Category Archives: Bill Zaruka’s Tips

Exposing Hidden Wedding Fees

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Every wedding has to have a dance floor right? Unfortunately, some venues make you pay extra for it.

By Bill Zaruka
Wedgewood President

One of the first things wedding experts will tell you to do when starting to plan your wedding is to set your budget. Couples have to start thinking about how much a venue is going to cost, how expensive plates per person will be, the deejay, floral arrangements, etc. Establishing a budget is difficult enough without hidden fees — charges that do not appear in the initial proposal — for things that can easily escape the mind of someone who is not a wedding professional.

Couples should know what hidden fees to watch out for, especially at smaller venues that require you to do a lot yourself. If you do not see these items in the information a venue provides, be sure to ask about them.

1. Cake cutting fee – Some venues charge as much as $4.00 per person

2. Bartender fee – While you get the price for alcohol up front, you could be unaware of the fee for the person pouring the drinks. This is usually a per hour or flat fee.

3. Insurance requirements – Some venues require significant forms of liability insurance. Who wants to pay for insurance or fill out the paperwork for it? Exactly! Most venues conveniently won’t mention it until after they have booked you.

4. Dance floor fees– It takes more than a deejay to dance at some venues, which require you to rent or supply your own dance floor.

5. Labor charges to supply the staff.

6. Set up or breakdown charges.

7. China, glassware, silverware, etc. – Seems ridiculous, right? But these items do get charged on occasion.

8. Wedding coordinators – Some venues will mandate the use of a wedding coordinator, preferably one supplied by the venue itself.

Wedgewood has a policy of no hidden fees, guaranteed, because your wedding should be hassle-free. Making sure you don’t get blindsided by them is the first step to making sure your budget remains as originally planned.

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Exposing Hidden Wedding Fees

Posted on by

Every wedding has to have a dance floor right? Unfortunately, some venues make you pay extra for it

By Bill Zaruka
Wedgewood Vice President

One of the first things that wedding experts will tell you to do when starting to plan your wedding is to set your budget. Couples have to start thinking about how much a venue is going to cost, how expensive plates per person will be, the deejay, floral arrangements, etc, etc. Establishing a budget is difficult enough without hidden fees, charges that do not appear in the initial proposal for things that can easily escape the mind of someone who is not a wedding professional.

Couples should know what hidden fees to watch out for, especially at smaller venues that require you to do a lot yourself.  If you do not see these items in the information a venue provides, be sure to ask about them.

1. Cake cutting fee – Some venues charge as much as $4.00 per person

2. Bartender fee – While you get the price for alcohol up front, but you could be unaware of the fee for the person pouring you drinks. This is usually a per hour or flat fee.

3. Insurance requirements – Some venues require significant forms of liability insurance. Who wants to pay for insurance or fill out the paperwork for it? Exactly, so most venues conveniently won’t mention it until after they have booked you.

4. Dance floor fees– It takes more than a deejay to dance at some venues, which require you to rent or supply your own dance floor.

5. Labor charges to supply the staff.

6. Set up or breakdown charges.

7. China, glassware, silverware, etc – Seems ridiculous, right? But they do get charged on occasion.

8. Wedding coordinators – Some venues will mandate the use of a wedding coordinator, preferably one supplied by the venue itself.

Wedgewood has a policy of no hidden fees, guaranteed, because your wedding should be hassle-free. Making sure you don’t get blindsided by them is the first step to making sure your budget remains what it was originally planned.

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How Do You Shop For a Wedding?

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How do you get a reception that looks like this? Wedgewood gives you the questions to ask to help you get a fabulous one

by Bill Zaruka
Wedgewood Vice President

Shopping for your wedding reception can be a daunting task! Here are just some of the factors that can make the process overwhelming:

  • Most individuals have little or no experience in shopping for a wedding.  People do not make this purchase on a regular basis (hopefully!).
  • Each reception site charges you in a different manner.  While some charge flat fees, others charge per person fees, and some charge both.  Many lure you in with a low base price only to tack on huge fees for all sorts of miscellaneous but necessary services later on.
  • Prices for venue, food, beverages, floral, cake, invitations, music, photography and more can drastically affect the cost of a wedding reception.
  • Many reception locations advertise that they do weddings, but are not set up to execute an event of this magnitude.  Others lack the experience to deliver a professional event.

By educating yourself on all portions of the reception experience you can make a confident decision on where to book your wedding.

Questions You Should Ask On Cost And Pricing

  • Is there a venue rental fee?  Is the fee different based on the time of day or day of the week?  Is there a different rate based on the time of the rental?  What does the rental fee include?
  • Is the catering provided by the venue?  What are the different per person pricing options?  Are there additional costs for rental of tables, chairs, linens, china, or glassware?
  • Does the venue provide the alcohol service?  Is there a bartender fee?  Do they have a complete liquor license?
  • Do you need to provide insurance?
  • Do they charge any fees for cake cutting?
  • Is there a dance floor included in the venue fee?  How much does a dance floor cost?
  • If needed, do they have a ceremony site?  Do they have a place for the bride to get ready?  Do they provide time or a location for a rehearsal?
  • Does the venue offer other services besides room, food and beverage?

Ways To Decide If The Reception Location Is Reputable

  • Check online review sites such as Yelp, Project Wedding and Wedding Wire.
  • Ask for a few client references, letters of recommendation or comment cards.
  • Ask how many weddings the venue performs on an annual basis.  Most professionally-run venues perform over 50 weddings a year.  Experience is a must when trying to find the right venue at the right price.
  • How long have they been in business?  Longevity often equals credibility.

By confirming all fees and costs associated with a venue and assuring that they have the credibility to perform your event, you can easily narrow your reception locations down to a few finalists.  At Wedgewood, we help you through this process so that you can make the most informed decision possible. Whether you choose to have your event with us or another venue we feel it is important to provide these helpful tips as industry experts.  In the end, knowing all the facts about your venue will make you feel at ease and save you thousands of dollars without compromising quality!

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