To haggle or give up hope...WWYD?

9 replies

MeteorMedow · 21/10/2018 20:11

DP and I went to view a wedding venue last week. We love it, expensive but within budget.

Anyway they have an exclusive caterer whose website had their prices/ menus. Pricey but fine and good quality. However, at the venue visit they hand us a special brochure from the caterer in which they offer the EXACT same menu/ service as on their website - but for £30 a head more 😵 which makes them extortionate!

We didn’t mention it at the time as didn’t notice until we got home. We know what we want but we want it at their usual wedding prices not these randomly much higher ones - the caterer also want to run our cash bar...etc.

Should we;
A- Rule out the venue (even though we’re totally in love 😒😞).
B- Ask the caterers about this huge price hike and try to negotiate.
C- Mention the huge hike to the venue and explain its putting us off booking.

(venue is 20 mins from city centre so distance shouldn’t cause a big hike, but is a listed building. I’ve compared to other similar venues and the caterer is just plain expensive.)

The venue have a date 6 months from now which they’ve pretty much given up on selling (or so it came across) DP and I are wondering whether going for this may mean we’re able to negotiate more?? If so would it be with the venue or the caterer, or both?

Advice appreciated. Had we known how expensive the caterer was we probably wouldn’t have gone to see it so feel a bit perturbed that we’ve now gone and fallen in love.

OP posts:

Whatsnewwithyou · 21/10/2018 20:15

I would email your contact at the venue and the caterer in the same email, be very nice and polite, and ask them if there's anything they can do. They may well each lower their prices so you can get it for £30 less per person, so the amount you were prepared to pay. You never know unless you ask!

MaryShelley1818 · 21/10/2018 20:16

I would DEFINITELY ask them about the price hike.

Original poster

MeteorMedow · 21/10/2018 20:21

Thanks, we do have a healthy budget so can’t see it ‘not being worth it’ to them.
But atm the total venue/ catering costs are about 20% higher than we can realistically afford (all due to catering).

It’s such a nice venue though!

OP posts:

theworldistoosmall · 21/10/2018 20:24

I would email them to bring the pricing error to their attention. Chances are they will email you back with some bullshit. I would then email them back asking for justification about the pricing difference and cc in trading standards.

I would also look for somewhere else that doesn't take the piss like this as I would be wondering what else are they hiking up.

Holdingonbarely · 21/10/2018 20:26

Always try and negotiate
What’s to lose

elessar · 21/10/2018 20:34

I would call them - ask them to confirm prices as per website etc then say you'd like to book for that venue. It puts them in a very sticky situation if they suddenly try to hike the price, and you can push back hard.

elessar · 21/10/2018 20:35

At a guess I would suggest that the reasoning is because of a commission the venue takes - but it still doesn't make it acceptable

greendale17 · 21/10/2018 20:47

**I would email them to bring the pricing error to their attention. Chances are they will email you back with some bullshit. I would then email them back asking for justification about the pricing difference and cc in trading standards.

I would also look for somewhere else that doesn't take the piss like this as I would be wondering what else are they hiking up.**

^This. I wouldn’t want to book with them after this.

MrTrebus · 21/10/2018 21:01

Cc in trading standards seriously? Don't do that it's ridiculous they'll either end up giving you crap food on your wedding day or refusing to cater for you. They can charge what they like, it's up to you to negotiate.

Flip