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

[Ilikegherkins]

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

I manage a similar pub and it looks to me like with rising costs their original quote will leave them lucky to break even.

This is absolutely their fault and the way they have approached things is totally unprofessional but as other posters have said, you need to reach a compromise. Expecting an extra £20 per head is a massive difference but maybe you could suggest a more reasonable figure and ask them to take into account your menu printing.

There are some things that are becoming increasingly difficult to source. You mention fish and chips and I know cod is one of those items. when we can get it, we’re paying more than double than we were just a few months ago.

they cant source fish and chip beef and chicken yeah right

more like head office have decided you got it too cheap and theyre making up crap about an old menu

well yeah it was february yure not going to change it come summer are you even if they do have a new menu

dont stand for this you want the menu you picked at the same price

We went in on Wednesday and paid for all the daytime food - guessing this is how it has now been picked up by head office

The OP has already paid in full. So there would have been an invoice and now she's paid so accepted their terms. As I see it they have to honour the agreement. I think they're trying it on big time. A bottle of champagne - yeah right.

Honestly companies see a bride or mother of the bride and literally triple their prices.

@Ilikegherkins
maybe worth floating this past the legal vipers over on the legal thread.

Jokers! They want to make big changes and charge you an extra £880? Then “compensate” you with 1 bottle of champagne?! Nah, l vote go with the constructive advice on here and push back big time

@RedWineRage good on you for getting it sorted

I’m not condoning what they have done.but those saying these items are available are being a bit nieve.yes you might get it for your tea.but mass catering, it is becoming increasingly impossible to source. Fish is almost double in cost.their aren’t the workers to fetch these things nor workers on the docks.lorry drivers are increasingly dropping off the planet or “going home” because Britain is a shit show. The fish markets are running out quicker.where as before we had our pick locally,we are now getting totally pissed on because bigger companies and supermarkets are needing our stock! Because they can’t get it abroad or from their local wholesaler.if this is a niche pub,highly decorated and up market it will be getting its produce I assume from the best.and the ripple effects on these places being squeezed from the top come right down to consumer.
they shouldn’t be working with you like they have.
but beleive me the food industry and generally food sourcing at the moment is struggling

Hello, I know you’ve had tons of replies but we had something similar at our wedding. They would not reason with us at all until I said fine, if you cannot honour this (it was a discount they offered) then this wedding is out of our budget and we will need to cancel. The discount was honoured.

Youve budgeted for £X and don’t feel any shame in telling them that the higher amount is out of your budget

It's unreasonable at a time of unprecedented rising costs combined with Brexit supply issues, war in Ukraine and climate problems to think that prices negotiated six months ago can be enforced now. I work in an entirely separate industry and our costs are up as much as 50% on both materials and labour. Anyone booking a wedding months, even years, ahead, needs to accept that.

It sounds to me as if the venue has been buying stuff in ready-made/ ready-prepared and that the supplier has changed its offer. My local pub buys in quite a lot of its food chilled (we see the Brakes Bros lorry delivering) and several of the regular items have been dropped from the menu recently.

Negotiate what you can but you need to be realistic.

Keep as much as possible by email and if you do speak to them ask them to send an email detailing what they’ve said. Written info is going to be crucial.

It is unreasonable at any time to think that prices negotiated in a contract six months ago can simply be increased unilaterally. Unless there is a clause in the contract (in this case, that could be the venue's terms and conditions) allowing them to increase the price, they cannot do so. However, I agree that OP needs to be realistic. If the venue's costs have gone up, it may be cheaper for them to simply walk away from the contract and pay damages to OP than to fulfil it at the original price.

By the way, don't assume that a Brakes lorry is delivering chilled food. They supply everything from frozen food to fresh produce.

Tell them bollocks. Contract Is based on offer and acceptance, they owe you more than a cheap bottle of fizz.

It's unreasonable at a time of unprecedented rising costs combined with Brexit supply issues, war in Ukraine and climate problems to think that prices negotiated six months ago can be enforced now

The OP has agreed a price (via emails) with the venue. They don't get to change the price UNLESS they had a specific term in their contract that would allow them to do so. Businesses usually do in their contracts with other businesses, but it would have to be based on certain criteria. In a consumer contract it would be an unfair term to say "we can increase the price as much as we like".

