Is this a good price for wedding reception?

[OutinChgoburbs]

someone other than your Aunt slicing the cake? 29 years ago when we got married it was a special honor to ask someone to:

1. Cut the cake
2. Pour the coffee
3. Serve the punch
4. Be responsible for the guest sign-in table etc.

Brenda V.

You’re talking about the House Party! This is big in the South, Southwest, and Midwestern small towns where there are more people to honor than ways to do it. I have found it is not big in large midwestern cities or in the east.

The House Party may or may not wear color-coordinated clothing, but it is still an honor “to pour” for one’s friends, and it is still an honor to “cut the cake” for one’s relatives.

 

[StratusRose]

Was yours Elegant Wedding for $5000 or Less or
How to Plan the Perfect Wedding Without Going Broke?

I have both but forget which was yours .

Forgot to answer this. It was the $5000 or less book.

 

[KCT]

Your deal sounds very good, but other posters have made excellent suggestions about tasting the food, how much beer and wine are provided, etc., and any other extras.

I’m making a list of questions for the K of C caterer on Saturday. I also have a friend whose dd was married just over a year ago. She’ll be a big help

 

[puzzleannie]

The K of C Hall charges $36 - $39 per head all inclusive – hall rental, linens, china, beer, wine, soda, coffee, tea, 2 entrees, potatoes, veggies and salad. It’s a lovely hall.

The deposit is only $300 w/ the balance due 5 days before the event.

This seems good to me, but it’s my first time planning a wedding! We’re going to meet w/ them on Saturday. What questions should we ask?

wow sounds fantastic and hard to believe, get it in writing, especially the part about the beer and wine. what about service? start getting quotes from other halls and caterers and my bet is you will wish you had booked here while you had the chance to get your date. get references from recent weddings and ask the bride’s family for their recommendations. also ask to come to an event and taste the food, and check out the quality of the wine and service.

again check service, buffet or table, by whom, is it prompt

 

[KCT]

wow sounds fantastic and hard to believe, get it in writing, especially the part about the beer and wine. what about service? start getting quotes from other halls and caterers and my bet is you will wish you had booked here while you had the chance to get your date.

They say we have 30 days after we sign a contract to back out and get a full refund. That means we can book tomorrow and still have 30 days to get other quotes and compare. Unless there’s something horribly wrong, we might just do that.

We’re making a list of questions to take with us on Saturday - some from posters here and some from the wedding planning books. Thanks to all for the helpful responses .

 

[StratusRose]

I don’t know if someone’s already mentioned this, but ask about how much children’s meals cost (if you are inviting them). They’re usually significantly lower than the adult meals.

 

[KCT]

I don’t know if someone’s already mentioned this, but ask about how much children’s meals cost (if you are inviting them). They’re usually significantly lower than the adult meals.

It’s on my list! We expect a few large families .

 

[OSUbride0708]

We are having ours at the K of C hall right next to our church.
It costs $400 to rent, they have a caterer that does the food, the options are a choice between 3 different meals (much like you mentioned) for 9.00/person or we can customize our own meal for 12.50/person.
For drinks, we pay for the bartender 40 bucks/3 hrs and people can have pop, water, coffee, etc.
We pay for the beer separately if we want it and they’ll pick up the kegs.
We’re buying sparkling wine and putting a bottle on each table.
I happen to think you’re getting a great price!
OH and we get the hall the day before and the day of until midnight and they clean up.

 

[KCT]

wow sounds fantastic and hard to believe, get it in writing, especially the part about the beer and wine. also ask to come to an event and taste the food, and check out the quality of the wine and service.

The caterer at the K of C Hall is a real down home kind of guy. He said he’d do mac & cheese and chicken nuggets so we don’t have to pay $38/ head for kids under 12. Nice. (almost makes up for the 20% gratuity )

My husband looked at me like I was insane when I asked about sampling the food. His feeling is, even if we sampled a caterers food, there’s no guarantee it would taste the same on the day of the wedding. “So what if the chicken is dry, it’s not going to ruin the whole event.” There’s a Lent seafood dinner at the hall on Friday; we may eat there just to get an idea.

Beer, wine and soda are included in the per head charge and are available the whole evening (which is 6- 10 pm). Good deal.

He penciled us in for 2 weeks so I have time to call around and compare.

 

[KCT]

We are having ours at the K of C hall right next to our church.
It costs $400 to rent, they have a caterer that does the food, the options are a choice between 3 different meals (much like you mentioned) for 9.00/person or we can customize our own meal for 12.50/person.
For drinks, we pay for the bartender 40 bucks/3 hrs and people can have pop, water, coffee, etc.
We pay for the beer separately if we want it and they’ll pick up the kegs.
We’re buying sparkling wine and putting a bottle on each table.
I happen to think you’re getting a great price!
OH and we get the hall the day before and the day of until midnight and they clean up.

Wow! Way to go.

Officially we have the hall for 4 hours, plus an hour before and an hour after for set up and clean up. He did say if folks got to the hall at 5:30 rather than 6:00pm he didn’t really care. (I know, get it in writing)

If we use our own caterer, the hall is $900, the kitchen fee is $300 (he’s had things stolen!) the bartender fee is $140 and the liquor license is $35. It’s just less of a hassle to use the in house caterer and leave it all up to him.

 

[Nechasin]

Are you having someelse decoroate the hall. An hour before seems strange. Most of the time, people either get the hall the night before or all day. You will not be able to veirfy that the decorations are what you want before you show up. I would check and see if you can have it early in the morning.

 

[KCT]

Are you having someelse decoroate the hall. An hour before seems strange. Most of the time, people either get the hall the night before or all day. You will not be able to veirfy that the decorations are what you want before you show up. I would check and see if you can have it early in the morning.

Yes, we plan to have a friend decorate and be at the hall early. She will take care of decorations, see to the DJ etc.

 

[SeekerJen]

KCT, do you know someone who has been to an event there? They could give you an honest opinion of the food even if your DF doesn’t want to try it. Also, if the catering service does non KofC events, you could ask around to find out if anyone else has experience with it.

DH and I booked our hall without trying the food. The date was available, the price was right, and the hall had floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides that overlooked a golf course (perfect for our afternoon reception). My mom knew people who had been to an event there, and they told her that the food was good. They were right, it was quite good (not that DH and I got to sit and eat much of it, but the guests were happy). The service was also good, and we got to relax and enjoy our day.

Definitely do a cake tasting, though.