Negotiating wedding venue price?

We kinda have our heart set on a Japanese Garden at the Nashville botanical garden as our wedding site. The rental price is $900 which I think is a bit much... would it be unreasonable to try to get it for $750 or so? How do you negotiate? And the truth is we probably wouldnt walk away if they don't give us a lower rate, so is it worth it to try to negotiate?





The other thing is I looked at the Memphis Botanical Garden (3 hours away) and they rent their gardens for $400 plus $1/guest... we are only having 50 guests so it would only cost $450 there!! Can I bring that up as leverage?





How do I negotiate without sounding like a push over?

Negotiating wedding venue price?
I think it doesn't hurt to negotiate, but you have to be flexible, and realistic. What you're asking for amounts to about a 16% discount. When put in those terms, that's a lot, even though it's only a $150 in absolute terms. Therefore, I'd try to find another way to save that $150 or more. Does the botanical garden do the catering, or provide the tables, chairs, linens, etc.? I'd look at the cost of those other things and concentrate my bargaining there. The botanical garden probably has no reason to just give you a flat-out discount. If you don't rent the garden, someone else will. Negotiate about other items once they already have you as a customer and have invested a bit of time and energy into your event. Of course, this works only if the botanical garden is providing the other services. If you're going through other vendors for everything else, then that fee is all you've got to work with.





For our wedding, we thought the ceremony rental fee was also high, but we negotiated about the menu and saved way more money than if we'd asked for a discount on the ceremony fee.
Reply:It can never hurt to try to negotiate, especially since you have another venue as a price comparison. However, if it's a popular venue, they probably won't budge. If they won't come down on price, can they provide some additional extras within the price? Again, it can't hurt to ask. And since you're prepared to either pay the full price or go to the other venue, you've got nothing to lose. I've gotten outstanding deals by negotiating because I'm always prepared to walk away.
Reply:I am just about to start my own negotiations. Bringing up another vendor's price might irritate more than persuade. If your wedding is over 6 months away, on a Saturday in a popular wedding season, you will have a harder time negotiating because they are bound to get other calls. If the chances of someone else booking your day with them are slim, I think you can tell them you'd be willing to pay only so much. It certainly can't hurt to ask, even if you know you'd pay their asking price anyway. Also, ask for a full list of every and any fee they might charge you as part of a wedding package.