Wedding Venue choices!

What about getting everythiing that a venue has and putting in your family property? like rent a dance floor and a tent and a ton of decor and table/chairs!!

View quoted message Yeah, I guess on the bright side it’s not worrying about paying many different vendors on top of normal ones when you can foot one main bill and then normal vendors.
I appreciate all the opinions! It’s good to hear others opinions because when you are set on something you can be blinded by things!

View quoted message Niagara is a weird wedding location price! I had several different offers from little to lots of benefits. Average in Niagara is $140ish. Some venues have a lot in place with it and some don’t. I was shocked with the prices. Best value niagara was already booked for the next year and half (except fridays).
I appreciate the thoughts and opinion! I really didn’t think about how awkward it might be if you have to go #2.
I like how nice the view would be with being outside and I know people who spent more at Balls falls then the quotes I got for at cousins property! Maybe best to leave it to the pros to deal with!

View quoted message Your researched venues are on the high side, in my opinion. On average, even Greater Toronto prices are closer to $100-120pp + tax and gratuity. Usually that includes the venue fee, all the staffing, alcohol, and cleanup. I think you can find cheaper venues - $180 is definitely on the high side - but not sure if you picked those places for a particular reason.


The biggest thing for me is food. Fresh food prepared from the venue kitchen from scratch beats pre-prepared food that's reheated (you didn't mention if your kitchen is industrial that can cook for 200 simultaneously so I assume it isn't). And unless your oven can do 200 steaks or chicken or whatever at the same time, food is coming out in waves, which means hungry guests. Even if you get the caterer to do open bar, you still need to get the permits as your space is unlicensed. Also, portapotties and formal wear doesn't jive in my opinion. I personally would feel really uncomfortable, especially if as a guy I have to go #2.
I still think you're better off using a venue based on my listed reasons, but if you can make the family property work, go for it. I personally would find a more affordable venue with all the trimmings so as a couple, we don't have to do as much. We also have fairly demanding jobs that didn't allow us to handle all the little details but everyone is different. If you like DIY and handling intricate details, it can work for you. But you're correct, they're are a lot more little things to handle. I personally don't think it's worth the hassle but if you love the space, go for it. Good luck!

View quoted message That is quite a difference! Still, the ~10k price gap could narrow significantly once you factor in things other than bar and catering costs I.e. tables, chairs, tenting, planners, labour for set up and tear down, toilets, lighting, permits, etc. All things you’re not paying for at most venues. You’re kind of comparing apples to oranges because the per-head venue price (presumably) includes the essential things I’ve listed (I’ve never seen a full service venue tack on surcharges for tables and bathroom access, for example) whereas the other figure is based solely on your catering quote. But it sounds like you’ve thought this out and are content with your calculations! ☺️ So I’ll leave it at that.


To your main question, I would happily pay a few extra thousand for the peace of mind / simplicity that comes with a venue. But that’s just me. Weddings are expensive and we’re all different!
If you do hold your event on the family property and provide transportation, I think it would be a great idea to have the bus make a few trips. That way guests have some discretion in terms of when they want to call it a night. Also great that you’re proactively working to prevent guests from driving impaired!

The price cost of venue is about the same as doing at your family home given the factor of renting out tables with everything to go with it and a tent if being done.

Venue offering the set up at no extra is great and less work. Some aspects if offered at the prices of centerpieces and décor. Food and bar costs do add up too if they go by host with extra cost per hour following after.

The family home can work for the space you have to make everything look as grand and setting 2 days before to have your personal touches done and put together for the day. This is your choice, stick with it. This way means a lot more to you than any other since you want to celebrate with your family and friends without any restrictions and timings. One tip, LCBO has a special event license you can apply for purchasing booze at a large quantity. Online is the only way to get it and then presenting it to the store.

View quoted message Sorry cut it out for whatever reason. I have family connections as well that made the cost very similar to a venue alone. It’s all a matter of I asked a simple question. Is it worth the potential stress of something going wrong. Even with having planners to help. Problems happen or miscommunication occurs. That was why I asked if it’s better to spend the money to have it all done for me at a venue or to do it myself. Weddings aren’t cheap. On average venues alone for a 200 people cost 30-40k. And that’s just a venue. No extras. The issue is things are booking so I need to book a venue fast or just do at property.

View quoted message The venues I looked at are $150-$180 pp and a few were still plus gratitude and tax where some were included (depends on venue)?and for 200 people that’s 30,000-36,000. Where my catering company was meal at $70 pp and then alcohol which we were given several options. Open bar would end up being $100 pp including tax and gratuity because they do weddings. 100x200=22,000. I was getting discounts on vendors as I know a few of the potenti

View quoted message You seem to be able to afford all of it. Despite what Kelcie and I are telling you, you seem to think our concerns are non factors and really want to use the property so by all means, go for it!


Though, I'm REALLY curious as to what venues you've been looking at that would price themselves as high as a barebones place where you need to pay for labor to bring everything in and set it up. And you're telling me two full planners working the property costs less than what you would pay for a partial planner to help with a hall?
Also, any planner worth their salt would stay until at least the dance portion of the reception, even if you only hire them for day of/month of coordination. If they're telling you they're leaving by cocktail hour, find someone else.

