Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

What do you suggest I do in order to have halls lower there prices? What did you ladies do? It's funny...I think these halls think we have Trump at the end of our names.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

umm...I don't think they will lower their prices too much. It really depends on what time of year and what day of the week you want.

and most of the time you think you're getting a deal but they're squeezing it out of you in different ways anyway. either way it's a lot of $$$$$$.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I really got a good price per head becuse I booked on someone else's cancellation.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I think it depends on the time of year, day and time of day.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I don't know what day of the week you're getting married on, but June is the most expensive month - if you change your month (and or day/time) that should lower your price.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

Sometimes a hall will lower the price pp if you up your min. Or If you go to them and say that you really like their facility and you want to book there if they can match the price of.... It helps if you bring your check book.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I am having a winter wedding. The same wedding in June would have cost an additional 15-20 dollars per plate. The entertainment was also less expensive in the winter for us.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

Hey Rina

I have told you most of what I used.
But the other girls are right a lot of it is the date, day of week, and time of your wedding.
You want a Sat. Night wedding in June. That is TOP price anywhere you look.
The best thing you have going for you is you can offer a high Min. ( we discussed that one already)

The other thing I wanted to tell you was I know you are walking in telling them you want the full vienesse (and I think some stuff for the CH like seafood boat right?)
Which I totally understand b/c you want to know the price..

What I would do would be to inquire about the price and when they tell you ( no matter what the price they give you is) tell them that is kind of expensive and you will have to think about it.

When you are ready to sign the contract dont add any extras!!!!!
When you go to do your final menu a few weeks or months before the wedding THEN tell them if they come down on the price you will add it.
Sandcastle quoted me CRAZY low prices on all the things I had wanted to add when we first signed the contract and I was soooooo happy I hadn't done it then.

To them at that point its all icing on the cake

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

Depending on the place, you can eliminate some of the food, that's what we did.

There was so much food on our CH that we eliminated about 4 of the chafing dishes. We also eliminated some of the entree choices (we went from 6 to 4 I think) and brought down the price by about $12 pp.

I'm also getting rid of the cheese table at the CH because who ever remembers that? Think about it, with all the great food at the CH how much cheese squares will really disappear??!!

Seafood is the most expensive option as well as carving stations for CH's. If you don't need it, eliminate it. Same for the Viennese.

Another way is getting married in off months and off times (am or afternoon reception instead of evening, cocktail or buffet reception instead of sit down dinner, Friday or Sunday instead of Saturday and November - April unless it's a holiday weekend!!)

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

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Posted by designerbride

I really got a good price per head becuse I booked on someone else's cancellation.

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Me too! And I was VERY honest from the beginning (basically, we were broke, young and paying it all on our own)...I also said my 'max' was about $10 less than what it actually was, so when they came in high, I would keep talking until we met in the middle. All halls we visited negotiated - the one we booked was just the best becuase of the cancellation though.

ETA: I just read Maxine's response and she's absolutely right on all points. Especially adding stuff. We added most of our things at the final meeting and got them for close to nothing.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

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Posted by Rina

What do you suggest I do in order to have halls lower there prices? What did you ladies do? It's funny...I think these halls think we have Trump at the end of our names.

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If you’re flexible with your date, you can definitely negotiate the price per person. I see that you’re getting married in June…. that’s the most expensive month to get married in.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

Simple, I brought my step-father whose a salesmen.

I opted for a Friday night, instead of Saturday, and I believe if you are willing to give a little more on the deposit, they may work with you more. They also threw in a few extras things for me, for the CH and dessert.

Just ask them, 'what can we do to hit X price?' They will work with you, they won't just turn away potential business like that. It's not like your trying to buy an espresso machine, we're talking thousands of dollars! LOL Trust me, they always start high, expecting people to try to negotiate but bonus if they don't.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

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Posted by SomethingBlu

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Posted by designerbride

I really got a good price per head becuse I booked on someone else's cancellation.

