I was talking with a caker friend today about off season discounts. We simply don’t offer them. We feel that our time and costs are worth the same whether it is on or off season…and we’re not the only ones. This isn’t to say offering winter discounts is wrong at all, heck, some wedding businesses even work on sliding scales during the entire year! While it doesn’t hurt to ask a vendor if discounts are available, it also shouldn’t be expected that you’ll get a discount for a non summer Saturday wedding.
In the winter, most flowers are out of season. The cost of flying in blooms, especially very seasonal blooms, is pricey. The same seasonal logic goes with food and desserts. I just learned the price fluxuation of butter from summer to winter…it is a lot of money! Lets move on to venues…heating a large venue is very expensive, and safe transportation of guests and staff come into play. For photographers, I think it comes down to editing time and delivery of albums and prints. When the holidays roll around, things take twice as long, or you have to pay hefty rush order fees.
That being said, winter is my favorite season for weddings! But if you’re thinking of having an off season wedding just to save money, you might be limiting yourself as far as vendor choices go. Not all vendors give winter discounts, not because they’re scrouges, but because it might cost MORE for them to operate in the off season, not less.
Just some food for thought =)
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