No, we didn't and to be honest, I know people suggest it all the time but I don't actually know anyone that has done it, surely it's a bit weird??
It would also obviously depend on you having the ceremony at a different venue and to be honest, I think they would very quickly suss you out. I'm also not entirely convinced when people say 'oh, venues add on $$$ as soon as they realise it's a wedding!!' - surely a set menu is a set menu etc??
Obviously this probably isn't true if you have, say a sit down dinner/buffet in a restaurant etc.
Also, would you want to be worrying on the day about what the venue will say when you rock up in your wedding dress?
Anyway, to answer the OPs original questions:
- We paid 90 GBP a head for 3 courses, 3 glasses of Prosecco (2 for after ceremony, one for toasts), half a bottle of wine per person during dinner and water on all tables. I got the impression from the various quotes we received that this was the expensive side of average IYSWIM. You can spend as much or as little as you want to though I guess, and you are always going to get people coming on and saying 'oh, we paid 3p per head and it was WONDERFUL'
- We found that asking suppliers to lower their prices didn't really work but they were more likely to throw things in for free and suggest ways to cut corners. Eg our florst agreed to half her set-up costs if we agreed to drop off the hurricane lanterns the next day rather than her have to collect them ourselves, the lighting guy knocked the delivery price off for the dancefloor etc...Just be up front with them about your budget and you should find that most decent suppliers will work with you to give you the most possible for your money