They made the agreement, they have to abide by it. Cost of doing business, tough if they make a loss, they will just have to put prices up for future bookings.

it is actually really worrying that so many MNers think businesses can do what they like in contracts with consumers. We also saw this when nurseries thought they could continue to charge consumers fees during the covid lockdown. There are protections in place for consumers, for goodness sake do research!

I'm still reading all your replies. Some more great advice today. Thankyou so much everyone- I'll start my retaliation on Monday.

Sorry to hear of the short notice change. Welcome to Brexit, now it's really kicking in. Things are short, or more expensive, or both.
We were warned.

thats bollocks unless it states so its not a variable fucking mortgage shes buying

I don't think you'll find that's necessarily accurate and anyone claiming that might want to take legal advice. It all depends on the contract but no halfway decent business will quote a guaranteed price for six months in advance. In my industry my quotes are valid for 30 days and come with various clauses to assert my right to raise my prices if necessary. Obviously the client is always free to say no.

I've recently torn up a contract with a client who tried your argument to make me supply goods at January's prices in July, when the equipment ordered in January finally arrived costing 30% more. I have a list of clients desperate to pay me the full price for the equipment. I think many consumers assume that they have all the rights and the suppliers none. It's not true. Businesses have to make money.

Don't give in! And good luck OP.

It’s unclear whether the excuse is solely rising prices, or OP chose from the wrong menu and no one realised until it was too late. It sounds like OP chose from the standard pub menu rather than the wedding / events set menu.

Get a legal professional to handle this: it may be cheaper in the long run, you have enough to worry about, and if the company is being unreasonable, they will back off if they get a phone call from your legal counselor. If there is ANYTHING in writing, even an email, your legal counselor will know if that constitutes a contract. They may be having problems getting the exact foods you specified, but they will become reasonable about the price if they have to deal with your lawyer instead of you.

Sometimes all it takes is a phone call from a legal professional for people to suddenly and mysteriously discover that they are able to fulfill their promises to you.

Just my advice…

They want to make money from you whilst knowing you can back out at any time leaving them with no bar bill and shit reviews.
Ask them what they can now do for the original budget. Be kind. Except thithat cost less but make it fun. Cheap bubbles, shots, shorter do.
Honestly as long as you do your wedding properly rather than a marketing exercise ,great.

Sounds like the old bait and switch. Promise you one thing and then switch it up and it cost more. I think that is illegal.

Hi Op,

I would advise not to have the conversation over the phone. Do it via email and get it all in writing as they are taking the Micky and you need proof of everything

yes things have gone up, but you have it in writing that they agreed to this in February and you have also paid for it. It’s not your problem that the cost of things have gone up. They have breached your agreement and a bottle of bubbly isn’t good enough.

I would speak to them firmly saying they need to honour the spirit of the original agreement but say you are willing to reduce their costs by for instance having less fancy potatoes or substituting expensive starters ingredients. Something as simple as roast chicken can cost from £2 - £25+ depending on choice of ingredients.

I hope you can reach a resolution. There’s no way I’d be accepting this without a real fight if I were in your shoes!

From someone on the other side of things.
We can’t source day to day consumables.
Suppliers have raised prices, sometimes double on single items.
I completely understand that this must be very upsetting and the way you were informed was not acceptable.
The “you were sent the old menu” seems iffy to me if as you say you discussed this with chef!
Its only going to get worse and although it’s no comfort to you, this is happening to businesses every day and we have no control over availability or pricing.
The comments about demanding you have what you ordered and at the price you agreed have no idea about F&B and the issues we are having trying to stay afloat plus keep clients and customers happy.
No matter how much you demand it, it can’t be magically materialised.
As I said the approach should’ve been different and an attempt at an arrangement with you should’ve been made.
It does read as if you’ve ordered a venue set menu rather than a bespoke package.
If you have any paperwork/contract go over it as it should state that menu items and pricing are subject to change with notice.
The notice period varies but I’ve known it to be @14 days.
I am truly sorry you’ve been let down.
I would certainly have tried to work with you to get as close to your choices as possible given the circumstances.