How much would you spend as a guest?

Hmm let's think - I never expect free drinks as a guest, so over the course of a day / evening I'd probably have about 4-5 alcoholic drinks. Unless they were very pricey I can't see that costing £22.50. As a couple, spending £50 on drinks would be unusual for us, since one of us would be driving. We certainly wouldn't spend £50 between us if wine had been provided for the meal, toasts etc.

I'd also specify "cash bar" on the invitations, since otherwise people may not bring enough money to spend the amount you'd like. or arrive, realise drinks aren't free, and drink less to economise. It's a risk I wouldn't take tbh.

Most weddings I've been to I've bought a couple of soft drinks at the bar - as I've had enough alcohol from the wine provided at table (2-3 glasses = lightweight) so I'd probably spend £10 (although I'd usually have more in my purse). £22.50 would be very high for me, even if I was drinking unless the prices were heinous (but I'd still probably baulk at the thought of spending that much!)

Depends how much the drinks are and how much wine you're providing with your meal. As a child free guest in my mid twenties I'd easily spend over £20 on drinks over a night but any guests that are driving or have children with them may not spend anywhere near that.

I'd just be upfront and ask them if they can lower the minimum spend if you book it early, they need an incentive to get a wedding license so surely they can do you a deal? I'd also ask if prices will go up between now and 2014 as I've seen some venues quote an increase of 10% per year!!!

We aren't having any children there any anticipate that a lot of guests will stay in town but there will be some drivers and oldies who i'm guessing won't be getting wasted! we are providing the day guests (80 out of 200) with 1/2 bottle and 1 welcome drink and then would be having 120 extra evening guests!

I have spoken to a few people and they seem to think that £22.50 is 'easily' spent at a wedding but then hearing your opinions is making me think twice!!

asking them to lower the minimum spend is a good idea if we book in advance, I can't see that they would make £10,000 every Saturday...if they do i think i need to save up for a restaurant instead of a house!!

any more suggestions of what people would spend?? a small glass of wine at this place is around £4.50/£5 just to give an idea!! x

As a guest I'd be happy to spend that much between myself and OH (so half it for each). Also, some people may bring their own (tucked in a handbag, or as someone at my friend's wedding did, a case of beer in the car), so you'll have them to carry too. But I suppose it depends what your crowd is like.

As a day guest, if I'd had half a bottle of wine and a glass of bubbly with the meal, I probably wouldn't spend that much - 5 more glasses of wine at the price you quoted. As an evening guest, if there was no wine provided for us, perhaps, but no guarantees. I have no objection to paying for drinks in the evening, but honestly, I think you'd struggle to "make" that much overall.

I think as a couple, we probably would spend in the £20 region but not individually as I don't drink myself so would probably only have a couple of soft drinks. I think most guests tend to expect a drink for the toasts to be provided and maybe a glass or two of wine on the table with the meal but to pay for all the other drinks from the bar themselves.

We're bad guests when it comes to drinking @ weddings because we tend to have a personal stock in the boot cos of silly prices, but saying that we would easily spend the £22.50 and more if we didnt have the booze.

I would spend that and don't see the problem with that amount at all, especially as it's a child free wedding, I would let my hair down ? I agree with what frandy said though about asking them to reduce minimum spend and if you book then to keep this years' prices.

I think you'd easily spend that as a guest & i think my friends would as well. we went to a hotel on friday where there was a wedding on. the bottles of wine were £15 and we had a couple. between a bunch of friends you would do it like i guess. then as it got later the blokes would be on whiskey & such.

make sure you get married early & gives people plenty of chance to spend it.

As a day guest, probably £50 as a couple, as OH doesn't drink wine and I'd want a few drinks in the evening.

As an evevning guest, easily £80, as we'd end up buying drinks for other people too.

I think we might spend that, but between us as a couple, not each. Neither of us are big drinkers and if we've already had wine with the meal we might not drink much in the evening.

If you don't make the minimum spend, presumably they'll ask you for the money? Are you able to set it aside and make sure you have it? Or what would be a better idea is maybe spending some more on the food and drink yourselves... maybe 'upgrade' the menus, offer better drinks etc. Then you won't be holding your breath on the night hoping your guests spend enough so you won't have to 'top-up'!

I don't know your budget but if it was me I'd swallow the cost of the £10k upfront and provide drinks until it runs out, or at least top it up in advance to about £8k - it just seems a little 'off' to me to expect your guests to cover the cost of your venue. Not saying that is what you're doing, but you do need to ensure that you can afford this venue even if your guests spend nothing, IMO.

I can't believe people would bring their own drinks to a wedding!

As a couple, we'd easily spend that much and more, but we're pretty big drinkers. It's not unheard of for us to spend £100 at a wedding, because we'll buy drinks for other people, buy bottles of wine etc. I wouldn't think that most people would spend that much and judging by the replies above, nowhere near it.

You have a good idea asking them to bring the minimum spend down, especially if you're booking this far in advance.

I would probably spend less than £22.50 - more like a tenner as a day or evening guest. But OH would easily spend way more than 22.50...

Do you know what their food prices are like?

For your numbers using my prices which aren't extortionate I get to over 6k, which gets you a bit closer.

If you are worried, and giveny ou are booking early, I would go in with an offer you are comfortable with - if you are happy that you will get the numbers you think, say you will sign up to quite high minimum numbers, but want a minimum spend of £8000.

Ok, first of all I'd easily spend £22.50 at an evening reception.

BUT...

What if you book and they don't get a licence? Does that mean you can order all the alcohol in yourself and give it to your guests? Something you need to think about.

What if 200 people don't come to the evening? Thats quite a lot of people. Evening declines are much more common than day ones.

