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That place is beautiful! It totally depends, but my venue fee is $3000 for an entire building for about 200-250 guests regardless of amount of time we use it. We have access all day, so we'd pay $3k for all day or for just 4 hours. Now, here is the thing - if that place is an inn, they sometimes charge a bit extra because they could be losing business by hosting an event - your people might be using the rooms and not the spa where a typical guest might use the spa, same goes with dinner. A lot of places require an in house baker or caterer (our catering is in house, but the cake is not) Ask the woman at your venue if you can bring in teh cupcakes as a "gift" from the friend in addition to the cake. Might be the only way to get both. Id have someone else call back and pretend to be interested in renting as well. See if she is condescending to them as well. Good luck!
I'm not entirely sure about the price, because I had to book my venue for the weekend. But in terms of the alcohol and cake, that sounds about right for some venues. My venue is also one where they have to make my cake, but maybe your friend could make the groom's cake? And, it's pretty standard for you not to be able to bring in your own alcohol -- technically, you've got to have an alcohol license to serve alcohol and most venue's take that on because they're also taking on the liability.
My venue is $1500 and that's with a $1000 discount b/c my dad is a city employee and it's a city property! So I would definitely pay $200 less :)
I don't think it is completely unrealistic of a price...is it on a Saturday? I'd be interested to know what the total price will be when you add in alcohol and food...my site doesn't have a venue fee, they just charge a big minimum on food purchase, and if you want to have the ceremony on the beach there is a setup fee added on. I'd almost be interested to ask them if you could lower the price by not having a cake made...I like the idea of having cupcakes being brought as a "gift..." haha!
Or, ask them if they can make cupcakes instead of the big cake...that might actually be easier on them anyway, you never know...asking for what you want sometimes gets you a long way. I also love the idea of a dessert bar, so many choices!
Thanks for the info so far girls,very much appreciated! Good point about the alcohol Miss Cherry Limeade. We wouldn't be having a grooms cake since it's a pretty informal and casual wedding, just one cake for us. It just seems like a lot, $1300 for four hours. Or maybe my really thrifty side is getting the better of me. 
Yeah we paid $3700 for 10 hours, and that was with a $1000 discount on the rental price! It sounds like you have other problems with the place though (bad customer service, limitations on food and alcohol) so I would weigh those things in with the price to decide if it's the venue for you. Good luck!
@KatieBug3017: The wedding is on a Friday. The price was not including the cost of the cake. I asked the lady if she would make cupcakes instead of a cake and she said she wasn't sure so I asked if she could find out, she then paused for a long time and was like 'Uuuhhhh", kinda funny really. Like the idea of having cupcakes was totally foreign to her maybe. I asked her again if she could find out which she said she would but, I haven't heard back yet. I wanted to do a smores bar too since they have a firepit however that idea was shot down too, no outside food. 
Mrs. Spring: You have very valid points- She was somewhat unhelpful and made me feel stupid for asking a few questions and this would be the woman who we would be working with since she is the wedding and events coordinator at the venue.. Problem is, the ceremony site is pretty remote so this is really the only place like that around there than I have been able to find so far. I could always go back to my original plan of renting a cabin and having outside caterers come in and we can do as we please- including having our cake....and eating it and washing it down with some of ur own alcohol. 
We are having our wedding and reception at a smaller, county country club. Our venue cost is only $300 and it easily fits about 150 people. We are on such a tight budget, that we have opted to go the appetizer route, because food is sooo expensive! Our wedding is at night, but that still puts the food at about $1600. The nice thing is we have this place all day. We can start decorating at 9am, the wedding is at 8pm and last call is at 2am. I think its insaine that you have to use their baker, and I would be leary if they are not friendly to you, how will they treat your guests on your special day?? If you have time I would shop around a little before you commit.
Ugh...that really stinks that she would give you such unhelpful responses. On second thought, have you found any other venues that you like instead? Is this the woman you'd be dealing with to coordinate everything? Because, if planning everything is going to be a struggle, that might not be worth it. I'd give her one more chance to redeem herself...but I'd keep an idea for another venue on the back burner just in case. You don't want to cause yourself more headaches with planning. These people should be sooo helpful with answering questions. Understandably, if they have certain rules about what they can/cannot do, then that is how it is...but they should be over the moon trying to help get your questions answered and get you booked...don't they want your business? ;) Sheesh.
That location is really beautiful, and I'd for sure pay that amount for it (although I'm jaded, living in Silicon Valley, our venue rental is $4100, and that was a steal compared to many in the area). However, if the staff there aren't friendly and accommodating, it may be another story. I think you should at least feel out the other staff, maybe set up a walk through with the site manager, who you'll more likely be working with, and see how he/she treats you.
