YOUR wedding venue is probably going to be one of the most important decisions you are going to have to make. It will determine quite a number of aspects of your wedding.
The ambience, guest sitting and of course the cost of your wedding. Your choice of venue will also determine the cost of your décor and catering. If you go for a done up venue, it means you spend less on décor.
If you choose a venue which offers catering as a condition for booking, you might end up spending more on food and beverages. But whether you decide to take it indoors or outdoors is entirely up to you, your pocket and the vision you have for your wedding.
I’ll tell you this. Hotel weddings give comfort where weather, waiting and events management is concerned but the food and drinks bill might cause you to pop a vein. Unless you’ve got the money, a hotel wedding might just be a bad idea.
They’ll probably not charge you for the venue itself. Offer you incentives like a free honeymoon suite with complementary chocolates and champagne but they know where they’ll get you. You can’t buy your own food and give it to hotel staff to do the cooking. They’ll do the purchasing and preparation themselves.
You’ll probably get a list of menus ranging between $15 and $35 per plate to choose from. Depending on how many guests you’re expecting, you’re already at $8 000 on food for 400 guests. And they’ll be gate crushers. Trust me, they will be there.
When Africans get married, everyone assumes they’re invited. And the hotel will start charging you from plate number 401.
Imagine the debt you’d have to deal with after the wedding!
Everybody knows drinks in a hotel are expensive. Even plain old water will cost you quite a bit. You’d probably get 50c water for $2 in a hotel. A fizzy drink, which would ordinarily cost you $1 could go for $2,50. Think about the more fancy drinks. Wines, whiskey, and beer — you’ll stroke!
If you’re lucky, the hotel might allow you to bring your own drinks but they’ll probably charge you a corkage fee of 50 percent of the price of each drink. If you do the math, your drinks could cost you another $2 000. I think hotels are nice, they’re spacious, you’ll get various services under one roof and your wedding would be quite epic but it could cost you and arm and a leg.
If you’re on a tight budget, opt for a venue which would allow you to buy your own drinks and food. Get a venue that will offer the venue only and you’ll find yourself a reasonable caterer.
Gardens and open air facilities usually offer such services. If you decide to take this route, you have more control over what you spend on and are quite flexible if you’re going to set up a bar.
I know there’s always the weather factor to consider. Most brides worry about this. I know I did. What if there’s a tropical storm on my wedding day and we’re outside? They said to pitch a tent but I thought what if it rained so heavily it flooded the lawn? There really wouldn’t be anything anyone can do. You’d have to let it rain if it decided to rain.
Besides, it’s good luck being rained on on your wedding day! Taking your wedding outside is a risk but it could also help you save some money and still be beautiful. The fresh air, the scenery, the freedom that comes with an open space could just be what the doctor ordered. It can get a little stuffy indoors.
Whether you decide to take your wedding indoors or outdoors, remember to weigh the financial implications of your decision.
You wouldn’t want to start a new life with debt weighing heavily on your shoulders. If you get money as wedding gifts, you really don’t want to use it to clear your wedding debt. Wouldn’t it be nice being able to buy that leather couch you’ve always wanted instead?
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