Here is an excellent downloadable wedding budget I found on the Vertex42 website. Simply click on the “Download Now” button below to obtain your copy.
Wedding Budget Worksheet
for Excel, OpenOffice, & Google Docs
View Screenshots
Download Now Type: .XLS (Excel 2003+)
Size: ~40KB
Here is a neat beverage calculator for your wedding at The Ark Wedding Venue (or anywhere else for that matter!).
You can use the image on the left to determine the number of drinks your guests will consume.
Or you can use the "What will they drink?" section and plug your guest list numbers into this super cool calculator that you can access by CLICKING HERE.
A Comparison Between “The Ark” and “The Strathmere”
The Strathmere Inn has been in business since 1979 and hosts over 150 weddings per year. They have recently been voted the “Best Venue for Weddings in Ottawa”. We say “Congratulations” to the Strathmere and respect all they have done to their venue and for their clients. But we also say “Watch Out!”, because we believe their title as “Best Wedding Venue” will be in jeopardy once more people learn about the Ark.
The Ark has been in business since 2007 and currently hosts over 7 weddings per year! The Ark is not a "wedding factory" and weddings here are not “big business”. Unlike the Strathmere who may host up to 6 weddings in a weekend, we will only host one. This means you do not have to share the grounds with anyone else, you can hold your ceremony any time you like, you can decorate any time the day BEFORE your wedding, and you can collect your things any time the day after. You decide every aspect of your wedding and we don’t dictate how you do anything. Our job is simply to help you make your vision a reality. We do not provide an “assembly line” wedding service here, every event is unique and catered to your exact wishes.
We don’t offer catering services, nor do we hold a liquor license. This means you are free to feed your guests any way you like. You could hold a weenie-roast over the bonfire if you liked! Or you could have a pot luck, or hire somebody to roast a pig for you. We love working with Bytown Catering, but you’re free to bring in any caterer you like.
With no liquor license and no corkage fees, you’re free to bring your own home-made wine or beer. You can bring the 55-beer “octagons” from Costco or whatever duty free liquor you’ve saved up from your border crossings. Why should your guests have to pay $6 to enjoy a beer at your wedding?
Please feel free to fact check any/all of our numbers below. All of the information I have posted regarding the Strathmere Inn I found on their website at: /www.strathmere.com/weddings/
Now how much confidence does that show? How many other businesses would provide you a direct link to their competition that has been voted “the best” in their field? We’re not worried though. We WANT you to compare us to them. We’re not only better, but as you can see in the table, we’re much less expensive as well. LET THE COMPARISONS BEGIN!
| The Ark | Strathmere | Ark price for 100 guests | Strathmere price for 100 guests | |
| Distance from Ottawa City Hall, per Mapquest | 54km | 44km | ||
| Room Rental Fee | $2200 | $2480 | $2200 | $2480 |
| Number of weddings per weekend | Maximum 1 | Maximum 6 | ||
| Payment method | $500 to reserve balance due one week in advance | 50% to reserve balance 60 days later | ||
| Refund policy | generally no refunds anymore. Case by case. |
no refunds, you could lose $8700! | ||
| No alcohol weddings | no restrictions | only permitted Sunday – Thursday | ||
| Decorating restrictions | no restrictions | decor must be approved by Strathmere in advance | ||
| Decorating time available | any time Friday morning until your ceremony | after noon on your wedding day | ||
| Supervisor fee | none | $125 | $125 | |
| Ceremony time | your choice | 4 or 4:30pm | ||
| Catering services | your choice | Strathmere caterer only | ||
| Price of full chicken dinner | $30/plate with Bytown | $38/plate | $3000 | $3800 |
| Price of rack of lamb | $33/plate with Bytown | $46/plate | $3300 | $4600 |
| Liquor requirements | BYOB with $35 Quebec liquor license | Strathmere supplied only | $35 | |
| Can you bring your own homemade wine or beer | Absolutely | Absolutely NOT | ||
| Price of wine | BYOB from $6/bottle | from $30/bottle | $120 | $600 |
| Price of beer | BYOB from $1/bottle | from $6/bottle | $192 | $1152 |
| Price of spirits | BYOB from $1/drink | from $6/drink | $70 | $420 |
| Soft drinks | BYO from $0.25/drink | from $2.50/drink | $10 | $100 |
| Video and Audio services | included in price | must hire/rent DJ | from $450 | |
| Pets allowed | Yes | No | ||
| Bonfire available | Yes | No | ||
| Environmental considerations | Solar powered Off-the-Grid | On Grid | ||
| Property description | 164 hardwood forested acres with 10km of trails | 200 “country” acres | ||
| Brides preparation room | Included | Included | ||
| Onsite camping | Yes $100 total | no | ||
| Onsite accomodations | 1 room only in 2010, $100/night | Yes from $150/night | ||
| Photo opportunities | complete freedom and full run of the grounds | shared and coordinated with other wedding parties | ||
| Are waterfront photos possible? | Yes | No | ||
| Parking | Free | Free | ||
| Is there a petting zoo? | Alpacas, mini horse, and horses | No | ||
| Total Approx. cost | $5627 | $9127 |
In the overall price above we compared Bytown’s Chicken Dinner with the Strathmere’s Chicken Dinner. As you can see, you would spend more but save even more money if you decided to serve your guests the lamb dish. And you would potentially save thousands more if you decided on a Pot Luck or homegrown BBQ Dinner over hiring a caterer at all! At the Ark you’re welcome to serve a potluck meal and even have your guests bring their own beer! The $8700 you will spend at the Strathmere is the MINIMUM you can possibly spend there. At the Ark, if you have your guests contribute food and alcohol, you can marry here for only $2200 on a Saturday. That’s $6500 cheaper than the Strathmere, and I guarantee you’re guests will have just as much fun!
I’ve already given you the link to the Strathmere and you can find their menu there. If you want to check out Bytown’s menu, you can click here.
For the alcohol cost estimates, I went with the Beverage Calculator Chart for 100 people which I have on this page of my website.
For all you who had planned on wedding at the Strathmere, I look forward to hearing from you!
