Did you negotiate prices with your venue? *** Update

We didn't but our coordinators kindly offered a cheaper rate anyway for a few reasons like having small number of guests and the fact we're not getting married there just having reception etc so we didn't have to. You pay a bit more for summer weddings I think (our venue anyway) so not sure if they will but I always say it's worth a try. Could go around it in a nice way and just try your luck, you'll never know if you don't ask

Hehe at our venue the wedding coordinator was on hols so we got the operations manager and haggled like crazy!! We couldn't knock down the price on the Micheal Caines restaurant but we did get all evening guests to a £5 each and and room charges dropped! Also got suits with a 10% discount. I say do it!!

I just asked if there were any special offers they could do for us.

They came back straight away with £20.14 off per person and £20.14 off the already discounted bedroom prices.

At previous venues, I was a lot more reserved when haggling, and it didnt get us anywhere. I think its best to be straight with them, the worst they can say is no.

Good Luck!

We tried but didn't get anywhere, as they were so booked up they didn't need to negotiate.

Definitely worth asking!

Thanks everyone!
Our place is no corkage, with a choice of bring your own food or use their (very reasonable) caterers, but the venue hire is nearly £3k higher than the other place we are looking at (although that does include 10 rooms)

I think I might just tell them that and see if they're willing to chuck the rooms in for free or something.

Like you all say - you don't ask, you don't get!

We tried but they wouldn't shift on anything. Tried to get a free room for the night of the wedding but we couldn't even get that.

'Unfortunately' we love our venue too much to say "sod you then" and we booked even at a higher price than he were originally planning to pay.

Yeah, it won't be a make-or-break and we'll still most likely book there, but I'm gonna ask anyway - you never know, eh?

Definitely.

Just think of any bit of discount you might be able to get as a bonus!

I did a little research on the venue first, they were new to doing wedding, I'd already been to other venue and knew a fair few prices and already shortlist list another one. then did the whole 'its really nice, we love it but its out of our budget. these guys are offering us this deal, what can you do?' ;P

I was unable to negotiate on price with my venue but I was able to negotiate with them to provide me with additional 'bonuses' which weren't provided in the package such as lighting, theming etc etc. If they are not negotiable with price, try and get them to provide additional things for free.

We got 5% off ours for booking via an open day. Ours is a package for 40 but we're having 10 extra day guests and we managed to reduce the price of these.

TBH ours is a brilliant value package anyway compared to loads of others we saw and now they're mid refurb so we're getting a lush new hotel for old prices! YAY!

Don't be disheartened if you don't manage to get a discount though

Lots of great suggestions, thanks!

As we have a venue that has really reasonable food, no corkage and do all our venue dressing etc as part of the package; the only thing that is pricey is the venue hire charge itself - it's £3k more than our second choice. I think we will just be up front and say "we like you the best, but you cost £3k more - can you chuck the rooms in for free?"

Even if we just get a few hundred off, it's worth a try!

Even if they won't cut the prices, see what extra you can get for free......For example, one high end local hotel will give an extra room for nothing IF asked....I negotiated this a while back and they have honoured it since for couple when they request it....very useful if the weather is bad and you need some indoor elbow room for the guests....and the photography!!!

Peter

Yes, good tip! We have the house, a barn and the marquee and dancefloor as indoor spaces if it rains, so hopefully we have enough room
Maybe I can get extra food

Well, I've got our full quote, without asking they've offered a £500 discount if we book this week; I've come back with an offer of paying a larger deposit in exchange for more money off - we shall see what happens!