Ask your reception location if they have a closing time. Some locations have no license to stay open longer than 12:00 A.M. If you are planning on having a longer reception you may ask if they can extended their hours . They will have an additional fee per hour. Such is probably true for your photograhpher and DJ.
Don't forget about tax and gratuity. Tax is usually between 7.75% and 8.25%If you are having servers or bartendars then gratuity will probably be between 18%-22%. This can do a lot to your budget. EXAMPLE: Food Total $1500
Add 8%Tax $1540
Add 20% Gratuity $1648
Ask caterer if they have a set up fee or service charge. Some have these charges if you are having 25 or less guests.
If you are having your reception in a hall or other facility that doesn't have a caterer ask they have a catering charge.
You don't have to have your wedding at the same place you have your reception even if they offer both there. You may have your ceremony at another site at a lower cost saving you big bucks.
Bars. There are severral ways to set up a bar. You can choose to pay for all of your guests to drink as they please. You may have a limit to what you pay. Example you may pay the bar $150 for all guests for all drinks, when the money is gone the guests pay their own. Or just have a cash bar where the guests pay on their own.
Ask about free champagne toasts.
Your caterer will ask you for a guest count before your weding arrives then at the week before. Give her all the guests that have R.S.V.P. Don't give her a count less children and those who you think will not eat. Chances are there will be more guests that come then on the R.S.V.P. (cousin Cindy may bring her boyfriend Robby and his brother Joe).
Ask if the caterer has at least 10% coverage. This means if food for 100 guests is getting low does she cover up to 10% extra food. and is there an extra cost for this. You don't want to run out of anything on your big day.
Ask your photographer if he plans to eat at the wedding. (remember you don't want to run out of food) Same goes for your florist, your minister and other profesionals you have hired.
Ask your entertainment about breaks. Do they take them and how long are they and what do you do about entertainment in between times.
If you are planning a wedding at home ask yourself, where will you park all of the cars?? |
