Additional charges at weddings - I've heard it all now!!

Out of curiousity, how much is the meal per head nowadays? Just want to see how long I have to lock up my daughters for!!
 
Fair play Car and well said. I've started turning down invitations to acquaintances' weddings that are outside of Dublin or the country. (I'll make the exception for close mates though)

I understand that everything seems to be booked up these days, and it's annoying that Ireland is still quite limiting about where people can get married...but wedding ceremonies on a Thursday, Friday or Monday are a pain if you don't live in the area where it's held. I just can't afford everything that goes with it - accommodation, transport, drinks, taking time off work.
 
Agree big time with the hassle of taking a day off work for a wedding of anyone other than family.
 
Meal costs depend on the menu and the venue and location. Ive seen anything from 30e per head up to 130e per head. If you take a choice of meals it costs more as the hotel needs to order more of both to be able to cater. 150 turkey and ham is 150 servings, but the same for beef or salmon is probably 130 beef and 70 salmon (whatever the split is). So now not only is the beef or salmon more expensive on its own but youre also paying for 200 meals just to give guests a choice.

Same for starters. Soup and vol au vents (see earlier post) are tasty as bejaysus and at the bottom of the menu for costs. Try replacing that with oyster mousse and kipper shavings served up in mermaids knee caps and watch the hotelier laughing all the way to the bank while the chef curses you as his prep time goes up.
 
Agree with most of your musings Car, but I would be in favour of giving something different than just turkey and ham for dinner. You gotta remember that the happy couple are probably getting circa €85 a head in gift format (most people specify money in my experience, or certainly want it), so a spending a little extra on the food is worthwhile, same goes for the toast, sure it's an opportunity to return a little to the people who have made the effort of turning up (and let's face it, there are many would be as happy to be elsewhere).
A good saving we employed was on the wine, bought it up north about 6 months in advance when there were some good deals on, corkage is still extortionate, but it was much cheaper and better than the cheapest the hotel were offering.
 
Glenbhoy said:
so a spending a little extra on the food is worthwhile, same goes for the toast, sure it's an opportunity to return a little to the people who have made the effort of turning up (and let's face it, there are many would be as happy to be elsewhere).
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Why would you be bothered with people who are showing up grudgingly at your wedding?
 
more musings..

Good point on the wine. If the hotel will let you, it can still be cheaper to get your own wolfblass pressie selection up north and pay corkage then let the guests drink the hotel lambrusco.

Well, ok on the food, give them a little bit better then T&H, but dont give a choice, its such a waste.

turkey and ham costs say 13e per head. = 1950e
beef = 18e per head
salmon = 20e per head
5e per head extra for giving a choice so priced at higher of 20e for salmon plus 5e a head = 25e at 150 = 3750e
(3750 - 1950) = 1700 so it now costs you 1700 euro to give your guests something nicer to eat.
Might seem scroogy but think what you could do with that 1700e. the guests are already eating something anyway, get a clown to entertain the kids while adults have a drink and eat dinner, get a magician in to walk around tables pre and post dinner. cost c400e. now you have 1300 extra to hire the personal scuba diving lessons from Inga/Brad the swedish diving teachers when youre on honeymoon. If you have the funds anyway, go for it, but whats gonna give you more satisfaction, Inga? or Aunt Helen picking salmon bones out of her dentures?
 
ronan_d_john said:
Why would you be bothered with people who are showing up grudgingly at your wedding?
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Because the same people would be moaning if they didn't get invites. Besides, since we assume that many guests are actually there under protest, surely the least you can do is try and help them enjoy the day. Maybe I'm wrong with my assumption, but when you think about it, people are invited as they're friends of either groom or bride, it's quite usual that the partner of the main invitee will not know either person, thus they may well be there under protest, or at worst would be as happy being elsewhere.
 
