Guests paying for parking?

[QueenG]

I''d love to know what you ladies think about guests paying for parking. I''ve done it in the past (as a wedding guest or bridesmaid) and never thought twice about it, but now that I''m on the other end of things, I wonder if that is appropriate. The venue I am looking at has a lot across the street that charges $12 per car, but I can rent the entire lot out the day-of for close to $1000 so that the guests need not pay (and to gurarantee parking, even though I only need less than 100 of the 300 spots). I''m not too worried about the lot filling up b/c I am looking at a Sunday afternoon wedding in October and don''t expect the problems that one might see for a Saturday evening event. I just wonder if guests might find it rude to have to pay for parking, or will they just not think about it like I did in the past? I''ll probably end up renting it out, so please don''t call me a cheapskate!

I just wonder what you might be doing or think about this. Thanks in advance!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I think when you invite someone to a party...be it a wedding, or a simple dinner party...they shouldn''t responsible for coming out of pocket for anything. Most guests brings gifts and I think that is more than enough.

 

[fieryred33143]

The only time it annoyed me is if I didn''t know. We never carry cash with us, especially to a wedding. So we would get there, realize we have to pay, then leave to go to the ATM, then come back and pay

. If I know ahead of time, I get over it LOL

You''d have to ask the etiquette queens on here whether its ok to mention that in the info sheet in the invites. If it is and you decide to have them pay, then I think you should provide that info (again if it doesn''t break any etiquette rules).

 

[sunnyd]

We're not paying for parking at our venue. ::ducks from etiquette queens!!::

It was definitely in the plan to pay for it, but when I brought it up to both my parents and the inlaws they thought we were nuts! People just don't do that in my circle so they'd expect to pay. You pretty much have to pay for parking anywhere around here and the lot we'd be using takes cards as well.

Maybe it sounds horrible but it's not like we have $400 laying around. People can afford $8. And they'll carpool.

 

[meresal]

$12?? To me, that is alot!! Also, here's an idea... most places don't even require that you pay to park on Holidays and Sunday's (or weekends at all). Is this a public lot? or is it owned by the venue? I would go check the signs.

If you have to choose between having your guests pay or renting, I would rent out the lot. Thought, Fiery made a good point, if you're going to have the guests pay, be sure to include that information somewhere. $12 isn't something that people can really rummage up in thier car.

 

[iheartscience]

I would definitely pay for parking for them. It just seems like part of the whole party package. Especially if it''s $12 to park-that is insane to me!

 

[tlh]

a guest shouldn''t have to pay for anything. which is why cash bars, are no-nos. I''d be like fieryred33143 and end up frustrated driving around looking for an ATM- and I HATE surprises that don''t sparkle! But I get over it quickly w/ the champagne and the GORGEOUS BRIDE! I always cry

at weddings, I am a sap like that!

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 1/29/2009 4:36:27 PM
Author: thing2of2
I would definitely pay for parking for them. It just seems like part of the whole party package. Especially if it''s $12 to park-that is insane to me!

Really? LOL, seems cheap to me. Parking in Seattle is expensive!

 

[Lulie]

I'm sorry to be a Party P----, it needs to be paid in advance, so sorry.
I'd talk to the people across the street [owner] and other option, they may break a deal, I know my sister paid $7 per car [from $11] it took two weeks... but well worth it.
When I go to a wedding, I usually buy a new dress/shoes/perhaps a purse, pay for baby sitting and a girft, IT bugs me when I have to pay for parking/security/drinks. 02

ps NOT an etiquette queen, but it's a rule, sorry again

 

[marchswallowbird]

Guests should NOT have to pay for parking. YES, pay to rent the lot.

 

[StarbuttsKoffee]

I will pay for my guests'' valet parking. 2009 new valet parking rate is $24-$27 Downtown in my area, so $12 is not too bad.

