Stressing out over guest parking

Next, I thought about a shuttle from the gardens to the reception, but I don't know that the gardens would allow my guests to leave their cars there for so long after hours and I wonder if guests would be irritated on having to wait for shuttles. Pricing is also not looking much better.

I looked into Uber events, but because we have both a ceremony and reception location, that would lso add up to more.

Lastly, there are open lots that are about $5-10 each but they are about a 8-9 minute walk away and I would hate for my guests to have to walk downtown late at night.

We are almost 4 months out and no way can we change venue at this time (would also lose out on thousands of deposit dollars). I am stressing out about this though!! My mom and other friends I've discussed this with say that it wil be fine and guests don't expect us to pay for parking but I feel bad that people would have to pay to park. Ughhhh.....

I live in the city. I expect to pay for parking everywhere.

Don't give up on getting a discount rate until you have actually talked with the parking lot operators.

November 11 is Veterans Day so there is a chance that business night not be as brisk as a normal Saturday. I don't know how it is celebrated in the US.

@muriel, true. They have a little parade downtown in the morning, but I don't expect much going on in the evening. I sent an email a little while back to the monopoly over all the parking garages downtown....hopefully they will work with me!

Do you have a website? You could include the parking information there and encourage people to carpool from the ceremony to the reception if the cost of parking is a concern.

I think guests can handle it as long as it is not a surprise.

@muriel - I do have a wedding website and planned to put it on there. My mom also suggested putting it on the details insert of our wedding invites just so people don't miss it. Is that weird?

Not at all.

You should have taken yourself from the venue contract signing over to the several parking lots that are available -- all at a budget friendly $10 PP. You waited until this week. Back then, you probably would have gotten what you're looking for, and you'd have probably gotten it at a per car discount. Now, the lots don't want the $10 per car you were willing to spend, so I'd suggest you find a way to cough up the other $8 to host your guests. You selected a restaurant venue, and you selected it knowing that guest parking was an issue. That's on you.

I'll get push back on this, I'm sure...but I do not expect to walk eight or nine minutes to a venue ( I can't do that, but I'm sure my husband would drop me off at the door and reconnect with me 20 minutes later), and I don't expect to pay anything more than a gratuity at a manned parking lot. If it's a church ceremony, there's a parking lot. If the reception is a half an hour away, there's usually valet parking, and if not, there's a parking lot. If the ceremony and reception are at the same venue, it's either valet or an open parking lot. If it's at a restaurant, as my son's wedding reception is, I expect parking spaces or an overflow lot that he's covered (thanks for raising the issue -- I'm double checking this issue with him tomorrow). I can't sanction asking guests to travel to Rockland County, NY from Long Island, NY and then ask them to pay for parking. That's me. I'd find the money.

I'm sorry, but as a wedding guest, I wouldn't be thrilled to pay for parking to attend a wedding (especially since it's the first face to face encounter I'd have with anyone related to your wedding). Despite not wanting to beat a dead horse, I've already spent money on a gown/dress, travel, lodging, and a $300 gift. Another $20 because the parking fee was "out of budget" is something I'd pay, and while I'd never say a word to you, it might come up in discussions with your guests.

IMO, the parking fees belong to you, and if it's out of budget, then maybe you should cut some guests from your November wedding (unless you did the STD thing -- which totally boxes you in on a few fronts).

If you say you can't pay it, then it is what it is, but I'd jump through hoops, sell a few things, work a few extra weeks of OT -- whatever it takes -- to have my guests ushered into my wedding without having to open their wallets for a single thing.

What Rachel said - I've never heard of a wedding where guests had to pay to park - it's almost like having a venue with a cover charge or something. Whatever option between shuttles, Uber events, or paying in bulk for parking turns out to be most budget friendly I really think you are on the hook for that.

Yup, already did Save the Dates, otherwise I'd love to cut some people. If there is anything to cut, it would be the alcohol - taking it from full open bar to beer and wine only. I consider a full open bar the better value, since knowing my friends and family, they will make full use of it. If we are paying the parking, it's going on a credit card....which I really don't want to do.

Can you find a "free lot" or a safe spot where people can park their car and then have a rent scoffer/limo to have quests travel to the venue?

We covered our guests' parking at $20 apiece. Unfortunately, I purchased 30 because 30 people said they would need it and only 12 took one. And I couldn't get reimbursed.

$300 gift !?

Yeah...a $300 gift -- in the form of a check. For a family member...absolutely.

But OP, I really want to thank you. It's one thing to address brides-to-be on this forum, issue by issue. It's another to actually be living the issues. You reminded me of something that's really important, and for that, I truly thank you.

Having lived in Pittsburgh FH and I were use to parking farther for events for cheaper parking and walking. I truthfully don't see a big deal in paying for parking but obviously others disagree. I think you should continue to try to get ahold of the parking authority and see what can be done.

We are lucky that in our city (Erie PA) parking on the weekends is free in the garages. And our venues are a 2 minute walk from each other and a 5 minute drive from hotel. This was one of the first things we checked when booking our venues though because we would have budgeted to pay for parking.

If you cannot come up with a solution, I do not think it will be the end of the world nor would it put a bitter taste in my mouth as a guest, but I'd give it your all to try to come up with something.

No, this is downtown San Antonio....all businesses downtown use the parking garages (including banks). We do have a friend that has a lot attached to his business probably 10 minutes from the venue, so I may look into having a shuttle from there. BUT it is an unattended lot, so that may be a concern for some guests.

How much of an increase for you are we talking when it comes to the $8 price jump?

ETA: I agree with @Rachel. I'm not walking 9 minutes from my car to the reception venue and back in heels, especially if I've been drinking.

We recently went to a wedding in NYC and needed to pay $40 for parking, which the family knew because they sent out parking information beforehand. On top of a $300 gift. I know the parents spent a lot of money on the food but it was awful. (Who melts American cheese on a lobster in a Chinese banquet hall??) So I left hungry too.

NYC is kind of a unicorn, parking wise. If people don't cab it, they expect to pay for parking....the last wedding I did cost 62.00 in parking fees.

But our suburban venues that have lots, valets, parking fees; they are covered by the hosts.

How many guests are you inviting? Keep in mind that number of guests does not equal number of cars. So if you are inviting 150, it would be 75 cars at most, but very likely less if there are families and people who carpool. So, say 60 cars.

Honestly, I live in a city where paying to park is completely normal and is expected (and the parking costs are not cheap...$18 would be a dream). So for any wedding at a downtown venue, I would expect to pay for parking and not think twice about it. But as a host, I would not want my guests to have to pay and I would find the money to cover parking passes for them. I don't think you should cut the full open bar if your guests will enjoy it, but I would find another way. And if the only option is credit card, well I would probably do it.

You're super sweet for worrying but honestly if I had to pay to park I wouldn't be angry, it's just a fact of life. If you can't figure it out I wouldn't worry too much. A lot of people uber nowadays anyway.