Understanding Corkage Fees for Wedding Wine
Wedding venues charge corkage fees for couples who supply their own wine, covering service and storage. Fees in Ireland typically range from €8 to €40 per bottle, with pros and cons to consider.
Engaged couples planning their wedding must decide whether to supply their own wine or use the venue's selection, a choice that involves understanding corkage fees. According to wedding planning resource One Fab Day, a corkage fee is a service charge applied by the venue for serving wine that the couple purchases and provides themselves.
What Corkage Fees Cover
The corkage fee generally covers several services from the venue. These include chilling or storing the bottles, stocktaking, providing glassware, disposing of empty bottles after the event, and paying the staff who serve the drinks. The venue is also required to pay Value-Added Tax (VAT) on the corkage fee charged to the couple.
Typical Corkage Costs in Ireland
Corkage fees vary significantly between different wedding venues. In Ireland, the cost can range from approximately €8 to €40 per bottle. Common rates fall within specific bands for different types of wine.
| Drink Type | Typical Corkage Fee Range |
|---|---|
| Wine | €10, €20 per bottle |
| Champagne, Prosecco & Sparkling Wine | €15, €25 per bottle |
The planning resource advises couples to ask about corkage fees before booking a venue to factor them into the overall wedding budget. Some venues may be open to negotiating the fee, while others will not. Couples often intentionally overestimate the amount of wine they supply to avoid running out, meaning they may purchase more bottles than if they chose the venue's wine. The upside is that any unused bottles can be taken home.
Reasons Behind the Fees
The fees are high because allowing external wine creates extra work for the venue. Some venues prefer couples to choose from their own selection and may price their wine offerings to be the more affordable and convenient option, thereby discouraging outside bottles.
Weighing the Decision
The primary advantage of supplying your own wine is having full control over the selection. This can be important if a particular wine is special to the couple or if they can source high-quality wine at a lower cost, for instance from a supermarket or during a trip abroad. The disadvantage is the extra organizational effort required. This effort may not be worthwhile if the potential savings are minimal or if the couple would have been satisfied with the venue's own wines.
The decision depends on several factors: how important the wine choice is to the couple, their opinion of the venue's wine list, whether the venue permits outside wine, and their willingness to do the extra work. The wedding coordinator or sommelier at the venue can provide details on their wine selection and arrange tastings to aid the decision. For any other wedding planning questions, the source directs readers to its FAQ section.