And true, I would be upset too if I have to pay for my parking when being invited to any kind of events.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 1/29/2009 4:35:18 PM
Author: sunnyd
We''re not paying for parking at our venue. ::ducks from etiquette queens!!::

It was definitely in the plan to pay for it, but when I brought it up to both my parents and the inlaws they thought we were nuts! People just don''t do that in my circle so they''d expect to pay. You pretty much have to pay for parking anywhere around here and the lot we''d be using takes cards as well.

Maybe it sounds horrible but it''s not like we have $400 laying around. People can afford $8. And they''ll carpool.

Originally we were going to pay for parking. Then I brought it up to my mother and she said that she didn''t think that people would be upset about having to shell out $12/car (figure 2 people per car) to park for the entire day. Once their car is in the lot it can stay there for the duration of the ceremony and reception if all goes according to plan. It would save us a good amount of money and allow us to increase our guests list by 6 or so people if we don''t pay for it.

Part of me feels sorta bad about possibly not paying for the parking and then the other part of me doesn''t feel bad at all. FI tends to be more frugal than I am so of course he doesn''t want to pay for it at the moment.

Personally, I always make sure I have some cash with me when I got to a wedding for unexpected expenses. I don''t think that I would be mad if I were a guest attending a wedding where I had to shell out for the parking. But as I''ve realized with so many other wedding etiquette related things, I tend to be on the more laid back end of things and it doesn''t bother me too much when people break a few rules.

 

[missismene]

have you checked with the vendor to see if they have a valet or preferred valet service.
i feel really fortunate now that i can valet park and it is actually affordable.
if i went to a wedding where i have/had to or even suspected i would have to valet park, i bring cash.
like i would to any other event where parking is required and not feel disgruntled about it. but would have to remind my self to bring the cash, because i usually do not carry it.
but i am choosing to take care of that because it is provided by my venue at a very reasonable rate (3$ per guest.)
they said it was easier to track than by the car? i didn''t understand that but i am happy with the price!

 

[wyndham]

Thanks for posting this...I too had the same question!

Our venue is downtown in a big city and parking is $23/car for the whole evening...not exactly cheap, but it''s actually considered a decent rate for the area! I''m wondering what the actual etiquette is on this one: I''d like to cover the cost of parking for our guests, but that would mean having to decrease our budget for other things by around $1,000. Most of our guests will be flying in from out of town and paying for airfare, hotels, cab rides, etc., and since we''re not paying for their expenses I guess I don''t feel that I need to cover the $23/car cost for local guests (as that will be their only out-of-pocket cost to attend). I think it''s harder for me to justify paying ''traveling'' expenses for local guests only but not for out of town guests (whose costs to attend will actually be much greater). For those of you who think parking should be covered by the hosts...do you think I''m obligated to cover parking for my guests who are local when I haven''t helped with the more significant travel costs of OOT guests?

Thanks!

 

[missismene]

one question are your out of town guests arriving in cabs? if so then you will not need to pay for their parking and you can just pick up your local guests. but i would not feel obligated either way.

 

[amcgookin]

We are definitely paying for our guests parking. Just like what Italianhaircolor said I feel that if you invite someone to a party at any venue you should take care of ALL the costs. For me that means open bar and all. If I invited people to my house for a dinner party I wouldn''t expect them to put a dime out of thier pocket.... I might even venture to say that I would be offended if they did. My wedding is just a bigger lunch/dinner party that I am hosting outside of my home.

However I know that not everyone shares this same view. I have been to plently of weddings where I have paid for parking and booze. I will say though that the ones I enjoyed most were the ones where I was taken care of like a queen! Which is why we decided that we want to make our guests feel the same way

 

[fieryred33143]

I think it also depends on where you live. If I were still in NY (should that be if I was? LOL), I would probably expect to pay for parking automatically if the wedding is in the city for example.

In Florida, there are a lot of public lots but there are areas that only have either meter parking, garages, or valet (like South Beach and Coral Gables). So if I went to a wedding in these areas, I''d probably just assume I have to pay and be pleasently surprised if i didn''t have to.

 

[October2008bride]

Our wedding was right downtown in a large city, and we did not pay for parking. However, neither the church or the reception had a lot right next to it.

On the invite, we had a map that included a few local parking lots.

