Deposit before tasting?

Ours did. We also booked our venue probably a year in advance then had our tasting a couple months/weeks before the wedding.

Yes I've heard that is quite common. We booked our venue the first weekend of April but we won't be tasting the food until this March.

Our venue offers a tasting but you have to pay for it. If you sign a contract with them they take the cost of the tasting off your final bill so you get reimbursed. Our venue is at a hotel with a restruant inside so FH and I just stopped in and ate at the restaurant before signing our contract because it's the same menu plus it only cost us $30 instead of the $75 for the tasting. Perhaps you could work something out where you pay for the tasting then they reimburse you?

Pretty common here.

Yes, we put our deposit down when we booked in January, and didn't have a tasting until August. That being said, our venue is very popular for weddings, and is known for having great food.

I can understand your hesitation; does the venue do other events where you could go eat? Or have a restaurant that you could just go and eat dinner?

Ours did as well. We paid our deposit back in July and will be scheduling the tasting sometime in the next month or so. I'm not sure if there is a way to do a tasting before, I never asked. I think it's pretty common to do it when the venue and caterer are the same.

It's the zoo. So the only food I can buy there are it's chicken strips and corn dogs. haha Not the macaroni bar, lasagna, and the prime rib they have to offer.

It's crazy to me that it's common, but I'm brand new to the wedding planning. For past weddings I've been to, food is one of the main things I remember a while after the wedding so I want to know it will be delicious.

But thanks for the advice. Very helpful. I'm not so upset with the venue now.

I think most places require deposit first. I booked my venue in October 2015 my food tasting is actually this Saturday and my wedding isn't until July 1 2017! They are a fairly new venue and asked all the brides and grooms who are already booked to come to this food tasting because it'll be the biggest one yet and she is having a lot of the vendors there and photos being taken for the website! good luck

We actually refused to book a venue that wouldn't allow us to taste the food first (I went to culinary school so food is HUGE for me) and made it clear that we were willing to pay for the tasting. That being said, it was ROUGH to find places that would do it. It's pretty common to have to book the venue before the tasting but I understand why you would be hesitant to do it. If you have your heart set on it, I would ask if there is any way you can come before or after a booked event. It won't be a full tasting (and don't expect to ask questions either, you're on borrowed time) but you'll be able to taste enough to gauge whether or not you're comfortable with booking them. We worked that out with our current reception venue and we are grateful that they did so.

I have to pay my deposit before we do a tasting

I, like most ladies above, gave my deposit without a tasting. I will be having the tasting in January.

However, there were reviews on yelp and google+ about our venue so it helped ease the uncertainty.

Here's a thought, not sure if it will work but have you considered paying for the tasting? and then if you happen to book they can use that money towards your deposit?

We used an independent catering company so this wasn't an issue for us. That said it is common for venues, especially a venue like a zoo, who I doubt employs catering staff 24/7. Probably just contract for events, that they wouldn't offer tastings. It's also common to pay for a tasting as well. Maybe you could ask when the next event will be and maybe they would let you do a paid tasting around that time since the staff would already be there for the event. I totally understand being apprehensive about booking without tasting, food was super important to me. We have done two tastings for ours and I think now the menu is perfect. happy planning!

I put down my venue deposit in July and still haven't scheduled a tasting yet However I have eaten at several of the restaurants at the venue and love their food, so I lucked out!

Yup we had to, but the caterer and venue has rave reviews. We just heard from a friend that also went to a wedding there, and she also raved about the food so we aren't worried. We might actually pick our menu without a tasting as well, just because of travel/timing.

We had to put a deposit and won't have the tasting until it is closer, definitely common.

People don't remember a bad venue, but they will remember bad food. I wouldn't buy until I try.