We pictured our perfect reception: soft candlelight, delicious cuisine and an open bar flowing through the night.
We wanted a unique, unforgettable vibe where our friends and family could mingle, share stories and dance until their feet ached.
The sticking pointwas the price.
At 30, with a college degree and student loans hanging over me, cash is a scarce resource. My husband is from another country and, although he worked steadily back home, relocating here meant his paycheck was exactly $0 until he secured a work permit.
So cutting costs on wedding expenditures became a priority.
The “W” Word
The instant we got engaged, we did what most couples do — we announced it to everyone!
The more conversations we had, the more apparent it became that no single term inflates vendor prices faster than the wordwedding.My husband had crossed an ocean to marry me, yet the escalating wedding fees threatened to price us out of holding a celebration!
Did that one word doom us to steep charges? We resolved to investigate.
How Saying “Wedding” Inflates Service Prices
We started by cold-calling our preferred venues. I asked about their pricing and jotted down what each wedding package included and cost.
A few days later I rang them back.This time, I inquired whether they hostedprivate parties. I explained that my husband and I were already legally married and wanted to organize a gathering for relatives who couldn’t attend our ceremony.
Every venue quoted lower rates for a private event than for a wedding, sometimes by thousands of dollars. Moreover, there was no difference in the amenities provided for a private rental versus a wedding booking. If, say, security officers were included in a package, they were provided for both types of events.
What Our Reception Cost Months After the Wedding
We tied the knot at a courthouse on a random Tuesday in March with only a U.S. Marshal as witness. The ceremony cost us $72.
Months later, our financial situation had eased, so we contacted our top venue choices. I was completely upfront about our plans. I didn’t want anyone to feel misled, so I explained that we wanted a dinner and the opportunity to offer a few informal vows before family and friends.
Because we were already married, every venue we called quoted their corporate or private event pricing.
Below is the comparison of what our chosen venue charged for a wedding versus what it charged for our delayed reception.
Price for a Wedding at Our Venue
- For a conventional wedding, our venue charges $7,000 in the off-season and $8,000 during peak season; we planned our reception for the busy months. The rental covers up to 10 hours.
- There’s a flat $200 fee for table and chair setup.
- The candle package runs $1,000.
- The venue only permits caterers with a license. Catering averages $68 per guest, according to The Knot. We invited 100 guests, so food would total about $6,800. Adding a cocktail hour or an open bar would drive that cost up significantly.
- Additionally, the venue has sleeping accommodations for 12 guests at an extra $1,000, and provisioning breakfast and drinks would be about $2,400 per 10 people.
If we had held a standard wedding reception there, we would have needed to budget $16,000, not counting entertainment, overnight stays or décor (candles excluded).
Price for a Private Party at Our Venue
- Private events are billed at $700 per hour. We reserved the space for four hours, which cost $2,800.
- We paid the $200 fee for table and chair setup.
- We were allowed to supply our own candles and fairy lights, which cost $150.
- We could bring premade food or use the venue’s two kitchens to prepare meals onsite. Our food expense was $400.
- We were permitted to bring our own alcohol, and we spent about $800 on beverages.
In total, our private gathering cost $4,350.
Delaying our reception until months after the marriage cut our costs by $11,650.
By sidestepping prepackaged wedding deals, we’re hosting the celebration we envisioned at the venue we love — without wrecking our finances.
Your Turn: Would you schedule a reception months after your wedding to save money?
Leah Merritt studied creative writing at UCLA and UMN. She is currently freelancing and working on her first book, while living with her British rocker husband in New Orleans.