The two locations were walking distance from one another so people only parked once.

Not only did I not feel like it was a MUST to pay, but it actually would have been difficult because there wasn''t a designated lot that could be monitored in some way.

We didn''t hear one complaint. Most of our friends used public transit or cabs (they were HAPPY to not have to drive!) so I think it was just some of our parents'' friends who had to pay and trust me - if they had a complaint we DEFINITELY would have heard it haha.

However - I do think that if the venue has a designated lot that is just for the venue - as a guest I might be shocked if I pulled up and had to pay. Maybe give guests options on the map so they realize that it is a ''fend for yourself'' kind of parking situation.

HTH!

 

[allycat0303]

Well my instinctive gut feeling was "NO WAY". Seriously, I wouldn''t give it a second thought if my friend was getting married and I paid 12 dollars for parking. I think it''s a little bit too much about "the guest". If I was having a party downtown, paying for their food and drinks the whole night and they complained about paying 12 dollars for parking ($120 a person + unlimited drinks, entertainment) and you complained.... I would probably smack you. HARD.

However, if parking is limited, and then guests would have to be running outside to put money in the meter (like downtown Montreal) then I would rent the parking lot, because I think it spoils the evening to hike out to the car every 2 hours (that''s the max time allowed here). So for the convenience I would rent it, but not because of politeness, or for fear of complaints.

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 1/29/2009 5:45:26 PM
Author: allycat0303
Well my instinctive gut feeling was ''NO WAY''. Seriously, I wouldn''t give it a second thought if my friend was getting married and I paid 12 dollars for parking. I think it''s a little bit too much about ''the guest''. If I was having a party downtown, paying for their food and drinks the whole night and they complained about paying 12 dollars for parking ($120 a person + unlimited drinks, entertainment) and you complained.... I would probably smack you. HARD.

However, if parking is limited, and then guests would have to be running outside to put money in the meter (like downtown Montreal) then I would rent the parking lot, because I think it spoils the evening to hike out to the car every 2 hours (that''s the max time allowed here). So for the convenience I would rent it, but not because of politeness, or for fear of complaints.

LOL, that''s awesome! I totally would too.

 

[bee*]

It wouldn''t bother me at all having to pay for parking at someones wedding.

 

[wyndham]

Date: 1/29/2009 5:58:23 PM
Author: sunnyd

Date: 1/29/2009 5:45:26 PM
Author: allycat0303
Well my instinctive gut feeling was ''NO WAY''. Seriously, I wouldn''t give it a second thought if my friend was getting married and I paid 12 dollars for parking. I think it''s a little bit too much about ''the guest''. If I was having a party downtown, paying for their food and drinks the whole night and they complained about paying 12 dollars for parking ($120 a person + unlimited drinks, entertainment) and you complained.... I would probably smack you. HARD.

However, if parking is limited, and then guests would have to be running outside to put money in the meter (like downtown Montreal) then I would rent the parking lot, because I think it spoils the evening to hike out to the car every 2 hours (that''s the max time allowed here). So for the convenience I would rent it, but not because of politeness, or for fear of complaints.

LOL, that''s awesome! I totally would too.

ITA! I can''t fathom people complaining about having to pay for parking after we''re treated them to a fun, all-expenses paid party in the city!

 

[swingirl]

Date: 1/29/2009 6:13:15 PM
Author: wyndham

Date: 1/29/2009 5:58:23 PM

Author: sunnyd

Date: 1/29/2009 5:45:26 PM

Author: allycat0303

Well my instinctive gut feeling was 'NO WAY'. Seriously, I wouldn't give it a second thought if my friend was getting married and I paid 12 dollars for parking. I think it's a little bit too much about 'the guest'. If I was having a party downtown, paying for their food and drinks the whole night and they complained about paying 12 dollars for parking ($120 a person + unlimited drinks, entertainment) and you complained.... I would probably smack you. HARD.



However, if parking is limited, and then guests would have to be running outside to put money in the meter (like downtown Montreal) then I would rent the parking lot, because I think it spoils the evening to hike out to the car every 2 hours (that's the max time allowed here). So for the convenience I would rent it, but not because of politeness, or for fear of complaints.