europhile said:
An acquaintance has just told me that he has been quoted EU15 PER GUEST for cushions for the seats at his wedding in a west County Dublin hotel. Personally, I would tell them to shove their cushions up their gooters and take my business elsewhere.
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Why the drama & fuss? Can he not just say that he doesn't want/need cushions?
 
car said:
Same for starters. Soup and vol au vents (see earlier post) are tasty as bejaysus and at the bottom of the menu for costs. Try replacing that with oyster mousse and kipper shavings served up in mermaids knee caps and watch the hotelier laughing all the way to the bank while the chef curses you as his prep time goes up.
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:D
 
ronan_d_john said:
Why would you be bothered with people who are showing up grudgingly at your wedding?
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here here,

we had turkey and ham or salmon for dinner (so common) - because Hubbie loves ham and i like fish - we were paying the bill too €35 per head not including the drink for toast and wine which was also provided - all in you are talking about €50 per head.
Also, we expected nothing but was glad with the gifts we got - and they varied. If you assume everyone gives in excess of €150 then think again, but the point is not the gift but the sharing the day. Its an honour to get the invite, and an honour to have someone grace your wedding with their precence, people these days have busy lives and expensive lifestyles.

Those who mind don't matter and those who matter won't mind was the motto for my wedding planning and we came in bang on budget - just as well because it was all the cash we had to spend!
 
I am getting married next year and we are paying it ourselves, i am not going to be stupid with money and waste it on stuff like disposable cameras, favours and irish dancers etc. Our hotel is about 60 euro per head & drinks. We are not giving a choice of main course we will find out is there anyone who does not eat meat and then they can have chicken or salmon. Plus we are putting on a bus from the church and after the reception but we will be telling people in advance and we know it will be used. What normally happens is if the reception is a distance away people normally have no choice but to drive and then stay over in a B&B or the hotel. Where are church and hotel are in the same part of the city.

Shop around for everything and use the internet ebay and gownsales.com for bridesmaids dresses etc. From what i noticed from friends weddings if their parents are paying for alot they do not seem to shop around as much for stuff compared to if they where using their own money.
 
Bamhan said:
Vegetarians eat foods other than vegetables!
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But definitely not chicken or fish. Some people claim to be vegetarian and then eat fish. From the vegetarian society website:


Pseudo-Vegetarian

Someone who claims to be vegetarian, but isn't. This is particularly confusing to new vegetarians and in restaurants. A person will state that they are vegetarian, but then go on to order fish.


This is annoying for real vegetarians.
 
car said:
Meal costs depend on the menu and the venue and location. Ive seen anything from 30e per head up to 130e per head. If you take a choice of meals it costs more as the hotel needs to order more of both to be able to cater. 150 turkey and ham is 150 servings, but the same for beef or salmon is probably 130 beef and 70 salmon (whatever the split is). So now not only is the beef or salmon more expensive on its own but youre also paying for 200 meals just to give guests a choice.

Same for starters. Soup and vol au vents (see earlier post) are tasty as bejaysus and at the bottom of the menu for costs. Try replacing that with oyster mousse and kipper shavings served up in mermaids knee caps and watch the hotelier laughing all the way to the bank while the chef curses you as his prep time goes up.
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Is that why mermaids have to grow flippers
 
Bad news Liverlips, as someone else has said, meat is meat, so is chicken and salmon. Vegetarians eat dishes made from vegetables, pasta, nut roast, etc. I agree not spending a huge amount of money makes a lot of sense.My daughter is vegetarian, the first thing she asks when invited to a wedding is what time is the dinner. She knows all she will be able to eat is what ever vegetable is served up with the main course. If roast potatoes are on the menu they are out because they will have been cooked in the fat of the meat. So, she has to take sandwiches to fill up before the dinner. A wedding is usually a long day and by the time the reception comes round everyone is starving, including the vegetarian. But usually they are not catered for and are left hungry unless they bring their own food. It's not very polite to go digging on the plate either to see if there is gravy ( made from the juices of the meat ) you see the problem.
 
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