The questions that change the price
Venue quotes are the least comparable documents in wedding planning, because two venues almost never include the same things. These are the questions that turn a headline number into a real one.
| Question | Why it moves the number |
|---|---|
| Is there a minimum spend, and what counts towards it? | The single biggest hidden cost for weddings under 80 guests. Ask whether the hire fee, service charge and VAT count towards it |
| Is the venue exclusively ours for the day? | "Exclusive use" sometimes means your section only, with another event in the building |
| What is the service charge, and is it on top? | Commonly 10–15% of food and drink, and frequently excluded from the per-head figure you were quoted |
| What is corkage if we supply our own drinks? | At £15 a bottle on 40 bottles that is £600, which often erases the saving entirely |
| What time does the licence end, and what does overtime cost? | Both a hard stop and a price, agreed in advance |
| Do we have to use your suppliers? | A preferred list is helpful. A mandatory list removes your ability to compare quotes at all |
| What is included in the hire fee? | Tables, chairs, linen, crockery, glassware and staff are sometimes included and sometimes four separate line items |
| When do we get access to set up, and when must we clear? | Same-morning access changes what is possible; a midnight clear-down needs someone sober to do it |
| What is the seated capacity with a dance floor? | Always lower than the maximum capacity quoted in the brochure |
| What is the wet weather plan? | For an outdoor ceremony, ask to see the indoor space, not hear about it |
Get every quote onto the same list
Before comparing two venues, write down what one of them includes and price the same list at the other. A venue quoting £90 a head including service, three courses and half a bottle of wine is cheaper than one quoting £75 excluding all three — £90 versus roughly £112 once you add them back.
Do that once, on paper, and most venue decisions answer themselves.
Build the comparison properly
Same scope, same inclusions, then price.
Common questions
What should you ask a wedding venue before booking?
Whether there is a minimum spend and what counts towards it, whether the service charge is on top of the per-head price, what corkage costs, when the licence ends and what overtime costs, whether you must use their suppliers, and exactly what the hire fee includes.
What is a wedding venue minimum spend?
A contractual floor on food and drink, commonly written for 80 guests or more. Below that guest count you can be paying for people who are not coming, so ask for the figure in writing before the deposit.
Is service charge included in wedding venue quotes?
Often not. It is commonly 10–15% of the food and drink line and added at the final invoice, so a £90 per head quote can be £103 in practice. Ask whether the number you were given is inclusive.
How do you compare two wedding venue quotes fairly?
Write down everything one includes, then price that same list at the other. Differences in service charge, drinks, linen, staffing and chair hire routinely swing the comparison by 20% or more.