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Original poster

Wedding venue cancelling my menu choices with three weeks to go - devastated

248 replies

Ilikegherkins · 12/08/2022 16:59

I have just received an email from my wedding venue saying there has been a mid communication with my menu choices for my upcoming wedding. I have chosen a three course meal - with the help of the events planner at the venue, printed menus for 44 guests to choose and RSVP, spent hours with a spreadsheet to be able to get my pre order in - which was confirmed by the head chef in February (all choices with costings)

We have a three course set menu for 44 guests - we have also pro ordered lots of wine / beer and will be getting evening food for approx 60 people

I am in complete disbelief. The new set menu they have sent me bears no resemblance to my menu and is £20 per head more expensive

They have offered me a bottle of champagne to say sorry

Does anyone have any constructive advice - I'm a bit heartbroken

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 13/08/2022 01:47

i would have thought with all the discussions you have a contract, especially as you’ve now paid.

Original poster
Ilikegherkins · 13/08/2022 11:22

Thankyou everyone- your replies have helped so much. I'll get my action plan together and get something sorted. Cant/ won't let it spoil the day. I'll update next week when I have a resolution

Thanks MN

OP posts:
Blackdiame · 13/08/2022 11:35

I agree with all the good advice you've had here but the if you're paying for a wedding planner they should be doing all this for you.

LookItsMeAgain · 13/08/2022 12:19

I'm just after having a thought - if the pub has a website, see if there is a menu on their website. See if that online menu has changed significantly since you made your original request to the venue.
If they are able to make the food for the general public (as in not for a private event) there is nothing stopping them scaling up and producing the same food for a private event.

Best of luck with your negotiations!

longtompot · 13/08/2022 16:40

I hope you get a good resolution to this @Ilikegherkins I would have thought they'd have taken any price rises on the chin for already organised events, and any new ones have the new prices. Surely they'd make a good enough amount of money on the drinks that they will sell?

IsobelElsie123 · 13/08/2022 18:00

Yes it will - as long as it can be gathered from the correspondence what was agreed. It looks like the email/agreement was with an authorised rep of the company (ie senior) which is even better

ApolloandDaphne · 13/08/2022 18:03

I hope you get a good resolution OP

Jenfer76 · 13/08/2022 18:12

Hi @Ilikegherkins I often cater weddings. If you send me what menu you originally wanted vs what they are suggesting I can advise of how to maybe close the gap between the two. They def shouldn’t be increasing menu price this close to date, although is it because you have an all inclusive cost per head? If staffing is included in your menu price then this has gone up massively of late. Sympathies!

Milkand2sugarsplease · 13/08/2022 18:23

There needs to be some give from them. They can't quote you one price and then add £20 a head on.
I'd collate all your emails and conversations with them confirming what you agreed and be ready for negotiations. Not what you need right before your day but I wouldn't be rolling over and taking it at all. Hope you get somewhere.

LoisLane66 · 13/08/2022 18:24

I have not read the comments, only the OP's initial post. My first thought is that back in February, food costs were lower and sourcing them was easier. Now costs have jumped (even today in M&S the price hikes were unbelievable and shelves noticeably far less full with a scarcity of bread - at 9am)
Food for thought...

Chefsousa · 13/08/2022 18:27

Hello Certain ingredient /products are out of stock for months now .I believe can be because of this situation. Working in the food industry I realised that . But I still think they should not raise the menu price per head.

prh47bridge · 13/08/2022 18:35

@Ilikegherkins I haven't read the full thread - just your posts. My thoughts:

  • you have a contract. It may not be written down in the form of a contract but it clearly exists. They have agreed to provide a venue with food and drink at an agreed price. That is the contract.
  • I simply don't believe the "can't get the ingredients" claim given your choice of menu. It doesn't sound like it includes any ingredients that are difficult to source.
  • If they really insist on moving to the new menu, they should absorb the price increase. If not, they are in breach of contract. Indeed, given that you have had menus printed, my view is that they should supply the food at the original price and, if they insist on changing the menu, they should pay for the menu to be reprinted.
Oblomov22 · 13/08/2022 18:35

No. This is totally unacceptable. I'd complain and ask what compromises can be made, what adjustments can be made. I would ask them to honour the agreement, provided to head chef in February, as closely as possible.

