So you just got engaged and you think to yourself I need to find a place to get married. You begin to surf the internet for venues, feverishly making calls and you begin to feel overwhelmed. After what seems like a gazillion appointments and endless salespeople, beautiful presentation folders with prices and menus and preferred vendors you think to yourself; how do I interpret all this? It can all be so overwhelming.
Time to hit the pause button. Take a deep breath and make yourself a cup of coffee. Then sit quietly and list the pros and cons of each of the venues that you visited. Then create a cost comparison spreadsheet. When comparing locations it helps if you compare apples to apples, meaning; if the “really cheap” venue is offering 2 appetizers and the really great venue (the one you think you can’t afford but love) is offering 6 appetizers in their package see what the cost would be to upgrade to 6 tray passed appetizers at the inexpensive location. If the great place offers valet in their package price see what the valet would be at the less expensive location and write it down. How many courses are each of the places providing. Which one will let you choose a cake vendor, which one charges for the ceremony and what is the charge for an on site ceremony. Once you have your prices for each of these venues listed out by category simply add up each column and see if the less expensive place is still less expensive.
If something seems too good to be true that is because it usually is too good to be true. Be weary of the places that hide their costs and break them down and spread them around their presentation folder. I know when I look at a proposal my eye automatically goes to the largest numbers on the page or the final number/total at the bottom; afterwards, I pause to see what do all these costs really mean and stand for. Then, I too do a cost analysis. So, do yourself a favor and take the time to actually understand what you are getting and what it is going to cost before you commit. These few minutes can save you a lot of tears.
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Eventures Inc. 