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Well.. you could offer to pay for 50. I'm not sure that's being a bully, a number of places we looked at had minimums. It might be a matter of the company wanting to stick to the contract it puts in front of everyone.
ETA: it sounds lovely.
It is common practice to have a set minimum. You can always pay for 50 guests. You could likely negotiate a menu upgrade as they will only have to provide 20 portions.
I'd have to agree -- most (if not all) places have minimums. If you don't have enough people, you have to pay for their minimum. They've run their numbers and aren't doing this as a chartiy. Sorry.
If the venue requires 50 people then the venue requires 50 people. They have rules and regulations in place for a reason. If you really want this venue then either find 30 more people to invite or pay for 50. Trust me, they’re not the only place with guest minimums. Just about every venue I’ve ever encountered has them.
I would actually say that 50 is a very low minimum compared to most I have seen. I would say you will probably have to pay for the 50 people, and then they would have no problem allowing you to only have 20 guests.
I totally understand that there are minimums. I live in the Greater Toronto Area here in Ontario, Canada where wedding costs are inflated to the extreme!!
I am okay with paying for 50 people if that is the minimum plus the cost of the venue (you get the venue free if you have a minimum of 75 ppl). They are not willing to rent out the venue at all. I think the problem I have with this is that the land and venue is owned by the City and was onced manned by it. Ever since this company took over, I have NEVER heard of this venuw being operated, it would be heartbreaking if it just went unkept. This location is considered part of a conservation area!
I guess what I am saying is, I am SOL here? I have offered all sorts of options (and trust me when I say we are on a small budget due to a # of reasons) and I really only want 20 ppl at my wedding... I am not going to invite more ppl just cuz.
@atalante: It is lovely... I am going to try and attach a pic :)
What are they going to do if you tell them you'll have 50, and you pay for 50 and the day of, only 20 show? :\
You might be SOL, unless there's a way you can just keep calling higher and higher up the customer service line. That seems very strange they wouldn't rent if you paid the agreed fee.
Could it be that they don't want to do the division of space?
ETA: thinking on this more.. it is beautiful, and I know you said it's a dream venue, but the staff and/or policies seem to be a big detractor. So if it's any consolation, maybe this isn't the perfect venue, and there's an even better one out there for you?
Wait, so they're not doing weddings anymore? But when they were, they had a 50 person minimum?
@atalante:
I should indicate that!!! I should say 50 ppl are coming... but I guess it would be sad if they set the place up for 50 ppl when I have a specific table set in mind! Perhaps it is not the dream venue if I am getting this much trouble. It is just SO hard to find a unique venue in the Greater Toronto Area that accomodates a small, intimate wedding. As for the division of space it is just 1 room.
@MademoiselleL : They do offer the venue as a wedding spot, but I have a friend who runs her own catering company in the area and hasn't seen the venue used in over a year!
I just want a place the gives me the freedom to do my own decor, have a great meal and stop with all the restirctions!
I am just frustrated because we had a wedding fund and I was going to do an Alaska cruise wedding but shyt happens and that is no longer a possible option unless a miracle happens.
I am looking for something with a somewhat of an equivalent 'wow' factor.
Well then sounds like your going to have to find another venue. You asked them to work with you and they have declined (which is fully in their rights to do so), so take your business elsewhere.
You know, I'm not sure if this will help but are there some nice restaurants in our area that were once old homes... the dining rooms are split up into smaller intimate spaces. Maybe you could look at a venue like a restaurant? Or a B&B?
If the city still owns the facility but only contracts out the operation, contact City Hall and ask for a copy of the contract. This is public information available with an FOI request.
You may be able to find someone @ City Hall who will give you this information or intercede on your behalf to find out what the problem is. Do you have a city councillor you can call for help?
Can you agree to spend X amount of money instead of inviting more people?
@julies1949 - I am going to take that step. Since I want to get married November 2013, I am going to wait to see if anything changes over the next 6 months... if not, then I am going to approach that City's municipal offices and see if anyhting can be done.
In the mean time, I have thought about Quebec City as an option... B&Bs in Ontario are $$$ as are restaurants... As mentioned before, the Greater Toronto Area really takes advantage of inflating wedding prices, although I am sure it is like that everywhere, but I find that some of the venues, especially along the waterfront are so overpriced that you can have a downpayment for a house and that is only about 100-150... it isnt even THAT big of a wedding...
Anyways now I am just rambling - thanks everyone for the advice :)
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Hi Bees,
Need your advice. There is a venue I love. It is a piece of land that is City owned, however, the location has been contracted out to that particular City’s event/all in one/restaurant company. Now, I am not looking to have more than 20 people my wedding... the venue can hold more, but I plan on splitting areas up – one for the dinner and the 2nd for treats and dancing. Essentially it is one huge room made into two. In addition, my wedding would be in the off season, I am looking at November 2013, it may even be on a Sunday or Monday. The company that runs the venue will not rent out the venue to me unless I have a minimum of 50 guests.
The reason why I love this space is that it is a lighthouse on the edge of the water and fairly close to where I live (less than an hour away). It would allow me to be creative re: decor and ambiance... and I even told this company I would use their caterer (even though I do not really want to.) They claim the reason they cannot accommodate me is because the venue takes a lot to run... which btw it does not, hydro/heat and one day of cleaning... which again, I said I would pay for.
What can I do to convince this place to let me have the venue I want????
<<<HELP>>>