PrivateEvents.co / Event advice
Book with the numbers in front of you.
Plain-English guides to what private events cost, when to book and what every line on a venue quote means.
Most people plan a handful of private events. Venues plan hundreds.
These guides close that gap. They put the language of a venue quote into the language of the person paying it, so you and the venue start the conversation on the same page.
Start at the top if this is your first event, or jump to the question in front of you.
Written by our expert event planners
Your event quoteSaturday lunch · 40 guests
1Food and beverage minimum$3,000
2Service charge, 20%$600
3Sales tax on food and drinks, 8.75%$263
Estimated total$3,863
4Space reservation fee, paid at booking and credited to your bill$500
An example for illustration. Rates and what each line covers vary by venue.
Four lines on every quote.
Most private event quotes come down to the same four lines. Here is what each one means, and the guide that explains it.
- 1The F&B minimumThe amount your food and drinks need to reach. It's a target, not a fee on top.
- 2Service charge, gratuity and admin feeWhat each pays for, and how they stack.
- 3Tax and the real totalWhat a private event costs once every line is in.
- 4The space reservation fee and the contractWhen it's paid, how it's credited and the clauses to read twice.
Quick answers
The three questions people ask most about a private event quote.
What is a food and beverage minimum?
A food and beverage minimum is the amount your group agrees to spend on food and drinks. It isn't a fee on top. It's the total your tab needs to reach: if your minimum is $3,000 and your group spends $3,200, you pay the tab. Most private event venues use this model instead of a rental fee. Read the full guide
What does a service charge pay for?
A service charge is a mandatory percentage, usually 18 to 25 percent. It funds the people and work that make a private event happen: front-of-house staff, kitchen support and the coordinator running your event. A gratuity is a tip that flows to service staff, sometimes included in the service charge and sometimes listed separately. An admin fee is a separate line for event coordination. Read the full guide
What is a space reservation fee?
The payment you make when you sign the contract holds your date. Most venues call it a space reservation fee, and it is credited toward your final bill. Most are non-refundable, so read the cancellation terms before you sign. Read the full guide
Start here
Your first private event, or the first in a while. Three reads that answer most questions before you ask a venue.
What private events cost
Real numbers: minimums, per-person menus and the line items to expect, from a weekday lunch to a Saturday night.
Updated Oct 2026Read the guide
When to book
How far ahead each season fills, from a Tuesday dinner to the second week of December.
Published Mar 2026Read the guide
How PrivateEvents.co works
Free event planning expertise: tell us the occasion and our expert event planners match you with the venue that fits.
Published Mar 2026Read the guideChoose the space
Private or semi-private, and the questions that tell you whether a venue fits before you visit.
Read the quote and the contract
The terms people meet first on a proposal, each one in plain English.
The F&B minimum, explained
What it means, why venues use it and the questions to ask before signing.
Published Apr 2026Read the guide
Service charge, gratuity and admin fee
What each one pays for, how they stack and what to ask the venue.
Published Apr 2026Read the guide
Event contracts
Deposits, cancellation, attrition and the other clauses worth reading twice.
Published Mar 2026Read the guideHost it together
Planning with a co-host, or splitting the cost across friends or departments.
Keep these to hand
Look up a term while you read a quote, or find the answer to a question someone has asked before.
The event glossary
Every venue word, explained in plain English.Published Apr 2026
ReadFrequently asked questions
Pricing, timing and how matching with a venue works.Published Apr 2026
ReadReady to see a real quote?
What's the occasion? Tell us the date, the guest count and what you'd like to spend, and our expert event planners will come back with the venue that fits, with its pricing on your date.
Free event planning expertise, at the venue's own rates.
