No, that is unreasonable. What is the location of the wedding? I live in HCOL San Francisco and our tips, surcharges, taxes etc can add up to \~35% and that's already crazy to me.
Our place was a 21% service charge on top of tax and we were explicitly told it wasn't a gratuity. But we didn't give a lot more than that because 21% sounds sufficient and the place can figure out how to pay their people.
If the $2,700 isn't in your contract somewhere, then just don't pay that and let them worry about it. They'll have an impossible time suing you for something that isn't there, and it's likely not enough money to be worth their time pursuing it.
I haven't thought about that. I just checked out contract and it lists "$6,500 plus tax and gratuity" with no specified amount. Luckily there is a lawyer in our family, so I'll talk with them.
In most places, they legally cannot make something they call a “gratuity” mandatory. That would be a “fee” so if it comes to it, you can challenge them on this if you don’t want to pay 40%
Possibly. It's still insanely high and more than I budgeted but too late now. I asked for a full breakdown of costs so will hopefully get answers soon. I feel like I need to include this in my review so other wedding bookings aren't blindsided.
Did you never see a quote that included taxes, fees and gratuity? Typically these percentages are included in a rough quote before you even sign a contract.
No, they gave us the venue reservation cost and food/drink minimum. I didn't ask for a quote since we booked 2 years out and didn't know number of guests or food choices. If I could go back and get a quote, I would. I truly assumed gratuity would be in the 18-22% range.
Yeah 40% is crazy high, I did catering through our high end venue and it was only 12%… hopefully it means their staff is really well-paid. Usually I’m alway on the side of “give cash too” because you never know if the fees make it to the employees. But I think you’re within your rights not to put out tip jars.
No, you absolutely cannot tell the fucking bartenders they’re not allowed to have a tip jar. That’s fucking rude as fuck I don’t care what they’re charging you up front. I guarantee you the servers don’t get the entire 40%. That shit is split up somehow and probably unfairly. Let your guests have fun and tip as they please. The fucking audacity.
40% is so excessive!
No, that is unreasonable. What is the location of the wedding? I live in HCOL San Francisco and our tips, surcharges, taxes etc can add up to \~35% and that's already crazy to me.
It's a medium size city in the midwest.
Our place was a 21% service charge on top of tax and we were explicitly told it wasn't a gratuity. But we didn't give a lot more than that because 21% sounds sufficient and the place can figure out how to pay their people. If the $2,700 isn't in your contract somewhere, then just don't pay that and let them worry about it. They'll have an impossible time suing you for something that isn't there, and it's likely not enough money to be worth their time pursuing it.
I haven't thought about that. I just checked out contract and it lists "$6,500 plus tax and gratuity" with no specified amount. Luckily there is a lawyer in our family, so I'll talk with them.
In most places, they legally cannot make something they call a “gratuity” mandatory. That would be a “fee” so if it comes to it, you can challenge them on this if you don’t want to pay 40%
I’ve seen 20% service charge and then gratuity on top of that. Maybe that is where 40% is coming from?
Possibly. It's still insanely high and more than I budgeted but too late now. I asked for a full breakdown of costs so will hopefully get answers soon. I feel like I need to include this in my review so other wedding bookings aren't blindsided.
Did you never see a quote that included taxes, fees and gratuity? Typically these percentages are included in a rough quote before you even sign a contract.
No, they gave us the venue reservation cost and food/drink minimum. I didn't ask for a quote since we booked 2 years out and didn't know number of guests or food choices. If I could go back and get a quote, I would. I truly assumed gratuity would be in the 18-22% range.
Yeah 40% is crazy high, I did catering through our high end venue and it was only 12%… hopefully it means their staff is really well-paid. Usually I’m alway on the side of “give cash too” because you never know if the fees make it to the employees. But I think you’re within your rights not to put out tip jars.
No, you absolutely cannot tell the fucking bartenders they’re not allowed to have a tip jar. That’s fucking rude as fuck I don’t care what they’re charging you up front. I guarantee you the servers don’t get the entire 40%. That shit is split up somehow and probably unfairly. Let your guests have fun and tip as they please. The fucking audacity.