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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:
Lweji · 18/01/2015 14:53

It's like parking tickets. If the warning/line is not clearly visible, you can't be forced to pay.

BoomBoomsCousin · 18/01/2015 14:53

I don't know about raging alcoholic or greedy, but she was "tipsy" before dinner had even been served and pouring herself neat whisky (generlaly and after dinner drink not an aperitif) - that's going over the top a little really.

EdSheeran · 18/01/2015 14:54

"I might do this with Pot Noodles if I ever get married. We can have the Doner Kebab table, the Original Curry table etc."

Grin
PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange · 18/01/2015 14:56

My DH only drinks jack Daniels, so he would have that before the meal.

Not every one likes wine, beer or certain sports.

BreconBeBuggered · 18/01/2015 14:56

Seriously, 'entitled'? OP didn't waltz behind the bar and help herself. It was on the table.

If a bride and groom in my family pulled a stunt like putting out drink that's not for drinking, they'd get stung by every single table unless the teetotal lot were seated together. You need a much clearer POISON ALERT - DO NOT DRINK - RISK OF CONFISCATORY FINE all the way around the bottle if you don't want anyone to touch the stuff. Might have put a bit of a dampener on the theme, right enough, but not as bad as making an invited guest feel thoroughly awful all through the reception.

Chandon · 18/01/2015 14:59

forgiveable mistake OP.

Let the B&G sort it out with the hotel!

expatinscotland · 18/01/2015 14:59

Fair point, backwards, but no one would dream of not drinking whisky sat on a table in Speyside.

jessybelle · 18/01/2015 15:04

Having worked and organised many number of hotel weddings I would say that it was a bit silly of the Bride and Groom to put them on the table and they should have been prepared to foot the bill if they were opened however the venue should have offered so save their empties and fill with water as decoration instead. If you feel really bad I would probably discretely ask the bride if they were charged. If only one shot was taken then the venue may have only charged a token corkage amount of one shot but be prepared to offer up the full amount if the the venue did charge full wack.

Just to clarify for all those up in arms over the amount for the corkage. The corkage in this instance would be to cover the amount the bar would lose out on from guests drinking from the bottles bought in to the venue rather than bought from the bar which would amount to around £150.

GraysAnalogy · 18/01/2015 15:04

Tipsy can mean anything and some people get tipsy off a single glass, which people are given on reception.

If your drink of choice is whiskey then it's going to be the first drink you buy. My DP is a jack daniels drinker. His first drink would be the one he likes and drinks. It's not about going for the hard stuff. Some people chose to get weaker drinks than move on to stronger ones, some don't.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 18/01/2015 15:08

That has to be the best use of 'entitled' I've ever seen on a MN thread. Entitled for opening a bottle that according to the etiquette of just about any function anywhere would have been expected to be free. Most people wouldn't have read the back of the bottle sober so I doubt being tipsy made much of a difference.

It's not like she necked the whole bottle. Although for £150 she would have been quite within her rights to do so.

FightOrFlight · 18/01/2015 15:11

Where is the OP?

Do you think she is lying in an entitled whisky-induced haze somewhere? Or perhaps she has been arrested on a charge of Drinking Spirits Before Dinner (carries a hefty sentence or so I hear).

Hmm
squoosh · 18/01/2015 15:13

I heard she was hauled off on a charge of Inebriation And Intentional Entitlement.

PicaK · 18/01/2015 15:14

Well next wedding I'm at it'll be easy to spot the mumsnetters - the ones carefully scrutinising the back of any bottles of alcohol on the table.

Hats off to the B&G who start married life with a full drinks cabinet instead of paying out for wedding decs (tho I wonder who was paying.)

Selfish of them though to palm any accidental opening onto their guests. They took the risk so they should pay. The small print on the back of the bottles doesn't let them off imo.

LoisWilkerson15 · 18/01/2015 15:16

squoosh Grin

expatinscotland · 18/01/2015 15:16

Why not deduct the cost of the nip of whisky from whatever cash gift you gave them, OP? Win-win!

squoosh · 18/01/2015 15:16

Maybe they should have added an extra dimension to their table decoration to avoid any confusion...........

eek I caused a 150 corkage fee last night wwyd
Lweji · 18/01/2015 15:17

MNetters will be checking the back of the plates, I suspect. Even the chairs, just in case. :)

INeedSomeHelp · 18/01/2015 15:17

If they took all the bottles off the tables will they even know which table the opened bottle was on? And if they do, would they even know who opened it?
But if you do have to pay, you should get the rest of the bottle (blooming expensive bottle of Grouse though!)

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 18/01/2015 15:18

Technically, it's not quite a full drinks cabinet any more.

simbacatlivesgain · 18/01/2015 15:21

We recently went to a hindu wedding. Each table had 6 bottles of spirits on to help yourself. Wine was also served.

FightOrFlight · 18/01/2015 15:23

Squoosh [grin} at that picture! Looks a bit BDSM ...

They could have put an Alice in Wonderland style note on the bottles saying Don't Drink Me

backwardpossom · 18/01/2015 15:23

Indeed expat - it would be rather rude not to have whisky on the table.

And is it not normal to be tipsy before the meal? There's a good couple of hours between the ceremony and the meal - few glasses of champagne on an empty stomach and I'm all over the place... alcoholic ffs...

Eltonjohnsflorist · 18/01/2015 15:26

I wouldn't pay
If I were the B/G I would refuse to pay
If it ever came out it were me I would tell the B/G that I wasn't paying and they should refuse to also.

Hotels always try something on with the final bill and I'm sure the negotiations will be wrapped up along with all the other attempted rip offs

itsmeitscathy · 18/01/2015 15:29

OP, you're not greedy, an alcoholic or entitled (what does that even mean in this context?!). I'd say nothing and hope for the best, if the bride or groom start asking people for money or moaning about one being drunk I'd probs offer to pay and ask for the rest of the bottle

BoomBoomsCousin · 18/01/2015 15:30

Tipsy can mean anything Grey. But in this case it apparently meant being the only guest (of what? 10 tables so 60 - 100 guests?) who thought opening the spirits before dinner was a good idea... While it is certainly possible the OP's state of intoxocation would have made no difference (and it wasn't a wise move on the Bride and Groom's part to put bottles they ddn't want drinking on the table), she does sound like she found the alcohol to be the most attractive part of the celebration and perhaps wasn't a model guest.

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