What are they and how do they work?
Every venue charges a fee which they will use in case of damages or any other incurred expenses that the client may or may not have control of. Many times damages come from their vendors, guests or unattended children. Sometimes damages come from family members who are setting up or taking down at the end of the night. This post can give you a great idea of some of the charges that are incurred by you or your guests and could help avoid being invoiced for damages and other overages. The fee we charge our clients is minimal compared to other venues but, we are finding lately that the fee is not enough to cover the incurred expenses. When this happens, we will invoice you for the repairs or damage and you can pay after the event online or by check. The agreement requires payment to be made within 5 days after the event.
Most people want to avoid the additional charges and we want this for you too so it's important to periodically review your contract. You can also print out any checklists and cheat sheets for your helpers. Most clients hire a wedding planner and everything goes extremely well as she has the experience and skill to make the night run smoothly.
Here are some of the incurred expenses we have seen lately so you'll want to make a note with your wedding planner to be aware of these items.
Moving the wood farm tables 1846.28
The helpers didn't realize that the tables are not allowed to be moved and the bride did not communicate with them on what is allowed or not allowed. The tables had to be repaired because the helpers broke some of the joints.
Mounting decor to the walls 2032.43
A helper took an off brand of mounting hook and affixed it to the sheet rock. When they took the decor down, it ripped the sheet rock, leaving large holes that had to be patched and the whole wall requiring paint.
DJ's securing their cords to the floor with tape 657.23
When he pulled the tape off the floor, it removed the floor finish. We are seeing this in the ceremony area when brides tape their aisle runner down. Please don't attach anything to the floors, walls or ceilings or any part of the facility with any type of fastener.
Glitter Removal 650.00
The janitorial company in Joplin cleans our venue at night. When they notice glitter, they have to use their special floor cleaning equipment to clean the floors. Review your decor before bringing it to the venue. I think you'll find this tip helpful.
Fake Flower Petals 450.00
When the wind blows, even a gentle amount of wind can carry the fake rose petals out into the parking lot or other landscaping requiring the cleaning company to pick them up one at a time. These fees are deducted from the incurred expense fee that we were paid when you booked the venue. Here's a few more incurred expenses.
Dismantling furniture, security equipment, safety equipment
Propping the door open easily allowing birds and bugs to fly in. Once a squirrel took the stage by running in jumping from table to table. We've also seen several birds fly in. There are no wildlife exclusion professionals open/available on weekends so you're stuck with these uninvited guests.
Food/ice dumped on the ground. The cleaning company charges a fee to shovel these items off the ground. Remember, we will have an event the next morning and the bride is counting on you to be respectful of the property leaving it to her in great shape for her event.
The items listed above are not all inclusive so when you're decorating, be aware of any possible damage to the facility or amenities which could result in additional expenses for you. Your insurance has a 1000.00 deductible if you have to file a claim. Use the open houses to visit and design a well laid out plan for the night of your event. Use the time at the open house to host a "pre-meeting" with your wedding party. Show them the space, share the cheat sheets and check lists and help them to be aware of the liabilities and negligence that can occur when hosting a big event with food, alcohol and possibly uninsured and unlicensed vendors.
Although you're responsible for the venue during your contracted time, you'll notice as you peruse the website that we really try hard to help you minimize any damage. The venue makes no money on your damages. The fee you paid the venue is to be used for damages will be deducted from the fee but, we want to help minimize any overages. As you can see, the damages can be huge when you're hosting an event for a large crowd.
99 percent of our events go really well. We are lucky to attract some of the sweetest most generous couples, many who we remain friends with long after the event. We're confident your event will be equally as amazing with just a little planning. Maybe we will see you at the next open house!