The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Money
The 300pc wedding penalty: how tying the knot can be costly
the requirements for a wedding are different to that of a standard birthday party – although the party booking did request a sit-down dinner.
A representative for Hintlesham Hall said that bookings for a wedding and a birthday party were “completely different”.
A wedding would include exclusive hire of the hotel, a “trial meal” before the day itself and a return trip on the couple’s first anniversary, including champagne.
A spokesman for the Savoy said that its events team “tailor each event to bespoke requirements” and quotes may be altered later once more “specific requirements” had been added.
Weddings would typically involve the use of several rooms, she said, while a birthday would usually mean only one was needed.
She added that: “Weddings are not routinely charged more than other events.”
The Green House Hotel’s birthday package includes room hire for an evening and a buffet, while its top-tier wedding package includes a fourcourse wedding breakfast, wine and a similar evening buffet.
A spokesman said the hotel is always open to negotiation and can be flexible on its bookings to suit the needs of the clients, but that it needs to charge a certain amount to justify closing the restaurant. She added: “We are transparent about what we offer and either booking is valuable to us.”
Claridge’s birthday package would include hire of two rooms and a dinner with the option of canapés at an additional cost, while the wedding would include hire of the ballroom alongside similarly priced food and drink options.
A spokesman said the ballroom is its largest and most expensive room and that it does not charge a premium for weddings. She also pointed out that for a birthday the rooms would only be required for an evening and at a lower capacity of 96 rather than 130.
Thomas Vles, co-founder of Wedoido, said couples looking to get married should shop around and not be afraid to negotiate, not just on the venue but on other things like catering or a photographer.
“Overpricing is a common problem with weddings. People aren’t necessarily that sensitive to price when they are planning one,” he said. “Hopefully you will only do it once in your life so you don’t worry too much about how much things are costing.”
He added: “Ask for several quotations from at least three different places, and don’t be afraid to negotiate. I was talking to someone recently who was booking a photographer – obviously they had never done it before – and had been quoted £4,500.
“They were going to go for it but I said ‘ that’s so expensive’. They emailed back and the price was cut to £1,500.”