Guide to Squeeze the Hotel

Being one of the nicest brides-to-be around (HAHAHA), I’ve decided to compile a list of what fellow BTBs can negotiate for in your wedding banquet (or at least that was what I got from the hotel we picked!).

Of course these freebies will affect your decision in selecting your wedding venue but what matters most is the location, ambience and love for the hotel above all else!

BTBs, are you ready to sharpen your negotiation skills?

Basic Freebies in a package

• Free Flow of Soft drinks and mixers (DUH)
• Complimentary Food Tasting (You will be surprised some hotels make you pay for this!)
• Themes with stage decoration and fresh floral arrangements (DUH DUH)
• Dry Ice Effect (HAHAHHAHA. Ok don’t kill me, I am considering removing this! Floating out like a fairy/ghost is not exactly how I would like to make an entrance on my wedding night!)
• Wedding favors & Complimentary invitation cards (You must be thinking this list is dumb. Be patient, it just gets better!)
• Welcome amenities in the bridal suite and complimentary dinner for two before or after the reception (BTBs, I know we all want to look good on our wedding day, but you won’t want to faint because of hunger or have a squashed up face in the photographs because of your gastric pain!)

Ask and it will be given

• Complimentary parking for 30% (up from 20%) of your guaranteed attendance (You won’t want any grumpy and semi-drunken uncles demanding for free parking at your wedding!)
• Complimentary usage of all LCD projectors & screen (Don’t be surprised if your package includes only one and ask you to top up for the second or third projectors/screens!)

Good to have (or rather, you won’t die if you don’t have these)

• Complimentary welcome mocktail served butler style for cocktail reception (Coke, 7 Up or orange juice can be a little boring)
• Complimentary bottle of Champagne for champagne pouring ceremony (Some hotels offer sparkling wine, if you’re not particular of the country of origin)
• Complimentary wedding cake with choice of flavors delivered to your suite (If you have been dieting/fasting/starving yourself for your wedding, you can now eat all your want right after! HAH)

Negotiate harder

• Complimentary 1 bottle of House Wine per confirmed table (On average a weekend dinner needs 2 bottles of wine per table and 1.5 bottles for weekday, so do the math and you will know how much you can save!)
• Waiver of corkage charge for all duty paid wines (Not just from their listed wine supplier which tends to be pricey!)
• Complimentary Day Use Room for your wedding entourage (Wouldn’t it be nice if your sisters can dress up in comfort!)
• Complimentary free flow of beer (A must for uncles growing their belly)
• Additional night stay in the bridal suite with complimentary breakfast (You won’t want to deal with Ang Bao counting, packing, checking out of the room after a night of drinking and working out!)

Only awesome hotels provide this

• Complimentary six bottles of sparkling wine served butler style during cocktail reception (Your guest will now have a choice of Coke, 7 Up, Orange, Mocktail and Sparkling wine! How awesome is that!)
• Complimentary 6 platters of pre dinner cocktail canapés to be served butler style during cocktail reception (Isn’t this awesome! It’s way better than munching on peanuts!)

Of course the costs of freebies are often included in your package price, the more they give you, the more they add to the cost. Anyway, have fun squeezing the hotels!