How to ask for a total?

I just calculated on my own, the amount of the venue rental, plus per plate, alcohol and then the taxes and gratuity. It will give you a ballpark range. I broke down each venue with a total.

They will probobly have a quote on their website. But I would go talk to them. Tell them what you want and get a quoted price in writing.

We gave them a ballpark number, told them which bar package we wanted and they were able to give us a quote sheet at all the venues we looked at. It was just used as an estimate but we did get pretty close to what we paid in the end.

It should be listed in the contract.

Everywhere I toured was able to give me a ballpark number based on number of guests and type of catering and bar package. They have so many people asking for quotes, don't feel bad about it, I'm sure they have some kind of calculator where they can just plug in some numbers and go.

Don't be shy! Just ask. Say you want to have a solid estimate of pricing before you make a final decision - as good as they can give you. If they aren't willing to help you make a decision, then maybe you don't want to work with them anyway.

Any good venue would be happy to give you an itemized quote. I checked out 5 venues and no one gave me a hard time or made me feel silly. It honestly makes things easier for both parties because you can see if it fits your budget and in return they can work with you to create a package that will fit your budget. I just told them estimated attendees, date/time, and type of meal I was looking for (plated, multiple options).

Our venue gave us a grand total before we booked it to see if we would be able to afford it. There have been no surprise extra charges either so I would just ask for an estimate.

@Ely - Don't be shy about asking! How else will you get the information? Vendors know that this is probably the first and last time you'll be planning a celebration like this - of course you have to match in terms of price point!

You'll have to provide some basic information first before a quote can be provided (estimated date, time, number of guests, etc), but any vendor should not have a problem providing an estimate for you.

You can also look up your vendors on WeddingWire ~ many of them have some basic pricing information posted right on their WW page, which makes it super easy for you to browse and compare.

Having looked into/priced hundreds of venues (not even kidding), here's my advice:

- Don't be afraid to reach out. Most venues will have an email address or a contact button where you can request their current packages and pricing. Vendors have this info at the ready, almost to the point that it's probably a canned response with the details.

- Dig through the package details; most will explain what is included in catering, rental price, etc. Set up a spreadsheet if it helps you to run basic calculations on your guest count and include tax, gratuities, etc.

- I found that most packages were annoyingly similar in what’s included, but vastly different in price. Spend time comparing before you reach out again for quotes. You’ll find deal-breakers for sure. My deal-breaker was potentially having to pay for fancy chair upgrades (I don’t want them, but some venues force the issue). No thanks.

What worked for me was to keep a list in my binder; very basic…name of venue, rental fee, lowest p/p catering cost. I was able to eliminate venues in seconds based on those figures. My criteria for example…if a venue had a $1000 rental fee and $100 p/p catering, it was an instant and emphatic NO.

Narrow down your options, then make appointments. Don’t feel weird doing it so far in advance; in some cases that’s a really good idea because prices will only get higher, and if you are getting married in peak season, your date might get snapped up. Added benefit, if you find a place now and want to sign a contract, you’ll be locked in for the pricing. BUT! Check the fine print in case there is language that stipulates prices could change.

Also, WW Vendor lists were incredibly helpful. I made a lot of easy decisions by checking there first. Best of luck!

Just ask. We are more than happy to provide the information based on your estimates on date, guests and potential package or options. However, because you are looking at 2017, some places may not be able to or willing to provide costs (especially true of caterers who won't know the cost of food until it is much much closer).

Maybe this could help: https://rsvpify.com/wedding-guests-rsvp-timeline-calculator/

My caterer had it all written out for me a year out, including tax and gratuity.