Venue Payment Schedule

That seems like way too much! Granted our venue costs a lot less in total ($2500) but our deposit was only $500. Unless you're absolutely set on the venue, I'd keep exploring other options.

Our venue asked for $2,000 for a deposit, 75% of your total 1 month before, the remainder of your total 1 week before and any overages are due at the end of the event.

That is insanely expensive for a venue does that include catering?

What does this venue fee include? Is this for catering/bar service as well? If so, I don't see how they can expect that when you won't have even a fair idea of how many guests you'll have.

Hmm how much is the total? Does it include anything? We booked ours feb 2015 for may 2016. We put 1/4 down. We just paid another 1/4. Our balance is due 10 days before the wedding.

That seems like a lot. Is the deposit a certain percentage of the total cost?

Our deposit was only $2300 but maybe it's because of location and our per person cost may be lower?

If you decide to do that, get wedding insurance beforehand.

That sounds like a lot. My venue is about $5,000 and deposit was only $250. Then over the next 5 months we have 3 more $250 payments and that is it until a month before the wedding

My venue was 1500 with 1000 down, so unless you are getting everything for 17,000 and I mean everything you should maybe look elsewhere

Its definitely normal for them to ask for money upfront, but that seems insane! Did you ask them why they want so much?

My venue cost which includes mostly everything is broken down like this: 2000 deposit, 5000 July 2016 and remaining 13000 ish is due 2 weeks before wedding

That seems pricey and the payment plan isn't consistent to what we were given for any of the venues we looked at. Here's how our payment schedule worked out for our now venue. 1. 50% of the venue fee alone at time of signing. 2. Second 50% for the venue fee due 120days prior to the wedding. 3. 90 days before the wedding, 1/3 the cost of our food/beverage (restaurant is part of the venue). 4. 1/3 due 60 days prior. 5. The last 1/3 for f&b are due 30 days before the wedding.

For 50ish people, premium open bar, highest food package, the venue available for all day (technically weekend) at a prime venue, we still come out to a few thousand less than what your venue is charging you. Does the cost include food and beverage? If so, for how many people is this?

Thanks for the input everyone. I felt it was a lot to ask for so far in advance of the wedding as well.

The per person cost is almost all inclusive for food and beverage. We are estimating around 110 people so the venue gave us an estimate of $18,550.

I'd have no problem putting anywhere from $1,000-$2,000 down now to reserve the date and then making payments towards the end of 2017 and into 2018 but to have $17,000 paid over a year and a half in advance seemed outrageous.

I am obsessed with the venue and we are still planning booking, we are just going to wait until we get about 15 months away from our date instead of over 2 years out.

I really appreciate all of your input so quickly! <3

That really does seem like a lot., our venue was a $1500 deposit then it's $1000 3months before ceremony and the remainder a couple weeks before the wedding..

Ours was like that. We have paid about 20k and still have 15k to go lol

Our venue does 5 payments. 25% of estimated cost for the deposit. Another 25% at equal increments before the day (for us this was about every quarter). About 1 month out we pay any remainder & 15% overage. If any of the overage isn't spent, we get a refund 2 weeks after our wedding.

Great about waiting and saving! Just one caution - be prepared if the venue is no longer available for your date by the time you book. We picked the venue and then the date based on what they have available. So if you're set on the date and don't want to change it at all, have a plan b for the venue incase this isn't free in a few months.

Whoa! That seems like a lot down quickly! We're paying over 15K for our "all inclusive" venue- includes space, table, chairs, linens, flatware, DOC, food, bar, service, etc. We paid a $500 deposit and 25% within 1 month of signing the contract. We owe 50% in May, 75% in June, and the final payment and count in August.

That's how it was for us. Not only for venue but photographer and entertainment.

Since you asked about the payment schedule and not comments on how you're paying way too much for you wedding, I think paying a majority of your bill a year and a half before the wedding is odd. I wouldn't find it odd if they were asking for like maybe half by Jan 2017, but almost the whole thing is odd. They might not just be accustomed to booking weddings that far in advance and are using the schedule that they would for 2017 weddings. I'm sure you've tried this, but maybe ask to put a smaller deposit down now and work out a dif payment plan since it's so far away? If you're going to wait, I'd book 18 months in advance. That's when we started looking and one of the venues was already taken on the date we wanted.

As far as the price, don't let anyone tell you it's too much. I'm not sure what area you are in, but my bill is almost exactly the same for about 110 people and it was the best price I could find for an all inclusive venue in my area. Many people that live in other areas would be shocked at the prices, but it's just reality. If you have the money to spend, go for it