$70-$100 A PLATE?! I'M PAYING $25 max!

I live 8 miles from NYC and we're paying $135 /head for our venue. That includes all linens, tables, chairs, flowers for the site (not centerpieces and bouquets), food, cake and/or dessert buffet, cleanup, open bar, tip and tax. There is also another $1750 for the 7 rooms of the house for the night.

So what you're paying sounds great to me. I always wonder how everyone found such good deals, but they're not in my area. When we were looking, we were hard pressed to find a venue less than $100/head. We tried but it didn't work.

Hmm I'll have to figure that out.

I'm in Australia, and the cheapest venue we found was something around $40-50pp for just the meal. Then add venue hire.

Of course it could be done cheaper, if we hired a hall/ backyard and self-catered.

We're currently looking at three different venues, ranging from $70-100 for a three course meal. Add alcohol ranges from $15 (BYO) to $50 pp, plus cocktail hour ($15-20pp) - we are looking at approx $130pp including alcohol.

10k for everything everything also she is throwing in 1 xtra limo

This all sounds really confusing to me, to be honest. I'm glad I didn't have to deal with it.

I think your venue is pretty, by the way. Are you having chair covers are keeping them like they are?

I'm going to have black chair covers (no bow) but my parent's are against it because they think people will trip over them. So idk but that's an extra $2 per person.

Most venues here don't do the all inclusive per head price. Our caterers meals range from 14 to 39. Our bar is by consumption bit we are only having beer wine and champagne. The venue is 1650 for 24 hours. We are having the ceremony and reception all in one place. Well the ceremony is outside but you get my drift! That price includes all the tables , chairs and linens. Also unlimited soda, iced tea, water and coffee.

Just like mine! I never looked at it as all inclusive but that makes more sense!

I think it has to do with location. I'm in Philly and getting married in South Jersey right over the bridge. We are paying $110 and we only got it that cheap because it's a Wednesday night and we had to agree to pay for a minimum of 150 adults. That includes all of our food, top shelf open bar, taxes and tips. We paid an extra $500 in service fees for the bartenders, valet and servers. Plus an extra $1500 to have the ceremony there. This includes none of the decorations or anything like that, I have to provide all of that myself. The ceremony is from 8 to about 8:30 or so cocktails for an hour and the reception is over at 2:00 am. Oh it does include our cake as well.

You have to break it out, and take location into account. We rented a mansion in Tulsa, OK for $480 for the day. A similar thing here in Houston would have been $3000! There is a huge difference regionally.

All-inclusive venues charge a higher fee per head, where you are calculating just the caterer alone. You're not accounting for chairs, linens, servingware, etc. You may only be paying $25 for food, but like you said, another $2 for chair covers per person. And $0.50 for linens. Divide the $1000 be the number of guests- for 100 guests, that's an extra $10 per guest added to your costs. You also haven't accounted for tips or alcohol yet either.

Okay I just added mine all up - so the all inclusive cost (not including DJ, decorations, cake and stuff like that) for ceremony and reception is:

Venue A: $145-150pp (no cocktail hour)

Venue B: $125 (no cocktail hour) - $135 (including cocktail hour)

Venue C: $116 (no cocktail hour) - $140 (including cocktail hour)

These costs are for all of the venue hire, chairs, linens, 3 course meal, basic open bar (beer, wine, and nonalcoholic drinks). The first venue includes a bus from ceremony to reception (same location but MASSIVE property in a national park)

I'm paying $140.00 per person BUT that includes nearly EVERYTHING....

-Choice of Filet Mignon or Pork Chops (sides, salad, etc..)

-Custom linens

-Custom floral centerpieces

-Open Bar

-wedding Cake

-Pass hors d'oeuvre's (during the included cocktail hour)

-Grand suite the night of wedding for hubby & I (reception is at a hotel)

The only expense we have above this is the DJ & Photographer. Even though the price sounds high...it levels out since it's all inclusive and I don't have to track down every vendor by my self. I really love the venue we decided on and everything has been a breeze for me.

FYI- I'm in Houston. Prices vary greatly by region (as others have stated)

I will def. have to recalculate this But its nice to know what to include.

In your area, the average cost for a wedding is between $18,314 and $30,524. In mine, the average cost is between $31,004 and $51,674. Believe me, there are huge geographical differences in costs.

Wow @ 2D Bride I just googled mine too! No info could be found on the specific area I am marrying (Brisbane, QLD, Australia), but the average Australian wedding costs $40,000-$50,000 nearly 3 years ago... I would hate to know what the current average is, since it only ever increases. Surely I will be able to do this on $20,000- $25,000?!!?! Brisbane is a capital city, so it's more expensive than the smaller towns...

http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/average-wedding-now-50000/story-e6frg3pl-1111118892208

@FutureMrsB: It's always possible to do a wedding for less than the average cost. In fact, I strongly suspect that the average cost is more than most people pay. Think of it this way: If one person has a $100,000 wedding, and five other people have $4,000 weddings, the average cost of a wedding is:

($100,000 plus $4,000 plus $4,000 plus $4,000 plus $4,000 plus $4,000)/6, or $20,000

Yet almost everyone has had a wedding that is much less than $20,000. And while I pulled those numbers out of thin air, I suspect that the general idea is something like what is happening. Although the average cost of a wedding in the US is a little under $27,000, only one in five couples has a wedding that costs over $30,000. Thus, it appears that most couples have weddings that cost less than the average.

Audra, lucky you is all I can tell you. In my area that would pay for a Burger King dinner. But I'm in the same area as 2nd Bride, and she provided a great breakdown of the cost.

We're getting a great deal for our area, but that's only because my parents are members of the country club. We're paying $28/plate for a dual plate consisting of a filet and grouper, bread, salad, asparagus, and potatoes. We're paying an additional $6/person for champagne toast, $6/person for hors d'oeuvres, and $28/person for open bar. So, we're paying a total of $68/person. That includes linens, dishware, and venue cost (they waive thecost for members. Otherwise it would have cost us an additional $3k).

Goodmorning ladies @ Audra E. i was tispy when I responded laste nite lol! for our venue we are paying 79.00 per plate and we have 175 people open bar with top shelf with the food they have a choice to pick steak or chicken w/ rice and green beans or with rice plantians. bread and salad.of course they have unlimted Hors d' Oeuvres Champane toast which I changed it to Andre'.

I'm in Philly wedding in DE (no sales tax) 142 pp includes gratuity & they wiaved the 22k minimum F&B requirement.Lobster Bisque Soup, Salad, dinner Filet & Halibut sauced tableside w/ a Chicken Oscar alternate. All tables served Simultaneously - everyone will eat together at the same time

Floor length table lines / napkins

Incredible China & Flatware

Champagne Toast

Wine w/ dinner

5 hr open Top Shelf Bar

5 Silver Tray/White glove passed Hor Doevers

2 Stationary Hor Doevers

Vienese Dessert Table & Wedding Cake

Coffee & Tea with after dinner cordials - Brandy, Bailys

DOC

Free Valet Parking

Free Coat Check

Free welcome bag delivery

Ceremony Fee waived

Butler Passed wine & signature cocktail b4 ceremony

$25 chicken du jour vendor meal

Reduced $279 to 159 guest room rate

Our room & 1 year anniversary room comp'd

Anniversary dinner comp'd

Bridal Party room w/ Personal Butler

Flowers, DJ, Photographer by us

I'm still negotiating a couple of details but we expect to sign contract this week