Soulstrut married folk...
hammertime
2,389 Posts
how much did you pay per person for the reception (food, drinks, hall rental etc)?
hammertime
2,389 Posts
Comments
(granted, we are going outdoors/tent style, so i'll help where i can.)
We paid about 750 dollars for renting the hall and catering. We had a small reception of about 50 people (small, low-budget wedding). This was all two recent college graduates could afford. I got married the day after I earned my doctorate (family were in town for graduation, planned to get married a month later anyway, might as well do it now-related).
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
According to articles, the wedding industry is one of the few 'recession proof' industries, as people will always spend money on their wedding. Add to that the premiums that anyone will charge as soon as they hear the word 'wedding,' and they stand to make a lot of money. Unfortunately, at least once, it will be yours. we had friends call places after we had (photographers, rental places) to ask for quotes for a retirement party to double check if we were getting fleeced.
We were facing similar problems with hotel/caterer exclusivity, which is why we went with an outdoor tent wedding. Which, yes, comes with its own problems (i'll be doing an anti-rain dance for the next two weeks...) but allowed us the freedom to hire a friend to do the food. So, its all about what you want.
We managed to get a GREAT hotel rate, which was important too, b/c of all the out of towners. We tried to set up a network of couches for Friday night, and put people in touch with others to split hotel rooms. my lady and i having been in a lot of weddings, trying to keep cost down was of paramount importance.
Food and drink will be your biggest costs, no doubt about that. Our wedding is a similar size, and I think we spent in the 7 range on food, 8 with drink. We didn't want to pay for open bar allll night, and didn't want all the drunkeness that comes with it, so we are doing a cocktail hour (margaritas, mojitos, and lynchburg lemonade) from 4-6 w/ passed aps, and then Beer & Wine ONLY for the rest of the night. That was a great way to save.
As I type this, my lady is reviewing some of the aforementioned spreadsheets...finally got a shirt and tie today, though, so that was good. tomorrow, gotta get the shoes.
I meant to write this earlier...
When we first started we got a wild mix of estimates and costs from the places we talked to. And yes, a couple halls (NOT hotels) were much cheaper, and let us bring our food (caterer) and drink. For us, we ended up renting a shuttle bus between the hotel and the field (10 minute drive) and then STRONGLY ENCOURAGED people not to drive. (I mean, we were emailing friends who said they were going to drive themselves IMPLORING them to take the bus.) You could price out a hall with cheaper booze & catering, and then factor in the cost of the buses, which was $700 for us (probably cheaper in Toledo). So, if you can get everything for about $9500, and do what YOU want, it is safe and cost effective.
We also looked at local museums; they were gorgeous, and some had decent prices...shitty catering, though.
Best of luck. don't hesitate to ask, as this is all VERY fresh right now.
I'm about to fall asleep, but one thing when getting quotes. DO NOT repeat DO NOT mention it's a wedding unless you need to. A lot of caterers etc. will double/triple their rates automatically.
Why not focus on inviting your closest family members and friends? Why go into horrendous debt for a ONE-DAY EVENT with no financial assistance from your alcoholic cousin Bob, and two-faced Aunt Becky and other nimrods (i.e., mythical jerk-off people that we all have in families)? Must all the moocher, hanger-on, face-in-the-crowd folks attend? Bear in mind, I'm one who has never understood the point of lavish weddings (and surprisingly, neither did my wife) given that America has a 50% divorce rate for first marriages, and 75% for 2nd marriages and beyond. I think women put us up to forking out mad dough on a wedding due to bullshit tradition (typical female says, "I've always dreamed of the perfect [and expensive-ass] wedding."). Isn't it all about the vows made before God anyway instead of overcomsumption and commercialism? I say keep it simple and save a bundle!!!
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Nothing! We got married at the courthouse in downtown Tacoma, WA. Took 10 minutes and cost $35.00. No reception, no guests, none of that. My brother and his wife got married like 6 months before us. They had a huge traditional NYC Catholic wedding in a cathedral on the Upper East Side. The reception was at a private Italian club, we were all in black tie and formal attire, string quartet and a harp player, etc. Shit was like something from one of the godfather movies. It was a beautiful wedding, but after all that we felt like we had already been through the whole huge wedding deal. Their wedding must have cost crazy loot. Wifey and I woke up one Monday morning and decided to get married that week. We got married the following Friday. Real simple.
I'm just as concerned about declaring my love and making those vows in front of my friends and family, as I am about making those declarations in front of god. Just sayin'...
we found a small church that we frequented for 4mths before asking about being married there. the church was also the hospitals church so they didnt even ask us for money. we donated of course but the other churches in the area that are associated with the hospitals in our area were free or dumb cheap and thats IN san francisco.
we decided to have our reception in pacifica off the beach. the restaurant was connected to the hotel so the driving wasnt so bad. having the reception outside of sf was the way to go. maybe having something just outside of toledo... ummm... yeah ive only been to toledo once and that was to spend the night before moving on. worst thunder/lightening ive ever experienced. driving through that... sorry off track... different thread.
anyway all im saying is move a little away from the main city 15miles or so and see if you find breaks and discounts. we also knew someone who was friends with a florist. our own natmorsecode djed, along with my sensei georgesigotbeats, and my homie came through to play live music. all that was cheap or free. knowing where to set up is as important as who you know who can get you some discounts....
Amen, brudda. One thing my wife agreed upon before we got engaged was that we did NOT want a marriage ceremony and reception. It's way too much stress and after all it's our day not Uncle Joey's who drinks all the free liquor or your mom's who wants certain flowers. My wife's parents had loot saved up for the wedding that they choose to give to us no matter if we eloped or not. So, we took a small portion and went on a cruise from Ensanada Mexico to Seattle. Got hitched legally on Catalina Island , CA with one of the local pasteurs. Took the remaining cash and invested in a condo which we flipped 2 years later and bought a big Victorian on the hill close to the office.
The only downside was my family was pissed. It took them a couple of years to get over it -- but fuk'em, it was our day.
I know people who went tens of thousands of dollars in debt to have a big bash and now years later they are paying for it. More power to them!
Good luck.
you got married by a french chemist?