View quoted message We got quotes from a friend including all those things you wouldn’t pay for if a venue. The price for everything was kinda similar and the was including have 2 planners to help plan and organize everything and at the house versus one (which is there for assistance before the wedding and is present up until cocktail hour, everything else goes through banquet manager of present or next in line) and that was at all the venues we looked at.
I didn’t think about the transportation in terms of time, but you would suggest having more times if we decided a wedding there. My biggest fear no matter where we are is drinking and driving. Which I want to limit so I would have to encourage them to stay in hotels (where bus drop off is because the cousins property isn’t in a common area ie. most family have to commute which they all said they would 100%) or DD and I know many people who agree to DD and then start drinking a lot because it is a wedding.

View quoted message My recent friend got married (before I was friends with them) on their family property and provided me with all those types of vendors. For everything it was a similar cost (to having it at a venue). That was including several portable washrooms that have more then 2 stalls (including delivery, pickup and waste removal). The guests wouldn’t linger anywhere as the house and barn would be locked except having the barn open while we do photos so guests and roam and see the animals (cows, horses etc).
Family wouldn’t be involved at all and all the set up would be done by vendors and/or the wedding party.
I was just looking for input as the property is large enough to host all the people just a matter of if it is worth it.

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For 200. I would not use the family property.


Who's going to be the point person at the property to make sure proper setup, there are no damages, and no one is where they don't belong (ie suppliers and vendors sneaking around bedrooms). If the property is your family's, you likely would want them celebrating with you, not working. A venue comes with a coordinator who is not distracted by the festivities and is focusing on ensuring the venue is in working order. To ensure your day runs smoothly on your family's property, considering all the elements, you would need a partial planner if not a full service planner plus many assistants, which is significantly more costly than a day/month of coordinator.

For transportation, you need a proper parking lot, not just a huge driveway. Otherwise, getting in and out would be a nightmare. And even if you go with the supplied transportation route, many guests would not like being held hostage until the bus comes as Kelcie mentioned.
Unless your family's property has an industrial kitchen, it can't produce 200 multi-course dinners simultaneously. That's 600-800 plates of food! If the catering company is precooking the food, that means it's not as fresh as what you would get at the hall where the kitchen is making everything right before it's served.
Staffing wise, does your catering quote include the full staffing required to run your event? One waiter per two tables, bussers to clear plates and garbage, smart serve certified servers for drinks, and all the kitchen staff? If your quote is just based on the food, that's an additional cost to factor in.
Speaking of staffing, who's setting up the tents, furniture, decor, linen, glassware, cutlery, etc? Who's flipping the space between ceremony and reception?
Whatever venue fee you save will go towards things like getting proper permits. A noise permit so you don't piss off neighbors. Some form of security, maybe a off duty police officer to prevent thefts, rowdy guests, or party crashers. A Special Occasion Permit for serving alcohol since the venue is unlicensed.
If bathrooms on the property are single toilet suites, it won't be sufficient for 200 guests. And all it takes is for one person to soil the place and the bathroom is usable for the rest of the night. Portapotties are just as bad since none of the excrements are flushed throughout the night. That's 200 people's pee and poo lingering around a tight unventilated plastic space that's been greenhousing in the sun. Not fun for a wedding!
And finally power. You would need sufficient power lines for DJ, entertainment, AV, and lighting. That means running lines from inside the property or getting a generator.

If you have the budget to hire people and pay for all of the above to be mitigated, then by all means but personally, I would save the money.

FH and I debated having our wedding at his family cottage property (which is a 45ish minute drive from our home in DT Halifax). We decided against it for several reasons. I was put off by the fact that we’d have to rent literally everything. And not just typical stuff like linens and glassware that contribute to the overall aesthetic of the event. I’m talking port-a-potties, tents, lighting, flooring, etc. I also didn’t want to deal with neighbour complaints / noise and permit issues, elaborate guest transport to and from our remote location, etc. Instead, we went with a central all inclusive venue. No rentals or transportation necessary. In fact, they’re not even charging for the use of the space itself; we just have to meet a mandatory food and drink minimum. For me, the simplicity of an all inclusive venue outweighed whatever creative control / homespun appeal I would have gained by holding it out In the country.
That said, it’s definitely doable, especially if you have a wedding planner. And it can be magical. I’ve attended a wedding on a rural property and it was amazing and so special. My only complaint was that transportation was a nightmare. The couple generously supplied transport but the bus didn’t leave until 12/1 am and I tapped out energy wise well before then. Since cabs were a non-option I felt trapped there towards the end which made me cranky. I’m comforted by the fact that guests at our wedding won’t be in that position; they can easily leave/safely get home whenever they choose.

View quoted message Looking at 200 people. If not more. It’s 15 acres with a large driveway if not would provide transportation from a meet up area. Suitable for catering company, yes. Yes, we have the budget.
Offsite weddings are almost identical cost to venues. We have quotes for venues and quotes for catering companies.
Just more of a “is a family property wedding venue worth the planning of little details”!

Some questions to help you decide:
-How big is your planned wedding? Can the property accommodate the numbers in a sitdown dinner (if that's what you're planning)? Does it have enough parking for everyone?
-How big is your budget? Do you have enough to pay for every little detail?-Does your family's property have a suitable kitchen for the caterer to prep all the food properly for everyone?