To be mildly annoyed that some pubs can’t get their head around the fact that even though this is a wedding I’m trying to book, it’s a small affair!

[SweetMarmalade]

I live in a lovely area with some stunning pubs.

I’m having the tiniest of weddings, want to head off to a local afterwards, handful of family coming along.

Manager of one lovely pub, ‘don’t really cater for weddings’doesn’t know what corkage is, thinks we’ll be pissed off dining with the ‘regulars’
Another pub in the area is far more accommodating and knows what they’re talking about but this young manager (and I’m not being ageist here) doesn’t seem to have a clue. Such a shame as the venue is stunning!
I wish I’d just asked to book a table and rock on up!

This ain’t no bridezilla but pubzilla! Why do people fall apart the minute you mention ‘wedding’!

I do get what you want op, but I'm with others in the about taking your own 2 bottles of fizz. If it's only 2 bottles surely it's just worth buying them from the pub? I do think that's a step too far even though it's only 2 bottles.

The rest of it sounds lovely, and I hope you get something sorted.

Just call up and book a table for 12 and say it is for a special celebration.

If you want to decorate the table just ask if you might be able to bring a few decorations in for the table.

Don’t ask to bring anything else in. Just buy from the pub or as we did hire a mini bus get a special guest/relative to drive it and drink it on there and sing songs and get merry with your guests on the way. Best way to do it.

You don't want a lunch in a pub, you want a bloody wedding reception for the price of being a garden variety punter. Cheeky AF! Set menus, decorations for the table, corkage for your bubbly (speeches and toasts). Already full of demands. THIS is why venues charge more for weddings or don't want to be a venue for receptions. They're a PITA. As pointed out, the noise puts off other diners, there are always more demands on the staff, etc.

My brother had a very nice meal after his wedding. Pub over the road to the register office and around 10 -12 people. They didnt normally do lunches so we were the only diners although there were a couple of drinkers at the bar but it was very quiet.

So, don't ask to bring the champagne (buy theirs). Don't ask for a non sunday roast/ special menu . Dont ask for a discount. Set a time limit on it.. then all should be easy to sort.

Why do you want to take your own champagne. I mean it just doesn’t make sense. If you’re that tight do it at home

As for 'we'll be buying other booze there!', well, yeah, of course you will, it's a pub.

This is presumably the only wedding you’ve ever booked. The pubs have a lot more experience than you. They are in business to make money. So they have clearly had experience of previous customers and events and they know that the prospect of money to be made from the type of small wedding you want, is not worth the workload for them. That’s their choice. Why would you want to have your wedding somewhere that you weren’t welcome as a wedding? Why not find a place which welcomes and wants to host weddings? It doesn’t really matter what the venue says its reasons are; it’s clear that they don’t want your business for this event. So why not go somewhere you will be welcomed and feted? Instead of being grudgingly accommodated, and everyone feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome.

Best wishes.

Have you found out how much a bottle of prosecco is from the pub? Maybe 25 quid? So for the sake of 50 quid you could have the venue you wanted?? Worth a thought (and hubby booking for granny's 80th....)

Why not find a place which welcomes and wants to host weddings?

Because they don't want to pay for it. Don't even want to buy two bottles of fizz from the pub, but want to be accommodated, have a special set menu . . .

… But the pub (rather patronisingly put by OP) do not 'understand corkage'

They may have to shut that day due to staff sickness, they may not have in the ingredients needed they may have XYZ.

The reason you pay wedding insurance and plan menus and pay corkage. Not because a 'lovely pub' licensee is a bit thick to understand what you want. Quite the opposite.

'Granny's 80th' will be a guaranteed flop, when the landlord realises you were out to 'outsmart him' It will not go down well with the chef either, you don't want that.

Good luck OP, you don't sound demanding at all, nobody has had this idea before you! You are unique and original and utterly unreasonable.

I don't think that @SweetMarmalade has the slightest intention of wanting "to take over with speeches and toasts and crap like that."

What is the point of offering advice about a scenario that you have completely imagined? Just read what the OP has actually said!

I think we have,

We have seen...
request for corkage IN A PUB
special roast menu/set menu BUT NO FUSS
booking for a wedding party BUT SUPER RELAXED
'the landlord didn't seem to understand corkage and refused te bboking' SHOCK!

This is what we have based comments on, in an 'AIBU' thread.

OP wants a wedding reception (not a traditional one but a wedding reception) and does not want to pay for it.

We did a stealth wedding reception in our local, OP. Just booked the table without naming the occasion and rocked up. It was fine. Good time had by all.

Because they refused it?

Wow! Think I’ve hit a nerve.

I merely asked if they could offer a roast mid week, they do it on Sundays. I didn’t demand, I enquired very nicely, it’s a business after all, if you don’t ask you don’t get, is there anything wrong with that? Have you never asked for a slight alternative on a menu? Ever?

Speeches who mentioned speeches! some of you are adding to the drama! There’s no best man, there’s no entourage just me, dc, dm, the in laws and siblings. Some of you have turned into Mumsnetzillas at the mere mention of a wedding and fucking corkage!

@Craftycorvid I need to do stealth!

They don't offer the roast the rest of the week for a reason. What's their usual lunch menu? What was wrong with that? You want a wedding reception, with a set menu priced per head, brought out at the time you want about an hour and a half after you arrive, just like a typical wedding reception but don't want to pay the prices. As for the fizz, well, you're at least going to have a toast, it's far from impossible that someone won't want to make a speech.

Dh and I had 'the tiniest' of weddings. Us and two witnesses. We went to Zizzi for lunch afterwards. We were dressed up but no 'wedding' dress. Got a table, ordered off the menu, bought a bottle of champagne. Job done.

Stealth but you want the decorated table, to bring in your own booze, a set menu with price per head and arranged time to bring it out, yeah, they're really not going to be able to suss that out.

Why do you think you have 'hit a nerve'?
Who gives a shit?

You're being U. You asked.

You enquired, they said 'nope' You don't understand why and we have tried to help.

Who mentioned decorated tables?

@BillieEilish where have I mentioned that the manager refused the booking? Stating that ‘we don’t really cater for weddings’ is not refusing the booking! They have still said we can book hence the reason why I’ve posted the difference between the two pubs! stop adding drama!