Booking the hall....

Hi everyone. I was wondering if you could tell me your experience with booking a reception hall.

Here is the issue, we want to get married next May but fi's sister is getting married in Aug 04 so his family thinks May 04 is too close. We are now thinking May 05 but I am really anxious to start planning and quite frankly pi**ed off we have to wait so long to get married (but that's another thread).

We just started looking at places the other day and were told two different stories. One place says you should book asap and the other one says to wait until closer to the wedding date to get a cheaper price. I realize that the place that tells us to book asap just wants our deposit, but from your experience is it true that the longer you wait the better price you get? I am just concerned that the best places and dates will book up quickly. Thanks!

Re: Booking the hall....

Actually all the halls I looked at worked more with me on the price since I am not getting married till Nov 05'. I winded locking in this years prices for 05', and usually the price go up about 10 per person a year. I would definetly start booking sooner then later that is what I did and I got some amazing prices. All the vendors gave me discounts for booking in advance.

Bridget

Re: Booking the hall....

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Re: Booking the hall....

From my experience, the sooner you book the better. The only reason why you might get a better price if you book later is that they are just trying to book it for that day but if it is a place where they hold one that one event, then you will have to settle for whatever rooms are left. Also, I noticed that the sooner you book you get the price of this year and not of next year or in your case 2005.

Re: Booking the hall....

Congrats!
Are you talking about booking May 04 or 05? If it's 04, I would book asap. My date is also may 04 and I started looking in March, days after I got engaged and SO many places were already booked. Maybe if you're doing a Friday night or Sunday afternoon there might not be a rush, but if you have a specific date in mind like we did, I would do it now. And if the ceremony is in a religious facility, do that first.
If you're flexible about a date, you can probably wait.
That's too bad about the family wanting you to wait. My FH's cousin just got engaged and they're looking at July or August of 04, right after ours.
The only reasonable reason for the family to want you to wait would be financial, if they are helping with the bill. Otherwise, I don't get it.

Re: Booking the hall....

I actually agree, you shouldn't have to wait. My cousins got married within three months of each other...one in november and the other that upcoming february. You should try to get the year that you want...

Either way, definitely do it sooner than later...especially since the month you are looking for, May books rather quickly.

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Re: Booking the hall....

Thanks guys! I was hoping to get 04 prices in 05 but the few places I have talked to have told us already that the prices will be higher in 05. I was hoping that if we booked early we'd get the 04 rate. I guess maybe that is where our bargining skills come in?

We are looking for a May 05 wedding now. Fi's parents want to contribute but I just found out that the only reason they want to do that is so they have a say over who is invited and the food. His mother wasn't happy when I said I only wanted 100 people. As for the food comment, do they think I am going to get take out for this? I was annoyed by that.

Re: Booking the hall....

Welcome to the 'wonderful' world of having MIL...

Re: Booking the hall....

I feel so bad for you about that other wedding in your family being held in Aug. I would be ****ed off to! I don't think you should have to hold off for one whole year because of that... I would go head with the plans for '04 if that is what you really want. Don't let others dictate to you when your wedding day should be.
As far as booking, I agree that the sooner you book the better. You can lock into this years prices for which ever year (04 or 05) to come date. You will also be able to get the date you want! We booked 22 months before our wedding date, so that we got the place and date we wanted. Best of luck planning.

Re: Booking the hall....

I would book asap even if it is for 2005. You can get a head start on all your planning-Video, Photo, Limos etc............... Not to mention you will get this years prices. Reception halls tend to raise their prices every year. Any hall that is telling you to wait ( I personally wouldn't go with.) I started looking for a hall in dec 02 for a May 04 wedding, and most of the dates were taken already. So that is another factor. If you book now, you will get the date that you want.

Good Luck! Let us know how everything works out!

Re: Booking the hall....

I am not getting married until June '05 for similair reasons. My brother is getting married Sept. '04. I booked last week. I believe the sooner you do it the better you will get '04 prices in '05 they will go backup. FM me if you have any questions! Good Luck!

Re: Booking the hall....

I personally like to book ahead.. that way you get the place you want(and lock in theprices early)... if you are open to many places then you can wait til closer to the date and the places that are not booked and want to fill the space will give you a lower price.... but your not guaranteed of which place can give it to you... and May is one of the popular months...
i dont think that may is too close to august.. having it in august or july would be too close(and there are even people who have it that close).. choose the day you want because it is your wedding.

Re: Booking the hall....

booking early ensures that you lock in the current price of the hall and gives you time to pay it off. If you don't mind waiting till the last minute and having fewer options for wedding DATE (maybe your prefered date is booked already) then waiting to book COULD save you cash, but this is taking a risk that the hall you love might be booked on the day you want.

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We booked in January for our July 05 wedding and when we were looking at places, 6 of 9 were booked for our day already!! I would book soon. It will put you at ease and you have top pick of everything! Good luck!

Re: Booking the hall....

The sooner you book, the better. I just booked last week for July 2004 and the hall only had 2 Friday nights left for the months I was looking in. Also, if you are looking for a Sunday/holiday date, for example, Memorial Day Sunday in 2005 you can probably get it now! Good luck!!

Re: Booking the hall....

The best way to get the BEST price is to book 6 to 7 months out (prior to the date of the wedding). The only way you can do this is to be totally 100% flexible on date/month/time of day, etc...

I pretty much went to Carlyle and said what do you have in the next 7 months.. and they had a Friday in January and I paid about 40% less per head than i would have if I booked that same Friday date a year or two out...

Catering halls KNOW brides want to solidify their date and they CHARGE for that.. yes, they do increase prices from one year to the next but honestly it is usually not more than $2-5 per person.

If you are able to book something within 6-7 months the halls look at it as 'found' money because they had no intentions of booking a wedding so fast. My friend got the Westbury Manor for $50 a person because she booked within 6 months!

FYI- DH and I got married Jan of 03 and his brother got married April of 03 and they were engaged first... it's your life- get married when you want- everyone will adjust.