Ugh, should I cancel this venue?

Those details were not on the contract?

I'd check out someplace else.

Check the terms and conditions you signed. Our venue tried to increase the cost per head by 14% despite it stating in the terms and conditions that cost per head may increase by 5% per year but no more. We challenged them and they agreed to lower it to 5% (the least could do is honour the terms and conditions!) anyway read over them again.

Talk to your wedding planner first and show her the caterer's proposal. Ask if she can provide any previous proposals that she's seen with them and if there was some sort of miscommunication and if the proposal is incorrect. If not, then I think it would be best to look into outside catering first, and if that isn't feasible with your budget, then start looking for other venues. Don't write them off just yet, see if they can remedy it first since it would suck to lose your deposit

@A&L The venue and their caterer give you two separate contracts. So far, I've only signed the venue contract, and the only thing about catering in there is about the $2K buyout.

@EngineerinLove So the explanation we got from our planner was that she had given us the estimate based on their 2017 rates and that their 2018 rates were just that dramatically higher. We wanted to try and make the outside catering thing work, but since they can't use the kitchen at the venue, they'd have to take up part of our ceremony space outside and make up a makeshift kitchen. So without even knowing that that total cost would wind up being, we'd already be really bummed to have our guests sitting in this beautiful garden and then have like kitchen equipment next to them lol.

@Jessica Nope Since they do their contract separate from the venue, I've only got the venue stuff in writing.

How much was your deposit with the venue?

@FB99 Our wedding planner works with this venue caterer frequently. She had their 2017 rates and gave us the amount from that.

I would push them to take the 2017 price they were showing you. Tell them you based your budget on that. Explain to them that they knew your wedding was 2018 and they should have been upfront about price increases (since that is basically bs) and get want you deserve. If this is your dream venue don't settle, remind them of the promises they made and don't settle. Sometimes I think that these vendors feel they have the upper hand and can sway you but guess what you're the customer and you should have what they told you, you could have!

You're in a tough spot. Although I will say that catering as 13% of the total budget is not a lot, even if you have a big venue rental fee. I'd ask your planned or precious budgets, yes, but I'd also be very frank with the venue that you are co soldering going elsewhere because you cannot afford their new rates. And see what they say.

So it's the wedding planners fault and not the venue itself

@Natalie Venue was $4250 deposit. Would be a bummer to lose, but the increase they're trying to pass off on us is $10K.

ETA: I would say it's both the planner's fault and the caterer. The number we were planning on for catering was brought up multiple times in the meeting.

It sucks, but you may have to cut the guest list to accommodate your budget

If catering will only be 13% of your budget then I don't exactly see the problem. I understand that being blindsided was shitty but that's still not a big chunk of your budget. How much did you budget for catering?

I agree that if they initially quoted you off of 2017 prices, knowing full well your wedding is in 2018, they should honor the quote they gave you.

I would push them for the 2017 rates, given that you wouldn't have booked that venue otherwise. They don't want the bad publicity of you telling people that you were baited and switched.

@KM I think OP is saying that the increase for just the catering is 13% over their overall budget.

If you don't have anything in writing, you're probably out of luck. See what other costs would be associated with eating the $2k fee and bringing in your own caterer before you make any other moves.

La Grosera, that makes more sense.

OP, what was the price they quoted you? And what is the price they are quoting you now?

It sounds like the wedding planner misquoted the estimate for catering.