I just had an idea and wanted to share it with you since I think the idea of having a friend bake something for you is really fun! Is there anything she can do (including but not limited to cupcakes) that you could use as edible favors?
Thanks all for the insight, very much appreciated!!!
Miss Cherry Limeade- I'm planning on having bbq sauce favors but, I was planning on purchasing sme from a site premade since you have to be careful about making your own and canning it (supposedly), it has to be refrigerated the whole time but, I have to check more in to that. Thanks for thinking of our situation and coming up with a good idea.
Fiance and I talked and it looks like we will go back to our old idea of renting a huge long cabin and having cateres and tents and doing as we please.....having our original cake idea, all of our own alcohol and the caterer we spoke with can do better for for a little cheaper. It all works out- that place wasn't meant to be.
Thanks again everyone.
Wow that is gorgeous...I think it depends on where you live. My venue was very inexpensive compared to my friends who lives in NY.
I like the log cabin idea, you will get more bang for your buck and rustic weddings can be so gorgeous! Best of Luck :)
Btw, for anoyone curious- I received the e-mail at the bottom of this post today which to be honest I thought was ridiculous.....$1.50 per slice of cake to be cut? Not only that but, she obviously didn't listen considering I told her several times we would be having cupcakes so there would be no cutting of any cake. I politely told her that we were no longer interested and thanked her for her time. That was not meant to be. Is a $150 charge for a slice of cake to be cut average or am I just blind to these sorts of added costs?
I just wanted to let you know that I have spoke with Ellen and she said you could bring your own cake. There would be a cake cutting fee of $1.50 per person but she would be willing to wave that fee if you brought your own plates for the cake.
Oh sheesh, ridiculousness! I know that it is customary for places to charge a cake cutting fee, but I always think that is just a bunch of poo, personally. Like it is that hard to cut a cake? Honestly, I'd be like, give me the knife, I'll cut everyone a piece myself! ;)
I think you did the right thing by moseying on down the road from this place; you don't need that kind of stress in planning, no matter how beautiful the venue is. The people there are supposed to make the experience a pleasant one, not make you want to pull your hair out!
We're renting a State Park Lodge. It was only $250 for the whole day (you could rent addiitonal days if you need for set up/tear down). Rustic, but really nice. We got to chose our own caterer, cake, bring in alcohol (within state limits though - nothing high proof).
KatieBug3017- okay so I'm not alone in thinking that this is crazy, I wasn't sure if I was just being really cheap.
IA Snowflake- I'm going to look in to this, thanks for the idea.
I am an Ohio Bride and those cost are on-par for the facility. Make sure when you book a caterer and other vendors you ask about cake cutting fees, corking fees, staff fees, set up and take down fees, travel fees... etc.... Yes, they are all common. I have seen corking fees as high as $15/bottle (if you get to supply the wine) and cake cutting fees normally run around 1.50/slice. Also price out everything before you make a decision. Sometimes the cost of tent rentals, set up take down, chairs, etc can run higher than the rental costs. I think we were a little shocked on delivery, set up and take down for 100 chairs within 10 miles of the warehouse...lol Before meeting with a vendor you might want to look at some budget worksheets because most of them have a lot of the hidden fees you might encounter and want to ask about. Good luck!!!
myvette13: thanks for the info. You're so right about those hidden costs that we all too often forget about. We have priced tents and cabin rental etc and it's much cheaper than going the Inn route and it just seems like it would be a better situation in regards to being able to provide our own alcohol etc...
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We are are getting married in Ohio and are interested in having our 40 person reception at this place::
http://www.innatcedarfalls.com/
We would have a bbq menu since we are opting for a laid back, casual affair. I'm waiting for the bbq menu and price per head to arrive in my email inbox. I called and asked the wedding event person at this location about cost, linens, etc... I need to know if I'm being unrealistic or not but, I was a little taken aback to learn that the venue fee alone will be $1300- thats for four hours. Linens would be $300 although she said she's never had people use linens, it's a sort of rustic place. Also, we would not be allowed to bring in our own cake, I would have to have the person at the venue site bake it. I've already asked my friend (who is a baker) to bake for us and she was thrilled that we asked- we wanted to go the cupcake route because it goes more with the theme and to also help save some money- our friend is only charging for cost of supplies. I thought it was pretty standard that the couple brought in their own cake. We are also not allowed to bring in our own alcohol, although I know some places don't allow this.
Call you guys please tell me if this sounds unfair or not? It's just that the $1300 seems like so much, especially for four hours. Maybe I'm naive as far as the cost of a venue.
The girl on the phone was a little condescending and I really felt like she spoke to me like I was dumb, maybe this place isn't such a wonderful idea afterall.
Thank you in advance!