What’s the difference?

Ones to celebrate a wedding the other is to celebrate anything else.

I also forgot about the longer time, drink, music, and dancing lol

View Quoted Comment For about one hour less I think I could have a great time and save almost $60 pp lol

View Quoted Comment While that maybe be true, you could also have a venue and vendors cancel on you when they find out you lied/kept it from that the event is a wedding reception.

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I've seen a couple posts by people that have tried that. Didn't end well when the venue found out.

Wedding receptions have additional vendors, a wedding cake, elevated decor, DJs/dancing, etc. Also, there is a much higher level of service that goes into wedding receptions vs just a special occasion dinner as well.

View Quoted Comment How? By cutting out all the wedding things?

I priced out several things for “regular events” vs “wedding event” and the price was the same. Ceremony fees, cakes, open bar, plus other vendors like photography and DJ, officiant, etc. add to the cost.



The only thing I think is price gauged is HAIR. The price for my hair was $30 but when I said it was for a wedding it went up to $180. She did open the salon early for me but like… really!?

View Quoted Comment Thank you! I’m not trying to get over on vendors just really wanted to know what is offered at a wedding that wouldn’t be at an anniversary dinner.

You also reserve more time at the venue for set up. The Events Coordinator must coordinate and facilitate multiple vendors to come onsite and leave their materials e.g. florals, decor, music, linens, other rentals, lighting, photography, etc. There most likely has increased venue liability insurance allowing persons onsite. With individual vendors, they will also put in more time before and after your event, particularly photography. You can tell the extent of their time with you by the contract. Generally, venues and vendors dedicate more time, effort, and service for weddings. Plus, it's high stress for the wedding couple, so contracts will also have more detail on security and consequences on both ends if agreements are not fulfilled.

View Quoted Comment Thank you!

Quite a bit actually. Wedding specific venues require that you use X, Y and Z services or else “it’s not a valid wedding” even if it’s not something that you want or care about. For example, say a venue says you must have champagne toasts, wine with dinner, announcements as you walk in even though the officiant introduced you at the end of the ceremony 30 minutes prior, and a plethora of other things, but you don’t want those things, they will pressure you anyway. For some unknown reason, venues and vendors believe that all brides and couples are very particular in wanting everything to be a carbon copy of Instagram photo shoots at minimum, and refuse to believe that anyone may not want or need those things to be happy. The couple is charged extra for wedding taxes even if they don’t want the extras. There is a misconception that a wedding automatically gets better service for the higher price and that is rarely true.


A regular dinner is a catered event without any fancy attire, tiered cake, millions of flowers and anything that resembles something that could be seen at a wedding.
A venue or vendor has the right to void any contract and shut down the event for breach of contract if you tell them it’s for a party or a family reunion instead of a wedding. If you are upfront and transparent that it is for a wedding but you wish to negotiate and don’t need the extra stuff that costs more, and they refuse to negotiate, scratch them off the list and find a different venue.