Having wedding reception at restaurant

[Fressia123]

We've found the perfect venue for our wedding meal. The idea is that we'll only have 20 guests for a meal, but Welly invite more people for drinks later in the evening. It's a fairly small restaurant (maybe can sit up to 30 at a push, but more like 25). In your experience will just booking the meal.for 20 with the promise of further drinks be enough? Or would they ask us to pay for "exclusive" use? I just don't want to have my hopes high this early on.

If the restaurant only seats about 25, I suspect that they'd ask you to pay for exclusive use. You've said that you will have 20 guests for the meal and then "more people for drinks" - the owners can't have that many people in there and then serve other patrons who've just come for a meal. Your party will fill the place, so there wouldn't be room for any other patrons. In your position I'd certainly expect to pay for exclusive use.

Yes, that's what I think will happen. How much would that be? Would it be for the rest of the day/evening? (We'd start around 4) . We're choosing a restaurant partly as a budget saving measure.

No randomer on the Internet can answer how much it will be. Get in touch with the restaurant, if it's outside your price range then just don't do it.

You need to book the whole restaurant really. I expect the owners will insist.

If I had gone out for a meal and found that 90% of the restaurant was a wedding party and my table was just tagged on the edge I'd feel really uncomfortable and like I was intruding.

I agree with the above. Most restaurants manage to fit in two services in the evening so you'd probably be expected to cover the cost of what they normally make from 50 covers.

@Fressia123

Long time ago I used to work in restaurants :)

Yes, you will be required to hire the whole venue. The cost will depend on their 2-3 course menu prices (example, how much they will lose out on not serving empty covers on a regular day). Bar tab will depend on their average drink prices. It will also depend on the day you choose - cheaper weekday, than weekend.

The best answer you will get, when you approach the restaurant. They will work out the special menu and bar tab price.

Yes that's more or less what we thought. So maybe suggesting exclusive use until 7 (and them just go on a bar crawl with the rest of the guests) or we also thought of doing the wedding on a Thursday rather than a Friday (they're only open til five, so it would be just one service and all the extra drinks would be a bonus) although again no idea how much they charge if it's past opening hours.

@Fressia123

Under circumstance you have described (Thursday plus they shut at 5), I would say you have a good chance of getting the venue at good price. I would offer discretionary charge of 10% (it will still be cheaper than pub crawl).

Thanks donkey it's a fairly small party TBH (we don't even know how many will show up to the drinks bit) and we're fairly flexible about dates/ times

@Fressia123

If the restaurant has alcohol take away licence, then you can pre-order set amount of wine (so they know exactly how much the bar tab will be - the minimum), for example, and if it is not consumed, then take it away with you.

You would need to know exact numbers for meal as they will need to have stock to accommodate you. They also might ask you to pre-order these meals.

Another option is to ask if they would be willing to do a buffet with price per guest.

Considering current situation, I'm sure this family owned (I assume by size) restaurant will be happy to have extra income coming in. It also means that they might consider this service in the future.

You will never know unless you ask them :)

Good luck!

We've already asked and they've said the will :) but they wanted to almost set a a date for a meeting (which is fine) but we feel we still have time. We also (will me in particular) wanted to have a broad idea of what to expect during said meeting. We don't have a massive budget but we're flexible so we hope we can get something we both like .

We did this. 20 people at our wedding then taxis to our favourite restaurant. Not a push restaurant tho. They cordoned off an area for us. We had them put bottle of champagne on each table then everyone ordered food and drinks from menu which we paid for as normal at the end. It was just like a normal big family meal really. They even put balloons up for us if I remember correctly.

The main concern will be social distancing surely? And won't the venue need to take info for track and trace? Some venues are taking temperatures too.

It sounds like the OP is in early planning stages for her wedding so I assume it's not taking place next week. If it's not until next Spring then the concerns about Social Distancing are premature.

Yes, this is April next year.

@Fressia123

Yes that's more or less what we thought. So maybe suggesting exclusive use until 7 (and them just go on a bar crawl with the rest of the guests) or we also thought of doing the wedding on a Thursday rather than a Friday (they're only open til five, so it would be just one service and all the extra drinks would be a bonus) although again no idea how much they charge if it's past opening hours.

Hi OP, bear in mind that the booking will kind of be across 2 services as the restaurant won't be able to serve other customers for a while beforehand. Hope you get it sorted.

I see what you mean gobby . We really don't wanr to spend more that £1k but Im starting to think they might want more than that. For example their high tea with bubbly is £40 for two).

@Fressia123 hopefully it won't add anything to your costs. I just didn't want you to go in without considering it may be a factor.