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Post by AnastasiaBeaverhausn on Jun 21, 2016 13:09:45 GMT
I need some advice. I am getting married in a few weeks. We rented a room at a local restaurant where the room minimum is 20 people (we can have fewer but we will pay for 20 minimum). Each person is $50 apiece for a limited menu to pick from. At the time, we thought we would nearly hit 20 but it is looking closer to 10. We can forfeit the room and just eat in the restaurant and have everyone pick off the regular restaurant menu for about $35-40 apiece. They don't take reservations but will certainly know we are coming since they are allowing us to roll our room deposit onto our meal tab instead. So nice of them -they could have just kept our deposit.
My fiance and I are torn. Do we keep the guaranteed room and pay the $1000 no matter how many people show up (that would make each meal about $100 per person) or just eat in the restaurant and shave nearly half off the price but no guaranteed reservation (but they know we are coming)?
This is a destination wedding so we can't just have them box up the meals that we are paying for but not eating and take home. Oh and if it matters, this is for a Thursday night not a Friday or Saturday night.
We can still have a cake and 2 special meals for our Vegan friends so no different than what we had arranged with the room rental.
WWTRPD?
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Dani-Mani
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,706
Jun 28, 2014 17:36:35 GMT
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Post by Dani-Mani on Jun 21, 2016 13:11:36 GMT
Keep the room and enjoy your privacy on your special day.
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Post by Miss Ang on Jun 21, 2016 13:14:10 GMT
First of all, congratulations!
Second, I would keep the room so you can have a private celebration and enjoy your guests.
You mention that it's a destination wedding so I assume that your guests likely had to spend a lot of money to attend. Telling them that in order to cut YOUR costs, you decided to eat dinner in the restaurant and order from the menu may leave a bad taste in someone's mouth.
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Post by AnastasiaBeaverhausn on Jun 21, 2016 13:16:28 GMT
First of all, congratulations! Second, I would keep the room so you can have a private celebration and enjoy your guests. You mention that it's a destination wedding so I assume that your guests likely had to spend a lot of money to attend. Telling them that in order to cut YOUR costs, you decided to eat dinner in the restaurant and order from the menu may leave a bad taste in someone's mouth. No the guests are local. Any guests traveling we are paying their travel costs and hotel.
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Deleted
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May 14, 2024 6:36:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 13:16:38 GMT
DH and I had a similar situation. We thought about reserving a private room and realized that we wouldn't meet their minimum. The overall cost between the two options was too big to just go ahead and have the private room. However, they did take reservations and put us in a spot where we still had some privacy. I'd go for the money saving option as long as they are willing to roll the deposit into the tab AND they know you are definitely coming.
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kate
Drama Llama
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Jun 26, 2014 3:30:05 GMT
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Post by kate on Jun 21, 2016 13:21:25 GMT
I would keep the room. Rolling the dice and saving $ would be my usual recommendation, but for a wedding? No. It would be too awful if a busload of tourists happened to stop in that evening, and you and your guests had to stand around waiting for a table! Also, all it takes is one table with a screaming toddler nearby to make conversation impossible. When the toddler is one of your own guests, it's not nearly as irritating.
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Post by Miss Ang on Jun 21, 2016 13:23:56 GMT
First of all, congratulations! Second, I would keep the room so you can have a private celebration and enjoy your guests. You mention that it's a destination wedding so I assume that your guests likely had to spend a lot of money to attend. Telling them that in order to cut YOUR costs, you decided to eat dinner in the restaurant and order from the menu may leave a bad taste in someone's mouth. No the guests are local. Any g uests traveling we are paying their travel costs and hotel. I think I would still opt for the private room.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 21, 2016 13:43:41 GMT
Let the private room be the wedding gift you give to each other. Even a small wedding deserves the special recognition.
For $500 you will have your own wait staff and area to move around and talk to guests who are not sitting right beside you. Photos will be better when you aren't crowded in a corner (even if you are just taking them with a phone camera!)
Congratulations!
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Post by AnastasiaBeaverhausn on Jun 21, 2016 13:50:37 GMT
Let the private room be the wedding gift you give to each other. Even a small wedding deserves the special recognition. For $500 you will have your own wait staff and area to move around and talk to guests who are not sitting right beside you. Photos will be better when you aren't crowded in a corner (even if you are just taking them with a phone camera!) Congratulations! We are having a large reception when we get home and this meal for 10 people is $1000 not $5000. I have already got his present but I get what you're saying.
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Post by Scrapbrat on Jun 21, 2016 13:56:46 GMT
I voted to keep the room because of the no reservations thing. That just seems like something you don't want to have to worry about on your wedding day. Plus, it will be a much nicer affair if your group has some privacy. Think of things like casual picture-taking, etc. -- people (you and guests both) are going to be much more relaxed and comfortable in a private room atmosphere.
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Post by leannec on Jun 21, 2016 14:05:31 GMT
I say keep the room ... Your wedding day is stressful enough without worrying about the dinner arrangements
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oldcrow
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Jun 26, 2014 12:25:29 GMT
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Post by oldcrow on Jun 21, 2016 14:06:38 GMT
I voted to keep the room just for the privacy. I don't know if you will be having any speeches but if so do you want to share them with all those strangers in the restaurant.
