Wine tasting fee delemna/etiquette advice

Tasting? during your reception? are you having an open bar? if you do (and should), why would they want to do tastings?

Is "trolley" your transportation to your venue? How much is the wine tasting in total and per person? Is this for your reception?

You shouldn't make your guests pay for anything for your wedding.

Hi Terri! Welcome to the WeddingWire Community! Is this a pre-wedding event or part of the actual reception? If it is a part of the reception, this could cause an issue, as guests might not feel inclined to pay.

Can you provide a bit more context with your question? It is hard to give sound advice with so little info!

Huh? Your guests shouldn't be paying for anything at your wedding...

This is just one of my wedding weekend activities. After the wine tour, I also set up a big Welcome Reception for everyone the night before the wedding day.

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Yes, I have 3 activities aside from my actual wedding day. Wine Tour is one of 3. I hired a motorized Trolley Wine Tour with 3 winery stops and I will provide the lunch. Each wineries cost $43-45 each per person.

If it's a part of your wedding then you should pay, not everyone will want to participate in a wine tasting and if you're asking guests to "pay up" then that might put people in an uncomfortable situation.

If you're inviting guests to an event, then you should pay. If it's something informal that you said by word of mouth like "hey we're doing this wine tour if anyone wants to join" that's different. But by making it a wedding sponsored event, it put the financial burden on you as the hosts.

The two Trollies are already substantial cost with gourmet lunch but should I pay for 50 people signed up for tastings at $43-$45 x 3 x 50= $$$$? I am already providing heavy appetizer and open bar during my Welcome Reception, a day before my wedding. The next day is my wedding day, I am providing cocktail reception after ceremony then fine dining with open bar. The next day, I've also invited who ever is staying in town for brunch at my cost.

How are you asking guests to join you? Through a separate invite?

Maybe just cancel this? What happens if no one wants to go and spend $150pp on wine tasting - what happens with your trolley then? If you can get out of this with no or little loss, I would. This is a lot of money for anyone, $300 a couple is a lot. Asking I read that right, for a pre wedding event.

Do people have to do the wine tasting to participate? I don't drink wine at all and would never pay for a tasting.

Hmmm, I don't think this should be an official wedding event, because then you are on the hook to pay for it. I'm still not totally sure I understand the concept, because 3 $45 wine tastings is A LOT for anyone (honestly I would not even want to pay $45 for ONE tasting!), and the trolley in between being paid for wouldn't really make any difference to me...

I say cancel it. You are providing them with a lot. If you didn't make this an actual activity but somewhere you went and others could go if they wanted then that would be different. But since you have it as a planned activity open for all you would need to pay for this. Also have all the guests confirmed that they are attending the wine tasting or do they confirm for each event separately. I've seen on websites where people have an RSVP for each activity for a better count.

What is the requirement of the pre-wedding events in your eyes? Are they just, hey we are doing this if you want to come?

I agree with previous posts... that is a LOT of money for wine tastings and I would skip this the moment I found that out. There is wine country near me and tastings are free.... I'm not paying the price of a decent bottle of wine to taste a bunch of stuff I may not like.

It's lovely that you are hosting all of these things, but none of them beyond the wedding are required. If it is too much, do not host it. If you can't afford the brunch, don't have it. All of that is a choice you are making. If you think the wine tasting is your FAVORITE, cancel the brunch and the welcome reception and pay for the wine tasting full stop for your guests.

Honestly I don’t see why people think you’d have to pay for this on top of everything else. You clearly are already hosting what sounds to be like an amazing wedding. I would just make it an optional after wedding event. Let people know who are invited that food and transportation are included. If you are interested in joining us then the cost of tasting is x amount of dollars and to please sign up at xyz website. People plan fun events all the time without having to pay for every aspect. It’s not like you are requiring people to go on this correct?

Thank you all for your opinion. Yes, since it is one of my sponsored activity, I should cover all the cost. It cleared up my confusion.

Cheers!

View Quoted Comment I agree. It sounds fun, for those who like wine tastings, but it's a lot to ask your guests to spend and may end up costing you more. In addition, it's added stress you don't need.

Don't invite people to things you don't want to pay for. You can inform people that such events are available, but don't in any way imply you're inviting them or hosting them unless you really are (that is, unless you're paying. Every cent.)