am I being thick or is the wedding venue taking the piss?!

[Floss881]

So we've booked one of the top venues in the UK for our wedding. Today we received the dreaded payment reminder we'd been waiting for:
"This is just a quick reminder email to say that your venue hire fee payment of £4250 is due on or before the end of November.
The original £1500 booking deposit is deducted from the final food / drink / accommodation balance payable 6 weeks prior, NOT the venue hire fee at this stage."

"I was like whaaaaaat, since when couldn't you use the "venue" deposit against the venue fee?!". Their response was that it was in the t&c's. However, I dug out the t&c's and the only mention of the deposit was in the payment schedule:
Deposit.... £1500
6 months before... Full venue fee (£tbc)
6 weeks before... Final balance (£tbc)
I think that's pretty ambiguous... There is no other mention of the deposit in the t&c's but the booking form describes it as "venue deposit". The venue director also claims that he sent me a confirmation letter on receipt of deposit with the policy indicated, which I swear I've never seen!

It's not the end of the world, just annoying before Christmas. I've asked the venue if they would accept Full and complete payment in January- 5 months before the wedding, so waaaay before the 6 weeks required (for food and drink) in exchange for using the deposit against the venue fee, which they have so far refused. Has anyone else had this? Are they just being dicks?!

The phrase FULL venue fee is pretty clear. It doesn't say full venue fee less deposit. A contract is what it says, not what you would like it to say.

^ this.
How do you know it is a 'top venue in the UK'? Is there a secret list somewhere.

snapcrap

Top venue in U.K., gleneagles, chewton glen etc
Hilarious to mention in op 😂

I can see why you're put out, OP, if you misunderstood but I don't think youll win this one. Much better to be on good terms with the venue.

As PP have said, if you can afford for the venue it does seem strange that you can stump up that money now. Its all going to get paid eventually anyway.

If it's one of the top wedding venues in the UK, I imagine they are always fully booked up with loads of demand so if you don't pay your deposit when they want, they'll be a big queue of people that will.

As it's laid out in a timeline schedule and clearly says deposit then full venue fee at six months, I also think that's very clear.

If uou thought you didn't need to pay the deposit then the full venue fee you should have clarified with them at the time, but to me, yes it's clear, deposit, then full venue fee, then balance, but maybe they should have put in their the deposit was deducted from final balance to avoid any confusion,

Top venue in U.K., gleneagles, chewton glen etc

But 4K venue charge isn't indicative of a 'Top UK Venue' (unless it's a Tuesday in Feb on special offer)

I think the contract is clear so YABU. I also think you should have assumed you were clear prior to signing the contract

Are you having your honeymoon in Maui?!

Venue charges at top venues have at least a zero on the end of the OP's £4000 budget.

The T&Cs are crystal clear, the booking form causes confusion. I'd suggest they update their booking form in line with their T&Cs and put it down to experience. Have a fab wedding!!

We paid hire cost (£3k + Vat) upfront

I can see why you might think the deposit comes of the venue fee but when you read it carefully you can see what the venue are asking for is correct.
I think though if £1500 paid a bit earlier than you thought is enough to cause you an issue then you have overstretched yourselves financially.

That's standard practice

I think the terms are ambiguous too. BTW, don't ever post wedding related questions on AIBU as you will be torn to threads and advice probably won't be neutral.

no ambiguity about the wording - what part of "Ful Venue Fee" do people not understand?

If the depoist was to be offset there it would say "Balance of Venue Fee".....

If you have booked a top wedding venue and you're getting married in 6 months, then surely a question of when you pay £1500 of the total price shouldn't make a massive difference to you? If this is not comethins you can easily afford then perhaps you should change venues.

Is it 6 months to your wedding now?

Dammit, I was going to ask about Maui but LuckySantangelo got there first

Don't think people are reading it right. to me the deposit is part of the bill. It just secures the date. So if the venue is costing 5 grand that leaves 3500 to pay. You shouldn't pay more then get the deposit back at the end of it. So i think they abu the deposit is only there to secure.

www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/bazaar-brides/news/g33040/best-uk-wedding-venues/

Perhaps it's one of these! Don't think it's the Lighthouse at Dungeness though, unless they've got some pretty fancy caterers in...

I'm sure your venue is lovely but sounds so crappy to tell people it's ''top venue in the uk' sounds like you're bragging....especially when the price isn't really what a top venue would be.
Anyway, their t&c sound clear to me and I think you should just pay.

I would probably think the same as you did but it's your wedding so don't let it overshadow your special day. When we got married the we had to pay an additional £1500 security deposit the week before the wedding, it came as a total shock to me when I checked it was in the contract but the small .... small print!! We just had to stomach it. They really should be clearer and explain the contracts as your signing. just let them know that it should be clearer so future guests don't get a shock then just pay it and enjoy the rest of your wedding planning :)

I would suspect financial trouble...pay with a card!

Thank you OP for reminding us worthless peons that you're better than us.

I think there's a nought or two missing - if it is a top wedding venue the venue hire would be way higher & if it were a top venue you would have sufficient funds to pay the hire now in full regardless of whether the £1500 should be deducted or not in accordance with the contract.