Oblomov22 · 13/08/2022 18:36

Email wedding planner, and the top manager. Then phone wedding planner on Monday.

Sswhinesthebest · 13/08/2022 18:41

Good luck op.

Oblomov22 · 13/08/2022 18:41

Yes it's not the end of the world. But don't back down OP. Are they legally bound to honour it? I think they probably are. You menu choices are mainstream. It's like a chef saying I can't do a chicken breast anymore. Bollocks. Just total bullshit. They can, but because prices have gone up, it'll now cost them £12 instead of £9.

DeeRose73 · 13/08/2022 18:44

The email thread is your contract. A contract requires offer and agreement and if they offered you all the previous menu at a previous price and you agreed and paid it, that's your contract. A contract can be 'frustrated' in certain circumstances, ie the venue burns down the day before without blame to either party but loss of profit to them is not enough to frustrate a contract. They must provide the same or similar at the same price.

Oblomov22 · 13/08/2022 18:46

Email OP. So that you've got evidence - a paper trail. After the phone call then follow it up with an email to clarify all that was agreed.

Be polite but strong. Don't back down.

Thelittleweasel · 13/08/2022 18:48

@Ilikegherkins

This is so sad. I would say that the menu was certainly a fundamental part of the contract albeit sent by someone who did not really know what they were doing. I suppose cancelling the contract is out of the question? Get married quietly instead? Oh Lord am I serious? It's all too late of course - in practical terms all you can do is the best you can for the wedding and your future life and sue the provider later [take advice from a good Solicitor] for compensation.

There is a concept called "estoppel" which basically says that if someone says something to you "offering a menu" then they are bound by that even though someone else in their employ made a mistake unless they were "on a frolic of their own"

I hope you will - at least - have a very happy married life cake

Orbilia · 13/08/2022 18:54

That email from the chef constitutes a contract in itself. If they’ve also taken a deposit, that shows that they've made a contract with you.

I get that the original menu may not be possible as the heat is really messing with food production across Europe plus Ukraine, but asking more when you’ve previously agreed a price is not on.

Thinking2022 · 13/08/2022 18:59

The venue cannot put up the prices unless there is an explicit term in your contract with them which they highlighted to you

Elegantlyangry · 13/08/2022 19:05

Hang on a tick - is there a legitimate reason for the change in menu? Eg, with lots of chicken coming from Ukraine and this being a meat of choice with ‘ English ‘ people, there is seriously a national shortage !
Ask their rationale for charging you more however ( - are you aware we have rampant inflation in food prices ? ) and try to come to some compromise .
Most people at wedding receptions waste half the food anyway - could they just make the portions smaller ?
As my daughter would say ‘ 1st world problems ‘ !

DH80 · 13/08/2022 19:09

The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, electronic communications can constitute legally binding contracts.

Oblomov22 · 13/08/2022 19:14

Ask them. I would cleverly take the piss out of them! Ask them specifically what they can't get hold of. Specifically. It's not some wierd off the wall ingredient , a wierd Russian caviar due to Ukraine war, or some ingredient none of us have heard of - some bat droppings that now aren't available from Wuhan because of the rumours that that's where covid originated from? Wink Tell them you are calling bullshit and that you can nip your Costco and buy 150 chicken breasts (15 packs of 10) easily yourself.

prh47bridge · 13/08/2022 19:19

DH80 · 13/08/2022 19:09

The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act and Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, electronic communications can constitute legally binding contracts.

These are US laws. Neither of them has any effect in the UK. It is, however, true that emails can constitute a binding contract. We didn't need any new laws to decide that. In this case there was an offer by the venue which was accepted by the OP. A price was agreed and the OP has presumably at least paid a deposit, so there has been a consideration, and there was clearly an intention to create a legally binding contract. There is therefore a contract and the emails are evidence as to the terms of the contract.