Meeting budget "burn" points

There are things that you might not know you need to plan or manage for your meeting…but Meetings Academy is here to help. Here are some “burn” points related to budget – things that have burned a big hole in our events budget in the past (which we learned the hard way when we checked the bill). Take advantage of our hard-learned lessons and plan for them in your budget before you get burned.

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

Gratuity and service charges: gratuity and service charges are added to your bill during your meeting so be sure to ask about it during the planning process. Some examples include service charges on meeting room rental, audio/visual/lighting services, food and beverage, and more. These charges are usually added to cover the costs to set-up the room, staff, fixing/replacing equipment, etc. Gratuity is a required “tip” to the staff servicing the meeting or food/bar offerings. Tips are voluntary and not added automatically. However, be sure to budget for any tips you may need during the event. It is customary to offer cash tips to your main contacts before you leave the venue (venue contact/planner, catering manager or banquet captain, bar manager, audio visual manager, etc.).

Shipping and mail costs: shipping and mail companies charge based on the size of the envelope or package, its weight, and its destination. If you need to mail invitations, thank you cards, pre-meeting packets, etc. you need to budget for these carefully. Take a sample to the post office or your preferred carrier and have them estimate the actual charges if it’s anything beyond a typical letter. They may also work with you if you need to ship or mail several things at one time (bulk rate).

Bar service pricing: you have a lot of options when you set up a bar service for your event. This is when it’s especially helpful to know your attendees. Are they heavy drinkers? Do they mostly prefer wine over beer? Will they expect something specific offered at the bar? Work with your bar contact to set up what you need but also be sure to ask about pricing options. You can typically pay for different combinations of things, nothing, or everything. Here are some of the payment options for bar service: hosted bar (you pay for everything offered), cash bar (the guests pay the bartender for everything offered), or partial host (you specify what you will pay for (like beer and wine) and everything else is paid by the guest). You can also budget to play a flat amount per person (the best value if your group drinks a lot) or on consumption (you are only billed for what is consumed during the event). Also keep in mind that if the venue offers bar service, you may not be allowed to bring your own alcohol or if you can, you’ll be charged a “corkage fee” per bottle of alcohol you bring in. If that’s something you want to consider, be sure to ask about that fee during the planning process.

Hotel room amenities: most of the “extra” items offered in a hotel room typically have a (high) cost. Think about that large bottle of water sitting on the desk or dresser, the drinks and snacks in the fridge, pay per view movies, in-room dining, and more. These charges are added to the hotel room bill so if you are planning a group meeting, be sure to specify what charges you will pay for and which need to be paid for by the guest. If you only want to pay for the room and tax (and not anything the guests add during their stay), be sure to tell your hotel contact BEFORE your guests check in.

Taxes: Different services and items are taxed at different rates at meetings. Your catering bill can have one tax rate while your bar service and meeting rooms can all be different. You may pay over 25% tax on a hotel room due to local and state tax rates. Ask your venue contact about their rates so you can include it in your budget correctly. The easiest way to budget for these expenses is to ask for an “inclusive” price that includes the fee, tax, and gratuity for those items or services.

© Meetings Academy, LLC 2025