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Me too! And I was VERY honest from the beginning (basically, we were broke, young and paying it all on our own)...I also said my 'max' was about $10 less than what it actually was, so when they came in high, I would keep talking until we met in the middle. All halls we visited negotiated - the one we booked was just the best becuase of the cancellation though.

ETA: I just read Maxine's response and she's absolutely right on all points. Especially adding stuff. We added most of our things at the final meeting and got them for close to nothing.

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That's a really great tip about the add-ons...i didn't know about that...hmm....

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

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Posted by LFitzy79

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Posted by SomethingBlu

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Posted by designerbride

I really got a good price per head becuse I booked on someone else's cancellation.

---

Me too! And I was VERY honest from the beginning (basically, we were broke, young and paying it all on our own)...I also said my 'max' was about $10 less than what it actually was, so when they came in high, I would keep talking until we met in the middle. All halls we visited negotiated - the one we booked was just the best becuase of the cancellation though.

ETA: I just read Maxine's response and she's absolutely right on all points. Especially adding stuff. We added most of our things at the final meeting and got them for close to nothing.

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That's a really great tip about the add-ons...i didn't know about that...hmm....

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Yup I tried to tell my sil but for some reason she didn't listen. Afer I didn't want to make her feel bad but some of things she added they quoted us much lower prices for.
For example she added something to the CH.
They originally wanted $15 p/p she got them down to $12 p/p
A few weeks before the wedding they offered it to me for $8 p/p

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

We got married in Feb and booked late. If they hadn't booked our date yet, they weren't going to.

we also cut out carving stations at the CH, lowering the price $25pp

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

We chose an off season time of the year to get married and we opted to do it on a Friday night. If you're set on having a Saturday night wedding consider changing the time of year...June is THE most expensive time to get married...I don't think alot of places are going to work with you that much on the price...they know that a Saturday night wedding in June is high in demand they can get someone to pay what they want...good luck

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I just wanted to add that I know June is considered a prime time, but I was able to book my date in June and I originally was looking for off-season. In truth, these halls need to book their prime dates, and they may be less flexible during these times but they still will negotiate. It doesn't hurt to ask, I even went to one place that flat out told me 'why would I want to book off-season and not be able to fill up my prime season?' Remember, this is a business for them too, if they can't book their prime seasons, they will need to adjust their pricing.

Good luck and don't lose hope!

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

I think it depends on the hall you are looking at. For instance mine would not negotiate anything as far as price, but they did lower the minimum to 110 instead of 120.

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

From my experience, halls are more willing to throw in extra stuff at no charge (CH upgrades, dessert cafe, etc.) than they are to lower the price per person.

In our case, we just asked for what we wanted. We were very comfortable with the price we were quoted at NRC (especially since our other two contenders were Land's End and Carlyle on the Green!), so we asked them to just throw in the dessert cafe at no charge...and they did!

My advice is to just ask for what you want. The worst they can say is no. Best of luck to you!

Re: Need Help....How did you force halls to lower the price per plate? I need tips.

Hey Rina...guess your still having trouble finding a reception hall....Maxine gave great advice......BUT also keep in mind that the halls you are looking at are high priced already...so even if they work with ya in price or throw in extras..the price per head will still be higher than the average price most people are paying......

Russo's..Marina..El Caribe...all high priced halls....

Our families are very similar and food is a top priority.....We were able to get an EXCELLENT price at our hall and we are getting the works...from the seafood boat during CH ,,to 8 entrees including lobster for the dinner and a full VH....We got the regular menu PLUS all the extra's from the Enhancement Menu..PLUS we are able to guarantee a high number of guests so that worked in our favor..If I would of gone to Russo's or Marina I would of probably been quoted close or even over 200 a head.....

Dont get frustrated....take your time and you will find the hall for your special day!!!!!!!

Ciao Ciao!!