Venue Pricing Explained: What You’re Really Paying For

Venue pricing can be difficult to navigate since every venue charges something different. There is no set “standard” prices for a venue because each company has its own inclusions, taxes, services and rentals. If you see a beautiful venue with fantastic reviews, it costs the owners quite a bit of money to keep it running and therefore is reflected in costs.

For venues here is a breakdown of typical costs and what is included.

• When the venue gives you a price, does this include tables, chairs, furniture, set up/ clean up, parking, restrooms, coordination, ceremony seating, arch and a preferred vendor list.
• If the venue price is low it is typically because it is just the space and does not include anything else. To add rentals from outside companies can be another huge expense. 
• The unseen charges included in your venue price; service staff for set up/ clean up, taxes, liability insurance (which is a huge expense), cleaning and housekeeping, grounds keeping, parking lot maintenance, accounting, credit card processing, utilities, salaries and marketing. It costs a lot to keep the lights on.
• Ask the venue about backup generators if the power goes out. This is another expense but well worth it!
• Ask about set up and cleanup, you don’t want to have to set up and clean up before and after your wedding, make sure that is included.
• All inclusive venues or packages give you one price for everything and this can include all the above plus; all vendor hiring and management , planning and executing the wedding, day of coordination, all set up and design, managing catering and dinner/cocktail hour set up, ceremony set up and coordination, timeline management, salaries and all decor.

As you can see there is so much that goes into running a venue and creating successful weddings, that is what you are paying for. 

Cheers!