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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

eek I caused a 150 corkage fee last night wwyd

362 replies

alittlethyme · 18/01/2015 10:16

Was at a wedding last night. Each of the tables we're named after a spirit and they had a bottle of whatever on the table. I was a bit tipsy and didn't know many people, so cracked open some whisky without noticing that it had a label on the other side saying drinking this would be a 150 fee. I only had a few mm and screwed the lid back on tightly after I realise d the fee.

One aibu to think 150 a bottle is a stupid amount?

Two should I go back to the hotel today sober to try and get a reduction in the fee as was barely touched?

Three should I pay whatever the charge is?

OP posts:
firesidechat · 18/01/2015 11:37

I can understand a bottle of spirits at a venue costing £150, but the op said the drink was bought by the bride and groom and the £150 was the corkage fee. That sounds massively OTT.

And as others have said, unless the bride or groom work in the drinks industry, it sounds like an odd choice of centrepiece.

firesidechat · 18/01/2015 11:39

Ah, just seen your post Ronald. I suppose that makes slightly more sense.

LoisWilkerson15 · 18/01/2015 11:42

Did anyone who was a child of the 80's ever get in trouble at a wedding for munching those little bags of almonds you got as favours?
and for spitting them out on the floor

BabyX · 18/01/2015 11:43

No need to "own up". It's a matter between the b&g and the hotel. It was their arrangement, not yours.

Anyway, it'll give them some post-wedding drama to ease them through the anti-climax as they and their families spend the next six months working out who the culprit was.

Insane idea for centrepieces - and really tacky.

Do you worry this thread might out you OP? It's quite specific in its details...

FindoGask · 18/01/2015 11:43

£150 for a snifter of Famous Grouse? That's shocking!

I went to a wedding where each table was named after a whisky, and a bottle of that whisky was the centrepiece. If there was a corkage I've no idea what it was - it was made clear to us that it was there to be drunk. Ours was a bottle of Balvenie. Yum yum.

BabyX · 18/01/2015 11:45

Hmm, just spotted the bottles were removed before the meal.

You old lush, didn't hang about did you? Grin

yellowdinosauragain · 18/01/2015 11:45

I suspect the venue didn't notice of only a few mm was drunk. If they did they're totally out of order for removing the opened bottle that had had corkage charged, unless of course they used the remainder to serve anyone ordering whiskey from the bar for free. In which case you shouldn't be paying anyway.

hhhhhhh · 18/01/2015 11:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

partialderivative · 18/01/2015 11:48

Surely you should pay for it. It was marked with a price and every other table seemed to be able to cope with this.

Why should the B&G pay for you being too pissed to notice what's on the table in front of you?

partialderivative · 18/01/2015 11:50

But, of course, the rest of the bottle belongs to you and should not find its way back onto the venue's shelves.

DropYourSword · 18/01/2015 11:51

Why do you assume she was pissed partial? I have never checked to see if there was a price on a bottle of alcohol on the table when I've been at a wedding - doesn't mean I was too pissed to read. You naturally assume alcohol on the table is there to be enjoyed.

RonaldMcDonald · 18/01/2015 11:53

I also see that the OP said that it was the B&G's bottle not the hotel's

It will depend how strict the hotel have been and if they have noticed

If they have noticed and fine the B&G I think you have to pay - on the bright side you will have consumed the world's most expensive shot of Famous Grouse

cattypussclaw · 18/01/2015 11:53

The tables at my wedding were named after different red wines. [hangs head in shame]

RonaldMcDonald · 18/01/2015 11:54

Assume she was pissed as she said she was a little bit tipsy and as she was knocking into whiskey before the wedding meal...

yellowdinosauragain · 18/01/2015 11:55

Exactly dropyoursword. I certainly wouldn't be reading the bottle's label before drinking it and it's entirely possible not to have seen what was written on the side facing away from her before opening it!

The only strange thing in this scenario is that she was the only person to open the bottle, imho! Who puts alcohol on the table at their wedding and expects their guests to know they're not to drink it? Confused

SauvignonBlanche · 18/01/2015 11:57

Did the other guests at the 'Whisky' table not notice you doing it OP?

partialderivative · 18/01/2015 11:57

As RMcD pointed out, this was in the OP

shakemysilliesout · 18/01/2015 11:57

Do not pay.

Best wedding thread of 2015!!

DancingDays · 18/01/2015 11:58

If I was the bride (and thought up stupid ideas like this) I would think £150 on top of the thousands for the wedding is a small price to pay for having a friend who drank the table decorations. I would secretly be proud of you. I want a friend who drinks the table decorations. Grin

limitedperiodonly · 18/01/2015 12:00

You poor thing. No idea what you should do. But I want to say if I liked whisky I'd have done exactly the same thing.

I've been to a few weddings and other parties where there were spirits on the table and they were meant to be drunk. They were quite classy dos as well.

The only reason I didn't touch them was because they were always whisky or brandy and I don't like them.

One party had old-fashioned glamorous cigarette girls handing out cigars. I assumed they were free. I didn't take one but some women did and channeled Madonna/Sharon Stone. The men were tipping generously.

All right, maybe the party wasn't so classy but everyone was happy Grin

I did take a silver powder compact left at the ladies' places at the cigar do. Now I'm wondering whether it was just for show. Oh well, it was years ago.

LoisWilkerson15 · 18/01/2015 12:01

Did they have those disposable cameras on the table too op? There could be evidence out there of your crime! your fucked

ExitPursuedByABear · 18/01/2015 12:07

How do you know someone on the other tables didn't open their 'table decoration'?

Bloody stupid idea and no, don't offer to pay.

partialderivative · 18/01/2015 12:14

But it had a label on with the price.

I really do not see that which side of the bottle it lay is of any consequence.

The OP decided to open the bottle, and therefore should pay the price.

It may seem very high, but the deed was done.

TickleMyTitsTillFriday · 18/01/2015 12:17

Ha! I wouldn't mention it. It's an expense for the bride and groom. Don't worry yourself about it.
We had our tables named after cocktails (there.is a relevance there with our name) I am just trying to imagine our friends not drink a cocktail if I'd been enough of a tit to put one as a table decoration Grin

BoredChurch · 18/01/2015 12:21

Won't the other guests have seen you sampling the whisky - did no one notice the label?

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