Different prices for services as soon as you mention the W word? 26 May 2015 at 2:44PM in Weddings & anniversaries 8 replies 2.9K views

hannahmax91

Hi everyone,

I'm doing a project looking on whether things like catering, marquees, bands, invitations etc. cost more for weddings than they would a regular party. Has anyone got the names (you can PM me directly if you like) of firms where they have experienced this problem or any experience of prices jumping up as soon as you say the word wedding?

Thanks,
Hannah

gadgeteer_2

As a wedding professional I think this is often just a misconception that the price doubles as soon as you mention the word wedding. In reality competition helps to make sure prices are as competitive.

I'm a wedding photographer and many couples will get sticker shock thinking "Wow, £1200 for taking photos...for one day!?!?" I know I was the same back when I was a groom. And the general feeling is that I would charge much less if I were hired for say a birthday party.

However, in reality a LOT more work goes into a wedding. For starters the hours are a lot longer. We take a LOT more photographs than at a party. The equipment we use is a lot more expensive. Because we have taken a lot more photos, we need to spend a lot of time editing. It most certainly isn't rocking up to the wedding and getting paid £1200. I can only wish it were!

I'm sure it will be similar for other wedding suppliers.

Gloomendoom

gadgeteer wrote: »

As a wedding professional I think this is often just a misconception that the price doubles as soon as you mention the word wedding. In reality competition helps to make sure prices are as competitive.

I'm sure it will be similar for other wedding suppliers.

I'm not convinced.

We got quoted £2000 for a family "do" at a local venue. When they found out the at the "do" was a wedding, the price inexplicably increased to £3000. When asked what additions we would be getting for the extra £1000, we were told that it was just their set price for a wedding and that there was nothing extra. We went elsewhere.

We got right royally shafted with our wedding cake though. Quoted at an extremely reasonable £60 for three separate iced cakes by a baker my aunt knew. Unfortunately, the baker heard through the grapevine that the three cakes were going to be assembled into wedding cake and she then wanted £300 for the same cakes. This was two days before the wedding so she had us, or rather my mum, over a barrel and she knew it. My aunt has since crossed the baker off her Christmas card list.

ellay864

My husband is a mobile DJ and we don't price extra just for doing a wedding. We may charge more than for a regular party but that's usually because there is more work involved. We often have to set up earlier, sometimes fitting in reduced time or space to work around the wedding breakfast, we set up our equipment so it can be used for speeches, we often play for longer if background music is wanted during the meal. We also always have a client meeting preferably at the venue, and if not there we will visit the venue to check out the logistics. Our prices for a wedding though can still be lower than for a regular party if the logistics allow us to set up easily, we play for a regular length of time and if it's a fairly local venue. Not all suppliers are rip off merchants

Gloomendoom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gimiDBAK2wA

code-a-holic

I'm a professional cake baker. I have not had a seperate price list for weddings until this year after reevaluating the business and a wedding does cost more than any other event. A wedding order will ask me more questions over a long space of time resulting in more admin time. The plan also often changes along the way... Again more admin time. For weddings I also need to coordinate with other suppliers and have discussions with the venue...more chargable time. A birthday cake is usually organised over one conversation and give me more free reign on design where a wedding will have specific requests for colours and decoration which means research and ordering in special items.

shoppingnoodles

We considered getting married in the London Eye. To hire a capsule with drinks and nibbles costs £500. I then made the mistake of phoning for a wedding brochure and suddenly the price was almost £3000. The only extras were the celebrant from Lambeth registry office and some flowers. Not a good deal for £2500 extra in my opinion.

ellay864

shoppingnoodles wrote: »

We considered getting married in the London Eye. To hire a capsule with drinks and nibbles costs £500. I then made the mistake of phoning for a wedding brochure and suddenly the price was almost £3000. The only extras were the celebrant from Lambeth registry office and some flowers. Not a good deal for £2500 extra in my opinion.

According to Lambeth's website the maxiumum fee for a the registrar at a venue is £590. I'd be asking the London Eye what the additional cost covers to see how they justify that much extra. Or expect some fantastic flowers!

Hedgehog99

What could a venue do if you booked, say a sit-down meal for 50 and a disco for 80 & then turned up in your bridal glad rags? If they're (in this case) not providing any additional services, they can't charge more.

Ditto the cakes in Gloomendoom's example. Different if completed decoration & assembly required.

Agree a bit re longer hours / set-ups for photographers & DJs.

I have my Grandpa's notes from when he was arranging my parents' pre-decimal wedding - meticulously costed.