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 issue is, I think, that the deposit, presumed to be banked against the venue fee, has actually been banked against the food/drink/etc?

I can't see why that's necessarily an issue mind. Makes no difference at the end of the day.

And YY to the hilariously mistargeted stealth boast...

Oh, reread, there's a different part schedule. So OP is a deposit's worth of money down earlier than expected.

I agree though, it's clear from their terms.

different cost schedule...

Was it on Britain's Top Venues?

Terribly common to quibble about the fee.

We got married at a top London venue for people who live near where we did when we got married: Fulham Registry Office.

at one of the top venues in the UK for our wedding. Hee hee !

I've come to the conclusion that the only thing that it is acceptable to stealth boast about on Mumsnet is the value of your house.

No-one bats an eyelid about the naice period detached near the best school in the nicest commuter village, that 90% of the population cannot afford, but god forbid you admit to a nice wedding, car or anything else considered frivalous on here and you will be ripped to shreds .

Top U.K. Wedding venue for £4250?? Where are you?

Best stealth boast ever.

Another solicitor- agree with allthebest etc

Why not Maui?

Uhm.... why have such an expensive wedding if you can't easily afford it?

Nice name BarbaraofSeville by the way.
And good point!

i think they're taking the piss.

YANBU to expect the Venue Deposit to be deducted from the Venue Fee, and not from the final balance

However, their use of 'Full Venue Fee" in the T&Cs agreement is pretty clear.

God so many bitchy comments. It's like being at school.

Gutted that I just rejoined Mumsnet just to be able to post . . .

Have you considered having the wedding in Maui instead?

But Lu219 beat me to it!

I would never expect the deposit to be deducted anything other than the very final payment you make! It's insurance in case anything is damaged/ broken/ final bills aren't paid.

YABVVU and shortsighted here!

Also which of one of the top wedding venues in the country only charges £4,500 as a venue hire fee?

I think everyone knows you don't get a top wedding venue for 4K, no point pointing it out,,,,, x

The deposit is £1500, to secure the room on the relevant date.

The venue hire fee payment is £4250, and is due 6 months before the event.

"The original £1500 booking deposit is deducted from the final food / drink / accommodation balance payable 6 weeks prior, NOT the venue hire fee".

Seems pretty clear to me? By the second payment you will have spent £5750, of which you get £1500 deducted from the third and final payment.

The contract doesn't matter now. The poor OP now feels that the place she thought was stunning has been rubbished by everyone for being cheap and possibly feels a bit of a laughing stock.

Somebody mentioned like being at school. Nah. Even kids know when teasing turns to something far more unpleasant.

When I book my wedding the venue hire was £1200.

I paid £800 as a deposit and then paid the £1200 later, 6 weeks before the wedding, along with food costs.

My deposit wasn't just to hold the date and venue, but the venue's security deposit, I got my £800 back 3 weeks after the wedding.

Is this what you mean, you didn't expect the holding deposit to also the be the security deposit, but a part payment for the venue?

Ignore me, I obviously can't read an OP.

So we've booked one of the top venues in the UK for our wedding.

Why?

Have you looked at Holiday Inn? They do a great package for around 5k.xxx

If you're needing to delay paying the relatively small payment of £1500, it sounds as if you are overextending yourselves. Is it really worth it?

You won't be any more married than if you have a reception in a pub.

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

It's got fuck all to do with it being a wedding Bill it's because it's not piss arse cheap, that's what gets these type of responses

.... why have such an expensive wedding if you can't easily afford it?

Where does the op say she can't afford it?

She only says it's annoying but not the end of the world.

If she thought the deposit came off the hire cost then why not ask if you see it hadn't.

People don't stay very comfortable by not giving a shit about where there money goes and not checking stuff