinny! The Two Kel's!
Got engaged 14/10/12 in Central Park NYC!
Became Mrs Macdonald 13th September 2014
Mummy to 4 girlies and baby blue boy Due 10/05/2016
CommentAuthorStephanieM71
Kelbel that's a brilliant idea :)
I can't believe they are asking such a massive amount for a deposit - is the venue amazing?
CommentAuthorSandyG83
That is a massive amount. Most venues we looked at asked for £500 deposite with the balance 3 weeks before with final numbers and cpl of the venues advised not to pay untill we had insurance.
Wow - I thought my venue wanted a lot asking for £1,500 as deposit
CommentAuthorKirsty
Mine was also 1500 which I thought was a large chunk at 30%. My wedding insurance covered it though as it was 13 months before the date. I wouod approach them amd voice your concern.
CommentAuthorMarrying.Ryan
I agree. Just mention about the wedding insurance. I am sure they will understand.
CommentAuthorTheFutureMrsK
That is a lot of money for a deposit, is the venue definitely worth it? I don't know how they can even expect you to have that amount of money at this stage. You said the majority of that is half of the venue fee, does that include the extras like the place settings, evening buffet, drinks package etc or is that literally just the fee to be in the building?
“Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage.”
-Ambrose Bierce
CommentAuthorLauraF89
Ouch! 5k so far in advance is a bit steep.. i can understand paying half before the wedding maybe 6 months before so that catering can order well in advance but as a deposit it seems a bit much.
It might be worth going to other venues and viewing them because pictures and brochures online can do a venue no justice, i understand that if you love this place and you really want it that you wont want to go see others but maybe wait til may to book and go see other venues in between now and then just in case you do find something better.
What is this venue if you don't mind me asking? I'm intrigued to see what it looks like and see why they require such a large amount of money!
xxx
October 31st 2015
I will be Mrs. Henry
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CommentAuthorprincesspixie
oh wow what a huge amount for just the deposit ours is only £500 i think kelbels idea is the best you must be booking an amazing venue xx
Officially married my best friend 2/5/2015 (secretly)
Big wedding 18/06/2016
CommentAuthorTrasaD
Again, I think kelbels had the right idea. I hope it's an amazing venue for that amount for a deposit! The most expensive venue deposit we've come across (and favoured) is £1500, but they won't accept the deposit without the insurance anyway xoxox
CommentAuthorJessicaG46
Hi everyone,
Firstly thank you all so much for the feedback and advice, it has really helped me a lot :)
I can't believe how much difference there is compared to all of your deposits! I'm glad I asked you all now!
The venue is Mythe Barn in Warickshire. It is beautiful, it is a fairly new venue, it opened in 2012 I think and is very neutral which we loved.
I'm glad that you all think it's a lot of money too, as I did but had no idea if it was a standard fee, which has made me realise that as much as we love it, looking around other venues would be a good idea. I did enquire to see if we could pay the deposit in instalments but was told that wasn't an option. I'm going to email the venue and ask about the wedding insurance and the contract, but we won't put anywhere near the full deposit down until we have some, I'd rather lose the date and go somewhere else than lose that amount of money if something went wrong.
The fee is just for the building. The catering is a separate company who work alongside the venue, they have exclusivity. With the price we get sole use of the venue, table linen, crockery, etc, use of the honeymoon suite and the farmhouse where our families would stay. We also get breakfast all together the next day and we can invite up to 6 additional guests who are not staying at the venue. I do think that the venue is a lot of money and all of this has made me see that we need to take a step back and view more venues.
Thank you all again :) x
CommentAuthorLauraF89
It's a beautiful venue for sure but i think you will find something very very similar to it for a cheaper price and "normal" sized deposit!
Good luck and keep us updted!! :-)
xxx
October 31st 2015
I will be Mrs. Henry
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
CommentAuthorMrsThomson2B
The venue is beautiful, however i think what they are asking for a deposit is a bit rediculous. I odn't see why you should pay towards the catering at this stage as you say that although they are an outside company you cannot use anyone else so the booking for catering would be by the venue, not you. This means that the deposit for the catering should be paid out of the deposit that you pay to the venue. Take a step back and go and see what other local venues have to offer, you never know you might find something else just as beautiful and for far less money. My venue is £5k and I thought £1,500 was a bit steep when other more expensive venues were looking for a £250 deposit.
In all honesty though, when you find the venue you love if you really want it you won't even question paying the deposit you will just be like yeah let's do this.
CommentAuthorMarrying.Ryan
Wow! What a beautiful venue! It does sound a bit pricey, but I think a lot of venues are theses days. I wish I could afford something that amazing! Let us know how you get on with other venues :)
CommentAuthorNataleeM
the venue is BEEEEAAAUUTIFUL but i also would feel very stressed handing over that amount of money without being covered by insurance xxxxxxxx
Can not wait until I marry the man of my DREAMS <3
CommentAuthorTheFutureMrsK
The venue is stunning :) I hope you can sort something out with the insurance in the contract, similar to you we looked at lots of venues online then visited ours and loved it right away so I know how you feel, is there a lot of bookings for the year you want to get married or would it be possible to wait a little while until you can get wedding insurance and then get another date if your date is unavailable?
“Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage.”
-Ambrose Bierce
CommentAuthorJR2015
We paid £750 deposit and our package is £3000, we are then expected to pay a further £750 in Jan 2015 and the rest 2 weeks before the day. £5000 is an awful lot of money!!
CommentAuthorLinzi-jo
Wow that is a big deposit! Our venue is costing near on £6500 and we only had to put down a deposit of £300 and that was for exclusive use as well! We don't have to pay any more until a month before the actual wedding! Xxx
Got together 14.02.2008
Got engaged 31.12.2010
Will become a Mrs on 30.08.2014 xxxxxx
CommentAuthorLauraK7
Our package is £3000 and we've just put down a £500 deposit I can't believe they want you to pay nearly half
CommentAuthorMrsH-2B
edited
Woah !! That's so much for a deposit !!! Our whole package is only £5500 ! That's ceremony, reception, food, drink, all decoration, DJ, welcome drinks, canapés, evening buffet !! Our deposit was £500.. Nothing more will be paid until 3 weeks before the wedding xxx
I can't wait to become his Wife :-) <3
4th July 2015 <3
CommentAuthorNelinde
Wow that's outrageous! I had to pay 50% for my deposit but seeing how my venue hire was only £800, £400 was reasonable! And we had to change the date recently and the package price changed down to £600 and we got more included lol! So only £200 left to pay :) But as other posters have already said, DO NOT hand over that amount of money to ANYONE until you get covered by your wedding insurance! I don't care who it is, even the Pope himself wouldn't be that extortionate! Good luck getting them to sort it out or finding an alternative venue if needs be :) And tbh as a side thought, do you really want a venue who is so rigid if they wont budge on this? Imagine what else they may enforce on YOUR day!
