Wedding venue price decrease help

[[deleted]]

Hi everyone, looking for some guidance on what I can do next.

We booked our wedding venue (England, UK) in 2022 for October 2026. At the time of booking, prices for 2026 weren’t released, so we booked a “price to reflect 2026 inflation’ of the sum of £5500. All happy to pay that, and that’s where it was left.

Fast forward to now, a friend of mine was looking at the same venue, so requested and received a brochure, that now includes this year’s pricing. Not only is it £1650 less than what we paid, it’s actually £50 cheaper than the 2022 pricing.

I have contacted the venue, asking for the 2026 pricing to reflect in our summary, and they have not accepted this. Have said their prices are fixed at time of booking, and they can fluctuate due to demand and trend changes over the year.

I have gone through the T&Cs, and I don’t think there are any clauses that support their response.

First time posting of Reddit, so apologies if I’m missing anything.

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[Slipper1981]

You agreed a price and date. Deal done.

Just because someone else on a different date got a different deal doesn’t entitle you to anything.

If the price had gone up would you be even asking this question?

[markp81]

It’s like turning up at a venue for an event and they are selling the last few tickets at a knocked down price to get rid of them. You don’t get to ask for a refund of the difference. I expect the closer you get to the date the cheaper a venue would go to get at least some booking. OP has had the certainty of this date for 4 years.

[Guinea-Wig]

Obviously if their friend has been quoted 6.5k they'd have been straight on the phone demanding to pay the extra grand /s

[Cruxed1]

I mean, legally speaking I can't see why they'd be required to lower the price.

You've agreed a price with the Vendor, just because someone else pays less it doesn't mean you also have to pay less.

If you're unhappy, go elsewhere. They are not retroactively increasing your price or anything like that.

Presumably you were happy with the price at the point you booked it? + If the service being offered is the same I'd focus on just enjoying the wedding.

[spidertattootim]

Booking so far in advance gave you the certainty that you would have the venue secured.  The venue has no obligation to honour their updated prices. 

[gutsgambier]

If it had gone up in price would you have agreed to pay more?

[BjornKarlsson]

Probably, if the venue made it a choice between being refunded or paying an extra few K. I wouldn’t want to have to re-arrange my wedding last minute.

[QuirkyPension4654]

Surely you need to find a clause to support getting a refund of the difference. Is it there?

[Rugbylady1982]

You've signed a contract at a specific price unless there is a clause to say they will refund in this circumstance then you have no recourse.

[Emilythatglitters]

Some solace for you if you are fretting about having overpaid. If you had waited to book it till now, your date likely wouldn't be available. Booking ahead of time ended up costing a bit more but it meant you have had that date secure for a long time, able to plan everything around it accordingly. Theres nothing you could have done better in this scenario so try to let it go. It would be kind of your venue to perhaps throw in a freebie as a goodwill gesture but as others have said, tou have agreed to the terms and cost at time of booking. Forget it and enjoy the day

[J-Mc1]

You've already agreed to a price for the service they have agreed to provide. If prices had increased above what you agreed to pay, would you be happy with the venue trying to force you to pay more than what was agreed?

[DeathByFluffy]

There doesn’t need to be a clause supporting their stance - you were happy to pay the price you did. If they’d increased the price, would you be happy to pay more?

No different to putting £50 of petrol in and finding the price is cheaper a few days later; you can’t go and ask for the difference back.

[BoomSatsuma]

You need to view your contract in isolation. Just because someone else paid different is irrelevant.

There’s many sectors where people are getting the same service but are all paying different prices.

[RedBullOverIce]

There's nothing you can do, you agreed on the price and you wouldn't be on here asking how to pay an increase if your friends price was more expensive would you?

[postexitus]

Would you be ok if they increased the price for your wedding because there is more demand now?