does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

I really fell in love with CLM on the spot, plus I heard how good the food and service were. I want to have my wedding there next summer and got them to go down a little bit in price per person, but am hoping for even more of a bargain. I am new at this and not sure if I am getting a good deal or losing out on some major extras because I'm not bargaining enough. I have friends that say they bargained with their caterers and got tons of extras. However, they did pay the going rate at their venues and just got extra things thrown in. Since I am paying for my wedding all by myself, I need a price break and would like extras if possible. Any advice please?!?!?!

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

who is you banquet manager ... i am not a good barginer and i wanted the choclate fountain thrown in and Lou who was my banquet manager wouldnt do it ... but i have heard they end up throwing things in later on but i am not sure if that is true ... also if you want the price lowered you should tyr for April or off any off season month and sunday is always cheaper ...

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

honestly when i booked CLM i got an insanely good rate because of my day and month. You may have to change the day and make it a sunday or the time of year your getting married to bring down a rate. I haven't heard of them really coming down in price too much and as far as i heard they have given free things when booking but not in my case. I think they do that if you have a high amount of people coming or if you are buying extas all ready.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

well CLM already has lower prices than ALOT of other places...I would maybe think of doing a friday or sunday wedding, maybe even daytime and how about doing it during off-peak season. You can talk to them and see how much they're willing to go down in the price but they already give alot for that amount of money so not sure how much they're willing to go down

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

Have your wedding during the off season, on an off day. Ask them about just having a cocktail reception instead of full sit down dinner.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

Thanks! I guess I should count myself lucky then. I am having only about 140 people on a Saturday night in the summer and they are still shaving $5 pp off the price. I was hoping for the shrimp boat as an extra (I hear it's a HUGE crowd pleaser) but I don't want to press my luck.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

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Posted by tjcohen

Thanks! I guess I should count myself lucky then. I am having only about 140 people on a Saturday night in the summer and they are still shaving $5 pp off the price. I was hoping for the shrimp boat as an extra (I hear it's a HUGE crowd pleaser) but I don't want to press my luck.

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If youre doing a saturday night then dont know how much they'll come down, if you want the extras only thing is if you change it from a saturday wedding to something else like friday or sunday.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

my bm is Lou. Unfortunately, I only seem to hear good things about Nick. I've only met with Lou once but he doesnt seem like the bargaining type. Although he is going down $5 pp for me! Should I just be greatful for that and sign the contract or should I see if I can get more? I dont know...I have a friend who is getting married at Chateau Briand and she said that they threw in tons of stuff for her May Sat. night wedding, but she is paying the regular price and having 250 people. I guess that's the difference.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

No they really dont. The thing is, CLM has already very low prices and the price includes way more than most other places include. So, your friend who says that her RH threw in a ton of stuff -- CLM already includes those things in their prices. So, there little left for them to 'throw in.' We couldnt get them to budge really -- the best we got was an ice sculpture thrown in. But to be honest, you get sooooo much for your money that we knew we were getting a great deal and we booked immediately.

I would say, if you're worried about money, dont do a saturday wedding. Fridays and Sundays are cheaper. If you want to stick with the Saturday, then dont expect them to budge on price or throw anything else in -- saturdays are the biggest wedding days. They know they can find someone else who will book with them for the same price, so they probably wont even bother negotiating much.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

Well first, most halls give you a higher price then the actual rate so that when they give you money off, you think they're doing something for you. Keep talking to him, see what you can. Maybe go to a similiar hall and get a quote from them, and if its lower than CLM, they may be more willing to come down in price

Edit: That all being said, Saturdays are extremely difficult to negotiate lower prices...

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

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Posted by tjcohen

my bm is Lou. Unfortunately, I only seem to hear good things about Nick. I've only met with Lou once but he doesnt seem like the bargaining type. Although he is going down $5 pp for me! Should I just be greatful for that and sign the contract or should I see if I can get more? I dont know...I have a friend who is getting married at Chateau Briand and she said that they threw in tons of stuff for her May Sat. night wedding, but she is paying the regular price and having 250 people. I guess that's the difference.

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yeah thats why, when you have a big wedding and are already spending alot of money at a place then they'll be more willing to throw free things in.

Sat night plus theyre paying for 250 so the place is making alot off of them

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

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Posted by tjcohen
I was hoping for the shrimp boat as an extra (I hear it's a HUGE crowd pleaser) but I don't want to press my luck.

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I wouldn't count on the seafood boat to be thrown in but they are more likely to give you extras than take money off.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

It doesnt hurt to ask. Most people will work with you!

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

I highly doubt the shrimp boat would be thrown in i don't have my contract infront of me but i know that was $$$$. I had every price for every extra written in the contract just in case if i wanted to add stuff later when I had a good job making more money that I figured we could afford.

Lou really is a great guy i worked with him and Nick. We choose to book and deal with Nick only because we came out a second time with my sister in law and bro in law to let them view the upstairs room and we discussed our change from day to night with Nick and didn't want to complicate things if Lou wasn't aware.

I have to say I viewed only a handful of places other then CLM and CLM was only like 5-8 more pp (sounds like a lot but wasn't) in comparison to Larkfield Manor. We got FAR more stuff particularly in the Entree's at CLM that and we got a nice waterview and its near my house. I would deff still check around to figure out prices your wedding is not small in my book i only wanted 80 for my wedding and we are invitiing now 133. Also ask Lou to go to a tasting. THATS the best part of CLM you get to really taste the entire spectrum of food instead of some cocktail hour food before booking. I would never book a place with out tasting the food.

Re: does chateau la mer negotiate their price? Help!

Thanks for all of your advice guys! I am going to the tasting tonight and will most likely book today too. I'm very excited about having my wedding at CLM and feel better now knowing that I'm getting a good deal. :)