Hi ladies! sorry if there is already a post like this but I'm looking to book my venue very soon (eeeeek) and I'm wondering if its the done thing to barter down or ask for freebies? I'm the first out of my friends to get married so they are no use lol.

The venue charges extra for a twinkly dance floor and drapes but there quite a bit so don't think il get those for free, the dance floor is either £300 ir £500 i can't remember (I'm hoping £300!!) and the drapes are £92 each and 3 are needed!!

any help will be great ladies! xxx

If you dont ask you will never get
Thats amazing wifey2b!

wow....Wifey you did really well to get all that!

ive yet to see my venue but i told them what i really wanted for my wedding and they came back with a few different ideas with a few different budgets in mind. i went with the 1500 but nothing is confirmed with that price so when i visit im going to see how much i can talk him into including in that price! lol i get nervous to haggle aswell but i think u have to when it comes to weddings and 2bh i think they expect it and have their prices high to start with for that reason so haggle as much as possible! worst they can say is no, good luck x

We took advantage of the fact that our hotel was just breaking into doing weddings - we got a choice of menu for our guests at no additional cost, and with the agreement that the final bill would be altered to reflect the actual cost of the choices made, as well as reducing our numbers for the evening to lower than had initially been agreed - we saved £270 just on those things. We also got the bridal suite thrown in, and a discounted flat room rate for all our guests - so no matter if they have a double or family room, it's the same price for them :) We're also in the process of getting the room rate lowered further because we have more than 10 rooms booked out!

My tip would be to ask "what if" type questions on a lot of things - in our case it was things ike how does offering a choice of menu affect the cost? I also didn't once sign a contract until very recently when we submitted our final numbers, as I wasn't prepared to agree to things that were subject to change lol. Once you have everything agreed with your venue, do follow up on the agreed discounts/offers - we reminded them that they said they would reduce the room rate further when we realised that we were at 14 rooms booked out :)

Im just starting planning my wedding so really dont have a clue and im also the first out of my friends to get married.. do you ladies think that if your getting a wedding package you can be a bit cheeky about the extras that you have to pay for? my fiance is also in the forces and wondered if i should use that too? xxx

Just say your budget is smaller then it is !! And also be cheeky say I need it to include this and that! haha

Also yeah like the other girls say if your too scared to ask face to face ask by email! I asked for a discount on the photo booth by email and I knocked 100 off it!

Sometimes the venue includes things that you don't really need! Lol so I was like no I don't want table flowers as I am doing centre pieces by myself at a fraction of the cost!

Say how much you like the venue but you need to make sure it will fit around your budget

Also I did say to them I was looking at other venues! He also did say they would give me a discount because most people book so in advance now I booked my venue 14 months before so I think that's pretty advance! Haha!

You just need to be cheeky and remember they want your business! Because it's not just about what your spending there but your what your guest spend there so if they are not willing to knock some money off they could lose out on grands and grands of business!!! Haha ;)

Good luck girlies

Anymore advice just ask ;) x x

I would put tha you want the dance floor and the drapes included in that price ;)

Go on be cheeky!!! Hahah.

They will make up that money back from one hour at the bar!! Haha x

Yeah say for 4 thousand then they might say can't do all that for 4 thousand but can do it for 4200 you never know!! ;) try it!!! What's the worst that can happen?

You end of paying the first quoted price but I am sure you won't! ;) x

Photo booth was like 300 and something but he wanted nearly 500!!! Lol

And I managed to get a photguest book in the price as well as 50 photo key rings and I get to choice who have them lol so giving them as wedding presents or thank you gifts ;) x x

Most supplies I have asked for a discount all come back and say I am shocked about how many people don't ask for a discount lol

And they are more then happy to give you a discount lol

I even got my chair covers down from 3.50to 2.90 each just by asking ;) x

I agree, ask! We got a discount for booking so far in advance, that might work in your favour too?x

Hahaha no worries ;) any time just remember be cheeky and ask they can only say no and you pay the quoted price and I think that's with everything not just venue

I did it with photo booth , photographer and also wedding car ;) Oh and I got over 400 knocked off my wedding dress as I said I had seen it in other shops and they quoted me lower prices haha! ( did lie once but if it saves 400 why not) lol

As well as I made my own flowers and invites ;)
X

All my life!!! Hahah

Well been planning it for real since june!! And everything's basically booked haha x

Yeah I am pretty lucky me and Jay hubby to be used our savings .... So reception venue is nearly paid photbooth only has 100 left on it and also the flowers are brought and paid for! Invites done and paid for lol

Dress is half paid for!

Most of decorations have been paid for and in storage! Lol

Also helps that the hubby to be is currently away in operations (his in Libya in the navy) so his not spending his wage and he get operation pay when he gets back in November so shud pay the rest of the wedding off! Wohoooo lol

However would rather have him home and safe! X x

Yeah we are getting married in the dockyard church ;) and reception is at the maritime hotel ;) all navyfied lol

Table names are after ships and the top table after the ship his currently on hms Liverpool ;)

His not sure if his wearing his uniform yet but I really want him to wear it for the church service then if he wants to changein to a suit after then so be it!

The colour scheme is royal blue silver and White ;)

But also brought the butterfly theme in or me ;)

I really want a pic on the ship! Lol

And we are having pics at the round tower and old Portsmouth and the round tower is the place I go to wave off the ship and the hubbyto b when he leaves so it's very personal to our relationship!

All the ushers and even best man is navy! And all the bridesmaids are in royal blue dresses ;)

Xx

Wow this is really impressive - I'm a real wimp when it comes to stuff like that, we've not even tried to negotiate prices! I think we did well when we put an offer in for our house not to offer the full asking price!!

Good luck Neen, looking forward to hearing how it goes :-) xx

Well... Disappointed with the reply!

Hi
 
Many thanks for your email. I have attached the estimated costs we gave you a few weeks ago. I'm affraid we can't guarantee prices for 2014 as of yet due to inflation/price increases. It may be that we have a special offer for 2014 but this wouldn't be decided until early 2013. We can still take a booking however it would be at the risk of the price being higher than your budget.
 
I am happy to hold a date until you have made a decision. Sorry we aren't able to guarantee this.
 
Kind Regards
 
Rachel Robson

I dunno, this is the venue I really want so il probably end up paying the full price :( it was worth a go I suppose zx

we got 500 knocked off just for bookin as we had our hearts set on it, dropped the grub price from 3k to 1'5k by going for the buffet we get menue's/table cloths/chair covers/table plan/place cards/ free engraved silver knife n server/and a complementry room for up to a yr all for free in total we saved 4'5k :)

Do you think I should put a deposit down though? I'm desperate to get it booked lol x

I am like some of you and quite shy when it comes to asking for discount or freebies, already our wedding budget has changed 3 times always getting bigger and bigger, Thankfully our families are helping us out alot, but I still would like ti get a good deal on the things that we want at the moment our venue is costing the most with us holding the wedding and reception there. We have a date with the hotel on Thursday so will be trying to put on a brave face and just ask what discounts they can give us xxx

Reading this section has helped me out thank you xxxx

P.S LOVE my man so much xxx

I would never of thought of haggling or asking for discounts, suppose its because im british! I just pay what it says....or dont buy it!
Reading this however, i will be brave and ask. If you dont ask, you dont get!!!
Thought we found our perfect venue but only looked at 3 or 4 and am now not thinking we have looked at all options.
Going to look at possible venue sat morning and i am so excited.....think we have both decided this may be the one from the website!
Will hopefully bag this one for a good price!!

Bump

wow I'm taking wifey with me...sorry wifey - when are you free to pop over to Ireland?!