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Wedding reception costs

posted 3 years ago in Reception
  • poll: How much spent per guest at reception for food and beverage (including alcohol)?
    less than $50 : (33 votes)
    32 %
    between $50 - $75 : (26 votes)
    25 %
    $75-$100 : (9 votes)
    9 %
    more than $100 : (35 votes)
    34 %
  •  
    1.
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    5 posts
    Newbee
    kellyo       Overland Park, KS

    We are trying to put together wedding packages. How much per person are you spending on food and beverage (including alcohol)? And, what extras should be included such as linens, centerpieces...???

     

     
    2.
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    Bee Keeper
    LatteLove    June 19, 2009   Chicago/San Diego

    My venue is small we we picked it for it's location and prices, so it's definitely on the cheaper end, even for where I live. (Location plays a huge part in determining the cost per plate of the reception!)

    For a family style dinner, a wine package (not open bar), and all the linens, our cost is going to be about $42/plate

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    Buzzing bee
    vistagirl    march , 2010   Oregon

    ours is $27 for just food, no service or rentals. i think it is about $40 with those and we are providing the alcohol which is $3 per person for the caterers to serve.

     
    4.
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    246 posts
    Helper bee
    Erisque    November 1, 2009   Baltimore, Maryland

    Ours is $51 per person, including all linens, service, tax, and bar setups. We're providing our own alcohol, but we have a friend who works for an alcohol distributor so we'll be able to get it at cost. I'd estimate the grand total being about $55 per person including everything.

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    5.
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    Beekeeper
    ejs4y8    June 20, 2009  

    Our food was about $36 per person (yay military discount!) plus $5 each for an open bar (only because we are buying it ourselves), so I said under $50. But, that obviously doesn't include the huge venue fee and some other stuff. It's hard since our ceremony and reception is at the same place. It's much cheaper to do that though

     
    6.
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    1,480 posts
    Bumble bee
    mssushi    March 2009   Hershey, PA / Kaneohe, HI

    I probably just messed up your poll since we cheated and took everyone to a luau. We paid $38 per person (like ejs4y8, yay military discount!; that included tons of luau food, drinks and entertainment. woot, woot!

     
    7.
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    422 posts
    Helper bee
    SpaceC06    02/07/2009   Albuquerque

    Ours was $62/plate. This was for a buffet with 3 main courses, 2 side dishes, 5 types of salads, and beverages (water, tea, coffee).

    The cost also included the cost of the Banquest hall, chairs, tables, votive candles, mirror tile (for centerpiece to sit on), sweetheart table (elevated with lights underneath and wrapped in fabric), all china, cutlery, stemware, linens (both an underskirt and an overskirt, cloth napkins).

    Also covered was the cocktail hour, 5 hot hourderves and 5 cold hourderves (all handpassed), beverages, tables, chairs, linens (similar to above).

    And more...Champagne toast (all glassware and champagne), cake cutting, and a honeymoon suite at the hotel.

    Whew! That was a lot!

    Lastly, we paid the bar by consumption although a per person fee was available.

     
    8.
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    344 posts
    Helper bee
    MsB    December 2008  

    Ours was $60 per plate for soup, choice of 5 main courses, and mini wedding cake desserts.

    Wine was $50 per bottle (served at the table) and drinks were $8.50-$9.00 per glass.

     
    9.
    Member
    344 posts
    Helper bee
    MsB    December 2008  

    I should have mentioned - included in that price were all table linens, cutlery, glasses, plates, etc. 

    Centerpieces were extra (DIYed at less than $10 each).

     
    10.
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    86 posts
    Worker bee
    snoopnaz23    June 20, 2009   Bethesda, MD

    Ours is going to come out to $150 per person.  That includes linens/table settings, 3 course dinner, open bar, wine service at dinner, cocktail hour with passed appetizers, wedding cake, and a late night snack buffet.

     
    11.
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    1,428 posts
    Bumble bee
    ErinMarguerite    July 2009   DC Area

    Ours is about $85 for food, china, flatware, tables, linens, etc.  We're providing all the alcohol separately, so that's not in the $85/head estimate.  Haven't started looking at how much that will cost, but I'm guessing it'll be a little over $100/person total.  (Oh, and our cake is another $2/head.)

     
    12.
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    1,479 posts
    Bumble bee
    ilovenycmissie    September 2009   nyc

    wow, this is the time I wish I lived in a less expensive city, mine will be $242 per person, $183 for kids, but it will be only for 50 people, closest and dearest to us, quality over quantity, plus it's at a beautiful historic hotel in the same room where Grace Kelly was engaged to Prince Rainier

     

    I figured it's the most important day of my life, I may as well make it a day to rememeber, I severely reduced the list, but I got so much quality at the reception; I cut out flowers, sinc ethe place and the church are beautiful enough without them, I have a bro who will set up songs for me for free to play, no party favors,  a photographer/friend has markedly reduced fees, so I saved in other ways so I can splurge where it's most important

     

    I love quality but will thrifty enough to still cut corners where I can

     
    13.
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    179 posts
    Blushing bee
    GothyBride2B      

    We are keeping ours under $30

     
    14.
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    6,816 posts
    Busy
    Beekeeper
    moderndaisy    June 2010  

    I haven't finalized the menu yet, but mine is kind of pricey - at least $250/head probably not including tax or service.

     
    15.
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    428 posts
    Helper bee
    Miss_Riley    May 22, 2010   Wedding VA / Live in KS

    Our plated diner is about $50 per person, $20 for kids, plus $4 per person per hour for open bar(6 hour reception), the reception site is about $20 per person and includes linens, flatware, china, etc. We haven't even looked at cakes yet so I have no idea what that is going to be...we're shooting for $3-$5 per person.... yikes....

     
    16.
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    1,512 posts
    Bumble bee
    mandalynn17    June 19, 2010   Medford, OR

    Ours is for food, flatware, no alcohol, linens & cake cutting. We are getting about a $10 discount/each because my mom works for the hotel that is catering.  It will be $25 per head.

     
    17.
    1,775 posts
    Buzzing bee
    anne B    August 11, 2012   Lincolnshire ...England

    our dinner is £46  per person........

    we are buying our own wine into the venue and paying corkage,  so drinks on top of that will be £20 per person,  

    so in total we are paying £66   ($100+ )  per person to eat a 3 course meal and drink wine and a champagne toast.......

    tableware /linen  etc is all included in this price.

     
    18.
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    396 posts
    Helper bee
    ms_nickie    January 1, 2011  

    I clicked the wrong button.  Ours will be about $85 per person.  That includes linens, food and drinks (alcohol).  If we add the centerpieces then its more like $91 per person.

     
    19.
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    396 posts
    Helper bee
    ms_nickie    January 1, 2011  

    Oh and that's for family style dinner and open bar. :)

     

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