LOL, that's awesome! I totally would too.

ITA! I can't fathom people complaining about having to pay for parking after we're treated them to a fun, all-expenses paid party in the city!

I look at it very differently. The guest has been invited to take part in YOUR event. It's not exactly an all-expenses paid party! Most guests usually will pay quite a bit to come to your event (where you get to pick the location, food, date, etc). I have always ended up buying new clothes for my family since party attire isn't in everyone's wardrobe. I've provided my own transportation, sometimes my own overnight accommodations. And I brought a gift! I've often sat with strangers.

Although the point of a wedding is to celebrate a life-changing event with friends and family, the guest has been invited to make the event meaningful and valid in the eyes of the world. Brides and grooms want to have special people witness this event. Guests shouldn't have to pay to attend.

 

[QueenG]

Thanks for your opinions, ladies. FWIW, $12 is super-cheap for Manayunk/Philadelphia, but I still feel like we should cover this. I may try to talk to the owners of the lot who are NOT the owners of the venue and see if we can haggle a bit. Now that I think about it, I was at a wedding in this same neighborhood 2 years ago and had to find my own street parking and didn't even think about it. Maybe I'm too relaxed about it all and just expect to have to pay my own way when attending a wedding (buy an outfit/fly somewhere/get a hotel room/buy a gift/pay for parking).

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 1/29/2009 6:49:42 PM
Author: Lioness
Thanks for your opinions, ladies. FWIW, $12 is super-cheap for Manayunk/Philadelphia, but I still feel like we should cover this. I may try to talk to the owners of the lot who are NOT the owners of the venue and see if we can haggle a bit. Now that I think about it, I was at a wedding in this same neighborhood 2 years ago and had to find my own street parking and didn''t even think about it. Maybe I''m too relaxed about it all and just expect to have to pay my own way when attending a wedding (buy an outfit/fly somewhere/get a hotel room/buy a gift/pay for parking).

That''s how I feel too. It''s just part of going to a wedding. As a guest I don''t need to be coddled. I''m there for the couple, not the other way around.

Jeez, I''m souring at planning already with 8 months to go!

 

[AmberGretchen]

I feel like its a nice gesture (and appropriate) to pay but it depends a lot on your particular area and the norms in your social circle.

 

[Lulie]

Great choice Lioness, most lots have companies that manage them, some out of town.
It may take days to get to the main manager but it will pay off!
For those who think that people won''t complain about paying for drinks/parking/valet, forgive me but I promise you: they will talk about it for years behind your back, a celebration this large deserves attention to detail.

 

[sunnyd]

If they talk about it behind my back then I guess they weren''t really my friends then...

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 1/29/2009 6:49:42 PM
Author: Lioness
Thanks for your opinions, ladies. FWIW, $12 is super-cheap for Manayunk/Philadelphia, but I still feel like we should cover this. I may try to talk to the owners of the lot who are NOT the owners of the venue and see if we can haggle a bit. Now that I think about it, I was at a wedding in this same neighborhood 2 years ago and had to find my own street parking and didn''t even think about it. Maybe I''m too relaxed about it all and just expect to have to pay my own way when attending a wedding (buy an outfit/fly somewhere/get a hotel room/buy a gift/pay for parking).

Yeah I think $12 really isn''t that bad overall (to explain my perspective I pay about 8.50-11.00 if I drive and pay to park at school), but I agree also that it depends on your social group and what you think your guests are used to. I also wouldn''t expect the bride and groom to pay for parking...but if you would feel more comfortable and can fit in your budget then go for it definitely.

 

[aliceinwonderland]

Paying for parking is a nice gesture but it also assumes that your guests will drive. Will many of them arrive in cabs etc b/c if they do and you have bought out the lot that seems like money wasted. If your guests live in a ''cab-able'' distance and want to enjoy a few drinks they may very well decide not to drive. I personally would be really shocked if somebody paid for my parking and $12 is reasonable for a larger sized city!

Alice