I started this post yesterday and then we lost power due to a bad storm. I am pasting it from Word - so excuse any format dificulties...Well I have done and still do outdoor weddings. In my location weather is a real factor!!! Here is my take - lengthy - I warn you!
People (generally speaking) when looking to do an outdoor event are thinking CHEAP. They do not take into account that they are using your property, placing you with liabilites you would not have, disrupting your regular business. I is wise to provide inquires with a summary of what is included along with a price... This will limit the number of 'real' inquirers.
Have a VERY clear and complete contract! Have a cancel by date that provides you with plenty of time to book your rooms if they cancel. I have 1/4 due at signing, 1/4 90 days prior and balance is due 30 days prior... Cancellation is the following: Deposits are refunded (minus $150) up until 2nd payment (90 days), cancellations within 90 days forfeit entire paid.
Weather & outdoor events: Be clear here! You know your weather patterns and you may want to choose what time of year you want to stay away from. Here we do have times where no matter what type of covering it is not possible to go on. We will provide alternate dates if it is done in advance - 36 hours prior... once caterer has purchased/prepared food, they are SOL. NOTE: we usually do not book events during this time of year or only book small events that we can move in doors if a must.
Rooms: Will you require they rent all rooms or will you pad your room cost in the cost? DON'T make the mistake of renting to non-wedding people, this does not make for a good stay!!! I have never done this but have seen reviews from other places that have allowed it.
Will you require they obtain their own insurance (make this as contingent to the contract) or will your insurance cover events? Check with your ins agent if you are unsure. Damages, how will you handle that? A damage fee may not cover it all. Make sure to add insurance cost into your pricing.
Booze - what about that? What are the local laws? This you will need to know to astablish how or if you can allow liquor and how it can be served. Here is my experience, learn from my problems: here, liquor is king - everyone wants to have liquor. If the paying party is not wanting to provide, guests know this and you may have a few try to slip it on the property. Yes this happened to me and the guest was giving it to young people that were of questionable age. I had to intervene, tell him to remove it from the property, meanwhile I had to remove all the glasses from the tables and have everyone start over. Then I told him the next time he heads for his car, he was to leave and told security just that as well. Dry weddings are just as much of a pain as wet ones! How I do liquor with weddings is this: If they want a bar, we line up a bartender, they pay directly and they bring the liquor. Or they can hire a moving bar with bartender - which I must approve. Here we are required to have security for events of 75 or more... I just add that events with booze even under require security and add that cost as an extra charge.
Renting the space vs offering an event:
We first tried it as rent the space and tried to keep the cost low. This was a BIG mistake! Just like reducing your room rates, this attracts the wrong clients... TRUST ME! No matter what they say or agree to, you will have a devil of a time making them adhere to your policies. And on top of this, you are allowing them to lesson your reputation. If you do not supervise every step, they could (as Ike stated) have Aunt Dot do the catering or Sue 'that makes lovely cakes' bring the wedding cake... Yes I have experienced this and have several horror stories all with very strict polices to follow for future clients. I say DO NOT go into this unless YOU are in control as to WHO they use. And VERIFY (at the beginning, 30 days prior & last week prior) as I had one that set up a caterer and then dropped them closer to the event, when I called to discuss their arrival time, they told me. At that time it was too late to hire anyone else. So I had to quickly write a list of does and don’ts and made a sign “Catering lovingly prepared by family and friends” You have got to protect your reputation and wedding guests have no idea as to who prepared the food… if it is nasty, word will spread quickly that your B&B is a horrible place for a wedding!! Plus you also have to worry about food poisoning and who would be liable for this.!!! We now have 1 caterer that we use, we include the food in the package, they get to select from a list of food choices., this has eased my stress level and I know it will be professionally done. We even have them bring the staff so we have built in staff for any event. This works well for us.
Tents and the like. Remember these things can damage your yard and if you do a good number of these you will have divots all over.
Litter – and there will be lots! Outdoor wedding guests are the worst about cigarette litter. We have smoking posts etc. but always have butts everywhere.
Music – How will this be done, what are the noise ordnance laws… make sure you know them. Bands, DJ’s love to play loud. If you allow this make sure you have it in the agreement that they have to agree to YOUR terms before they inter into a contact. Make sure YOU are listed as the go to person and the one they answer to regarding set up and noise. Make sure you have enough power to take care of their needs, some use a heck of a lot of watts. And another thing – a dance floor!
Bathrooms - Ike touched on thise and YES she is right. Ladies hate port-a-potties and will do everything to come inside. We have to lock our doors, now we have the self locking coded locks but still have to make sure any who have the code keeps it to themselves.
Size – just because they are outdoors people think they can have as many guests as they want. Remember that if it does rain, all will head for the tent – it has to have enough room for all the guests. Also the caterer prepares for a certain number of guests, if they go over there may not be enough food – then again with the reputation…
If you go this route, make a strict time frame for use & set up / clean up. They will push the limits here if you let them!!! I could go on for days with what if’s to avoid….