Wedding ceremony planner and venue proprietor Alison Rios McCrone helps remedy your dilemmas, irrespective of how large or small, in a weekly agony aunt column.
Expensive Alison,
My companion and I’ve began planning our marriage ceremony for subsequent 12 months. Having booked our venue, we’re now shifting onto different suppliers.
We’ve acquired nothing however beautiful replies from potential florists, caterers, photographers, DJs and many others – however I’ve the distinct feeling we’re being ripped off. It simply seems like the whole lot is much more costly than I assumed it could be. Why would a two tiered cake value £450? Why do two bouquets and buttonholes come to £350?
Even our venue. It’s dry rent and is costing us £6,000 simply to make use of the house. Individuals at all times say there’s a particular price ticket for weddings and I’m beginning to consider it.
Are we being taken for a trip or is that this the precise value of the whole lot? Are you able to clarify how suppliers come to those figures?
Thanks,
Mark
Do you may have a marriage drawback you want recommendation on?
Weddings are joyful events – however they’re additionally extremely anxious. Whether or not you’re a bride or groom, finest girl or man, member of the family or good friend of the couple, the run as much as the large day could be very tense.
In the event you want a little bit of assist together with your quandary, Alison, who has run a venue for 10 years and helps {couples} plan weddings, is right here to supply a serving to hand.
Electronic mail platform@metro.co.uk to share your concern anonymously with Alison and get it solved
Expensive Mark,
Congratulations in your marriage ceremony subsequent 12 months!
Planning your large day is extremely thrilling, however I utterly perceive why the prices could be leaving you feeling unclear about the place on earth all the cash might be going.
Earlier than establishing and working a marriage venue, I may have been responsible of considering the identical factor.
However as a venue proprietor, I can guarantee you that, along with the apparent prices – just like the elements on your cake or the flowers on your bouquets – there are an excessive amount of extra hidden bills concerned in weddings.
It may well definitely really feel like the whole lot is dearer than it needs to be, however there are a couple of vital components to think about.
These costs embody employees wages, Nationwide Insurance coverage contributions, pension contributions, transportation, insurance coverage, tools upkeep, premises, accountancy charges, utilities, store premises, and, in fact, the time and experience concerned in creating bespoke, high-quality services or products tailor-made to your big day.
That’s a hefty listing – and will go some strategy to explaining sums which will, at first, appear eye-watering to you and your companion.
Many companies additionally face rising costs for provides and utilities, which sadly get handed on to prospects. As well as, any firm with a turnover of greater than £90,000 should be VAT-registered, which signifies that 20% of what you’re paying is tax that goes on to the federal government, to not the provider.
This may make quotes appear increased, however that’s simply a part of coping with VAT-registered companies.
For instance, your flower quote is £350 for 2 bouquets and buttonholes.
The florist might have a store that might want to cowl hire, charges, mild, heating, staffing, insurance coverage, and tax if it exceeds the VAT threshold.
Then there may be the time to supply and pay for the flowers, for instance. The florist might have to go to a wholesaler and acquire the flowers, return to the store, make up the bouquets and buttonholes, after which ship them to your venue.
So, as you may see, it’s not simply two bouquets and buttonholes you might be paying for – you’re additionally forking out for a private service to type the bouquets on your theme and have them delivered them to your venue.
The identical might be true for the marriage cake, however that is clearly much more labour-intensive – particularly contemplating the time it takes to make it, end it with icing, after which to pay somebody to ship the cake to your venue.
The £6,000 venue rent would possibly really feel steep however once more, this value doesn’t normally mirror simply the bodily house.
One of the vital vital prices for any marriage ceremony is employees. No matter service is supplied, weddings are at all times labour-intensive, and time is cash.
Then, there are overheads the venue has to cowl – corresponding to utilities, cleansing, staffing, garbage assortment, and sustaining the property. Plus, it’s extremely possible they are going to be VAT registered, so round £1,200 of their cost might be tax.
And, usually, marriage ceremony venues aren’t simply continually making a living.
Having run our marriage ceremony venue for 12 years, we now shut for a time frame each winter to repaint and restore the premises to organize for the next season.
The damage and tear on a venue is kind of vital, particularly in case your house is common and has many weddings yearly.
Weddings can appear to return with a ‘particular price ticket’. However whenever you break it down, most suppliers should not making an attempt to make the most of you; they’re simply making an attempt to cowl their prices.
Wedding ceremony charges could be gasp-inducing, however realizing the place the cash goes could make understanding these quotes simpler.
A good way to match prices is to acquire a minimum of three quotes for every sort of service/provide you want on your marriage ceremony.
This could provide you with a clearer thought of what issues typically value – and, hopefully, will show you how to see that it’s not possible anybody is making an attempt to take benefit.
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I hope that helps clarify issues a bit higher.
Better of luck with the remainder of your planning!
Greatest needs,
Alison
Do you may have a narrative you’d wish to share? Get in contact by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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