Corkage fee for venue-supplied wine?

Hey Carlee, did you end up talking to you venue manager? I hope everything was sorted out since something sounds fishy about the corkage fee on their own wine.

Odd phrasing whether or not you bring your alcohol. Contracts do say if the couple supplies the wine, corkage fee is applied. The venue supplying the wine is not and shouldn't be part of the cost.

I would ask to see the contract and inquire to why is their pricing based on that fact and how to avoid it if they are getting the bottles.

Our venue didn't have this clause or fee since they were the one to order on our behalf and we get charged for them if there was a particular type/brand.

Ya I would for sure bring it up but get it in writing or on paper at least this time just so they can't go back and forth on it.

With places we were looking before we went a different direction there was a "corkage" fee per person and that's it. Regardless of if they drink or not - but that was for open bars. (Not host/full/cash/etc.)

Hi Carlee,

I would definitely bring this up with your venue manager. All the venues that I had requested a proposal for services stated that if we were to bring our own wine, we would have to pay a corkage fee. If we purchased through the venue, there shouldn't be a corkage fee. If your venue manager still insists on a corkage fee for bottles purchased through the venue, I would purchase your own wine for cheaper. And word of advice, ALWAYS have a contract in black and white to avoid this from happening. I'd heard of other horror stories where catering pricing goes up and couples who didn't sign a contract to lock in prices found themselves shelling out way more than they budgeted for.

I would just ask them to clarify this and remind him that you were told before there wouldn't be one. If there is one regardless (which there shouldn't be) then you could look into bringing your own alcohol and buying it for cheaper than they would charge you?

Just ask them to clarify it and let that be the final word on it

I agree with Amanda! That doesn't make sense their is all of a sudden considering you would be purchasing it through them.

I would discuss it for sure. You are right. A corkage fee is for when you bring your own alcohol, some restaurants even allow outside wine with a corkage fee. You should not be purchasing bottles from him and then also paying for them to be opened there. That makes no sense. Just clarify with him again and tell him how you understood and that you have never heard of this before.. Maybe he can shed some light on that.. It does sound to me like he is just trying to make as much money as he can.