In the current climate Wedding expenses are indeed a luxury item that can be cut back, however they are not necessarily something that you want to cut back on!
Here at Clontarf Castle I spoke to our Wedding Planner Adele Camier on her advice to future brides & grooms about managing weddings in a recession and she has kindly agreed to share her Top Ten Wedding Credit Crunch Tips with us.
“In the current climate it is most important for everyone to be that extra careful whilst spending their money, therefore the same applies for your big day. Many brides will argue that this is the most important day of their life and money should be no object – but unfortunately most of the time it is! But what many brides don’t realise is that costs can be easily cut substantially and your day can be just as good (if not better)with careful planning, research and negotiating.”
Adele’s experience in Wedding Planning goes above and beyond! I asked her what her favourite part of her job entails and she mentioned that over the years no matter how big or small the wedding, the happiness and contentment on the bride & groom’s face on the day is pretty much consistant throughout. Thus proving that you don’t have to spend hundreds of thousands to have the most happy and memorable day of your life!
Clontarf Castle Wedding
Top Ten Wedding Credit Crunch Tips
- Ask for added value! – Find out what is included! For example at Clontarf Castle we offer guests:
-Red Carpet on arrival
-Champagne on arrival for the Bride & Groom
-Cake Stand
-Place Cards
-Personalised printed table menus
-Printed table plan
-Flowers on all tables and top table
-Complimentary Suite for the Bride & Groom
-Champagne Breakfast the following morning for the bride & groom in their suite.
-1 year anniversary dinner for 2 in our restaurant Fahrenheit Grill.
- Ask whether there are any special offers taking place. Many hotels will run offers at the wedding fairs, therefore this is generally a good time to book as you will receive extra value for money. For example here at Clontarf Castle at our last wedding fair we ran a promotion whereby if potential brides & grooms booked and confirmed their big day with us within 5 days, we gave them a complimentary evening buffet to the value of €1,000 on their wedding day. Our next wedding fair is taking place on Sunday 28th June for more details please visit our website.
- Book mid week instead of weekends – most weddings do take place at the weekends, but now with cheaper rates available Monday – Thursday booking a week day may save you a substantial amount of money. To ensure that all guests are able to attend, send them a “Save the date” card well in advance. This way your guests will have plenty of notice of your wedding and can book their time off work or ensure they’re free on that date. At Clontarf Castle we run mid week specials in January, July and August along with our new Fairytale Package!
- In regards to the drinks reception, go for tea and coffee for a small amount of people then let guests buy their own drinks. This is becoming increasingly popular in many weddings taking place in Clontarf Castle.
- Do a “top up” of wine instead of a toast drink – this will ensure that all guests have a drink for the toast, however you don’t have to pay for an extra drink for everyone!
- Ask the hotel for recommendations. At Clontarf Castle we have plenty of experience in the wedding industry, we know which companies offer added value for money. If looking for florists, photographers, table and chair covers etc we can assist you with their contact details etc.
- Avail of the hotel’s standard package – Many brides can get carried away with all the added extras like extra rose petals on tables, more elaborate flower designs etc. However if you stick to the standard package your wedding day will be just as beautiful and “out of this world” but will keep costs to a minimum.
- Choose a venue with complimentary parking! In the current climate whereby car parking is inconvenient and fees expensive, here at Clontarf Castle we have 180 ample free car parking spaces available onsite. Therefore not all of your guests have to stay in the hotel for your wedding.
- Choose your menu wisely – There are many dishes on a menu that may be slightly more expensive than others i.e. fillet of beef would be more expensive than sirloin etc. Do not always go for the most expensive dish on the day.
- Book guests accommodation for your special day well in advance to avoid disappointment. Here at Clontarf Castle we offer two simple options:
Make a block booking and let our specialised reservations department look after the full group reservation, leaving you worry free! Rooms can be allocated and any special requests easily dealt with by the highly trained Clontarf Castle Reservations Team.
Or
For those very organised brides, you can book a maximum of 8 rooms at one time directly on our website.
For further information on Clontarf Castle Weddings please do not hesitate to contact our Wedding Planner Adele Camier on 01 8332321, email acamier@clontarfcastle.ie or visit www.clontarfcastle.ie for more details.
Clontarf Castle Hotel Weddings
