Restaurant Wedding Perks
It’s almost Valentine’s Day ❤️ that means love is in the air. We obviously love this time of year! Because it means a wedding proposal might be around the corner.
After the “He/She/I said yes!” excitement has settled, you’ll start thinking about where to host this grand event. Finding the venue is almost always your first step. There’s one venue that might not be on your radar; a restaurant!
Today we’re making the case for the restaurant wedding venue as your ultimate time saving and cost saving option.
Why you should consider a restaurant wedding
Caterer + Venue are instantly crossed off the list! Think of it like a 2 for 1 deal (could save ~$3,000 -$5,000)
The food staff know the venue like the back of their hand. That removes one unknown variable; bringing a catering team to a mansion that doesn’t provide restaurant quality kitchen equipment.
Restaurants have all the plates, glasses, and flatware! You can save big time on dinnerware rentals (typically ~$10-20/person)
If the restaurant has multiple floors or different areas like a roof top, you can offer cool and unique experiences at different points in the day.
Choosing a restaurant means they must have food you already love! Now you won’t have to navigate catering restrictions from the traditional wedding venues that only work with certain partners.
AND… now you have a place you can easily visit each month to relive the memories 🥰
As with all things, there are pros & there are cons. Here are some aspects that can make restaurants a little trickier to coordinate compared to your traditional wedding venue.
Parking: Many restaurants won’t have enough parking spots for 100+ guests. But that isn’t always an issue if the restaurant has access to great public transportation.
Bathrooms: Some restaurants have just 1 bathroom stall and may not be equipped with enough toilet facilities to comfortably host your group for a full 10 hr day.
Getting ready: You won’t have the glamorous bridal suite and groom’s den for getting ready photos. But if you’re comfortable getting ready at a hotel or at home, restaurants are still really great!
Order minimums: most mid-sized restaurants will close for the day to accommodate a wedding. They will likely charge an order minimum that covers what they’d typically make in restaurant patronage that day. Best to make sure their minimums match your guest size and intended budget.
Noise: If located in an urban or downtown area, you might get noise from neighboring restaurants and street traffic. But noise typically isn’t an issue if your event is located on an outdoor roof top or is indoors with great sound proofing.
There are lots of great pros and some cons to consider as you decide whether a restaurant wedding is right for you. Work with one of our planners and we’ll navigate these different elements to create the experience that makes your wedding great for you, your wallet, and of course for your guests.
There’s lots to consider, but here’s our take. If you’re flexible with releasing some of the built in amenities that come with traditional wedding venues… between 1)the fact that you’ll now have a place you can easily visit to relive the memories over and over again, and 2) the fact that you could shave $5,000 - $7,000 off your total wedding bill, what’s not to love!
We’re big fans and want to give 3 cheers to all our restaurant wedding hosts.