And what happens if the restaurant has to spread your guest out, what if strangers are already seated in your area. To me it just seems like a messy way to deal with the meal.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 14, 2024 6:36:55 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2016 14:07:11 GMT
I guess I will be the one to disagree. That's a significant amount of money, and I am sure it's still a nice restaurant where you will receive good service. I would cancel the room.
Congratulations!
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 21, 2016 14:10:19 GMT
Let the private room be the wedding gift you give to each other. Even a small wedding deserves the special recognition. For $500 you will have your own wait staff and area to move around and talk to guests who are not sitting right beside you. Photos will be better when you aren't crowded in a corner (even if you are just taking them with a phone camera!) Congratulations! We are having a large reception when we get home and this meal for 10 people is $1000 not $5000. I have already got his present but I get what you're saying. The $500 (not $5,000) would be the savings--the difference of the 10 meals. I absolutely say it's worth it. Even with a large reception coming up. It's your wedding day!
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Anita
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Jun 27, 2014 2:38:58 GMT
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Post by Anita on Jun 21, 2016 14:20:52 GMT
Congratulations and best wishes! I'm risk-averse, so I would likely keep the room. But if you are feeling lucky, go with the cost savings.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
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Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jun 21, 2016 14:31:09 GMT
They know you are coming. That money can be used for a lot of other things. Designate someone to get there an hour early and make sure you have a table in a corner, by a wall, whatever. No way would I pay double for a few feet of geography.
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grinningcat
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Jun 26, 2014 13:06:35 GMT
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Post by grinningcat on Jun 21, 2016 14:33:56 GMT
Keep the room... the privacy offered is definitely worth the expense. Why would you want random people around your wedding party and lose control when you can have a nice private room where you can have control and not have to worry about it?
Definitely worth the expense, which I assume is already budgeted so it's not really a loss.
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TheOtherMeg
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Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
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Post by TheOtherMeg on Jun 21, 2016 14:55:57 GMT
As I understand it, you're looking to seat only 10-12 peopLe in the restaurant's general section (as opposed to a private room), correct?
For that small a party, and on a Thursday night, I'd take the savings. I get that a separate room would feel very special and allow your party privacy, but we regularly go out in a group of 10 and rarely have a problem being seated at one table.
The restaurant knows you'll be there for a wedding reception dinner. While their policy deosn't allow reservations in the general seating area, I'm sure -- given that they've already been accomodating with regard to your deposit -- they'll do what they can to make it work for you.
If your group was going to be larger than 10-12, I'd say keep the private room, but for a relatively small number of people on a Thursday night, I really do think you'd be fine in the general area of the restaurant. Send someone (even better, a couple or a small group of people who'd enjoy catching up while having a glass of wine/beer) ahead to hold a table and get the evening started at the restaurant.
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Jun 21, 2016 14:59:56 GMT
Can you apply the funds that you'll pay but not "eat" into a special dessert or drinks?
I tend to lean on the privacy part but man--to save that much $$$$$ is more attractive to me! Lol
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Post by craftsbycarolyn on Jun 21, 2016 16:07:44 GMT
I say take the private room.
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Post by littlemama on Jun 21, 2016 17:14:05 GMT
Keep the room, you are also paying for the privacy and service.
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Post by peasapie on Jun 21, 2016 17:21:15 GMT
Will it be a nice big table in a private area of the restaurant? If so, I would take the savings. If it's a noisy place and you are in the middle of things, that could be dicey. The only thing that bothers me is that they won't make an exception and give you a reservation for that night. They know it's your wedding. Could you push them a little on that and also request a specific table?
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Post by Citygirl on Jun 21, 2016 17:25:42 GMT
Is this a dry wedding? Can you apply guests drinks, or a champagne toast to the minimum? Usually the alcohol adds up WAY faster than the food. I would keep the room regardless.
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Post by bc2ca on Jun 21, 2016 17:29:19 GMT
Absolutely keep the private room! The flexibility to move around, be a little noisier and/or not dealing with other noisy tables, reinforcing the intimacy of the event, personal service, etc., are all reasons I would keep the private room.
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eastcoastpea
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Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Jun 21, 2016 18:23:21 GMT
Personally, I would keep the private room.
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Post by anniefb on Jun 21, 2016 18:29:14 GMT
I agree - keep the room and enjoy the privacy. Yes, Thursday night could be quiet in the restaurant, but you can't guarantee that. It's a special occasion and probably stressful enough without wondering whether you're all going to be sitting together and where your table will be.
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scrappert
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Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
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Post by scrappert on Jun 21, 2016 21:13:10 GMT
I am leaning toward keeping the room, just for privacy. My first thought was since it's on a Thursday, it shouldn't be busy - but you never know! If you could get a guarantee from the no reservation rule to actually reserve a table for you, then I would say give up the room, but if they can't do that...
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Post by lucyg on Jun 21, 2016 21:24:44 GMT
It's your wedding. Keep the room. I would not want to be mixed in with the general restaurant population, even if it were even fewer people.
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Post by hop2 on Jun 21, 2016 21:26:55 GMT
Congratulations
If the $400-600 will be that significant to you then I'd consider switching but a private room can be nice.
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StephDRebel
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Jul 5, 2014 1:53:49 GMT
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Post by StephDRebel on Jun 21, 2016 22:40:12 GMT
Keep the room, feed them and make it open bar!
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