Oh dear, reading some of these I fear I may be bordering on slightly alcoholic! If my OH and I were going to a wedding we wouldn't think of taking less than £150 beer money, it just goes so fast, especially once you start buying rounds then later in to the evening shots. Having said that OH and his friends are all rugby players and big drinkers - I'd say £22.50 per head is easily achievable. I'm guessing that a city centre venue with that kind of demands on minimum spend will charge around £4 per pint - that's only 5 and a half pints over the day which isn't much really.

It really depends on your circle of friends and family, are they big drinkers or not?

Me and Mr C would easily drink £22.50 each... I am a lush.

I agree with Kharv though, you are taking a risk with no licence and I would get them to agree an alternative plan that works for you in case they don't get it.

I would also have a back up fund that covers the cost just in case if you can't negotiate it lower.

We paid for a free bar for 90 people that lasted from about 6-10pm and cost us £1,500. This was restricted to glasses of wine and beer and single shots and mixers only. That's about £16 per head assuming everyone was drinking.

Surely its wedding license, not alcohol license that they are applying for.

I would get some sort of confirmation of what they will offer if something goes wrong with their application for a license - what happens if you can't get a slot that day at the registray office etc?

I'd easily spend over £22.50.

Ahh right. Ignore that about the licence then of you can get married nearby if they don't manage to get one.

I think that's a good bargaining tool for getting the minimum spend down though. Personally I think it should be more like £7500 - £8000

I think it's too much of a risk to take. Out of the 200 people, you'd probably get at least 30 driving, bringing your total down to 170.. out of those 170, you might have people on antibiotics, preggers, any other reason for them not to drink, I'd take another 20 off. Also, take off another 10% for people who decline the invitation.. that's 135 people drinking... £4,500/135 = approx. £35 each, which is quite a lot considering it's a wedding so most people will be mingling and talking as opposed to standing at the bar getting bladdered.

I, personally, wouldn't rely on my guests to bump up the price.

Ok glad you have all commented made me re-evaluate a little ...our food/drink budget is max £5500 and with 80 day guests we would spend this...

The license is the ceremony/wedding license not alcohol license...

They are a restaurant on a day to day basis so im guessing the £10,000 is to cover their usual income (although i'm pretty sure it would be less than this)

I haven't gone into detail about how the costs work as i have only spoken over the phone but i get the impression if your guests don't spend it you get a bill for the amount after the wedding ...not a very nice worry to have!!

We can't afford the £10,000 ourselves

We won't be booking until they have a license! I wouldn't want the uncertainty!

we are a young couple and so i know that a lot of our guests will drink (A LOT) but then we do have a fair old wack of oldies and people that would drive...

I think from what people have said we should try and lower the minimum spend as it does seem steep!! a small wedding (under 100) could never hit the £10,000 mark by themselves unless they have a 6 course banquet and champagne flowing...

The Day time guests for 4 course meal, 1/2 bottle wine and welcome drink is approx £45 (+ evening food) but as it's a restaurant they can't hike their prices up loads so i don't know...

We are going to see it on Friday and i suppose we will make our minds up from that but I just wanted to see what people thought before i got too excited!!

I'd be pretty dissapointed if our friends felt the need to sneak alcohol into the venue haha i'm sure i had a few people do that at my 18th but not my wedding haha! i hope we have all grown up since then!

I agree that we shouldn't be 'relying' on our guests to make up the venue cost but it's a different style of costing being a restaurant they are only bothered about making back what they would usually make on a Saturday...I just need to be moer realistic about how much people will spend!

Thank you so much for all the feedback, definitely something to think about!! x

I would usually spend at least £50 on drinks if I was without the child!

Me too Tricks. Not that I have a child. You know what I mean.

For a big night out OH and I would spend about £30 ish each I think. It's quite a risk to take though, I wouldn't fancy a big bill the next day if people didn't spend enough. I think it's a good idea to see if they'll reduce the minimum and if not you may have to tihnk about having some more money saved yourself to cover potential shortfall if you're really set on that venue.

I sound like an alcoholic but at the last evening reception we were at we spent £80 between the two of us.

For a wedding we would normally take around £100

xx

One of us might drive or we'd drink the free wine on the tables. But if it was me individually, I might spend £22. That works out at about 6 good priced drinks. I wouldn't expect every guest to be drinking though. I think its too much just to waste on alcohol when it could go on a honeymoon, or a mortgage etc. But its your choice so good luck making a decision! I hope the venue is lovely ?

If I was at a wedding all day and night I would easily spend that I reckon, depending on prices. Assuming that there is wine for the meal and toast, I would have about a drink an hour between 7pm - midnight...5 drinks at £5 each (wine) = £25.

It will depend on where you are I'd imagine in the country. I'm thinking about London and if they are best friends and family, I'm going all day I'll probably take £100 plus my card to get more money out if needed (I'm single and not a couple). If I'm just going in the evening £70 would be in my purse when I leave home, and I'd take my card in case I need more money.

NB - the money will also have to cover a stop at the chippy van on the way home too ?

And so yes in answer to your question I could easily spend £22.50! I'm thinking from 6pm - 12.....2 drinks an hour. That's 12 drinks at £6 each = £72. Plus you have to throw in the shots of sambuca. Bang! That's £100 gone. Sparing £3.50 for my cheesey chips :-)

Note - this post has just made me realise where my money goes to each month! Opps!

Hi, I think we would spend about £40 between us, but I am not a big drinker, and OH only drinks lager (no expensive spirits). I guess it depends on your guests and whether they all like a drink? x

Blimey I need to drink where some of you girls do, £22 would just about get you 2 drinks in a half decent bar in London so yes I would definitely spend over that I usually budget for about £100 on a night out but my card is also prone to taking a battering on top.