The Fine Print Files: Miscellaneous Fees
Have you ever reviewed an event bill and found an unwelcome surprise? You’re not alone. In this series, we’re unpacking the most common but often overlooked fees that hotels, venues, and vendors add to event invoices. Whether it’s a mysterious service charge or a hidden setup fee, we’ll help you spot them before they hit your budget and share practical ways to reduce or avoid them altogether.
*Most of this not included.
Meeting Room Rental Fees
Meeting room rental typically includes only the physical space: the walls, ceiling, and carpet. That’s it. Historically, venues tied meeting space directly to food and beverage minimums. If you met the minimum, the room rental was waived. Post-COVID, many properties shifted to a different pricing model. Meeting space now carries a standalone value, especially for high-demand dates or premium locations.
If you rent the entire space upfront, you may be able to negotiate room rental fees out during contracting. However, if you add meeting space after the contract is signed, it’s common to see rental fees applied.
Service Charges vs. Gratuity
Where does that service charge really go?
Gratuity is a tip intended for the staff working your event. A service charge, however, is a broader fee. It often includes a combination of gratuity, administrative costs, and operational expenses.
This distinction became more prominent after an industry lawsuit revealed that not all gratuities were going directly to service staff. As a result, many venues moved to service charges to remain compliant with labor laws. Service charges are applied to the original retail price of food and beverage, not the discounted rate, and they have increased alongside food costs. While technically negotiable, service charges are one of the least flexible items on a contract.
Reset Fees
Reset fees can appear when a room layout changes unexpectedly.
Each reset requires labor, advance planning, and coordination with banquet teams. When layouts change, staff must dismantle and rebuild the room on a new timeline. Those labor hours are planned in advance, and when changes occur, the cost is passed along. Reset fees reflect the reality that labor must be respected and scheduled accordingly.
We promise you don't want to drag your suitcase a quarter mile to your room.
Porterage and Bellman Fees
Porterage fees apply when guests arrive via coach bus and require assistance transporting luggage. Bell staff are trained to deliver luggage efficiently and accurately to the correct rooms.
You are not required to pay porterage if luggage assistance is not needed. However, venues may strongly encourage it; especially when buses arrive at convention or service entrances rather than the main lobby. These entrances can be far from guest rooms, and the fee covers both labor and gratuity.
Security Fees
Security costs vary depending on the needs of your event. Venues work with pre-approved security providers who carry the required insurance and understand the property’s layout and protocols.
Safety first!
While basic roaming security may be available, additional security is often required for overnight equipment storage, VIPs, sensitive industries, or events with higher risk profiles. Security may also be necessary if your conference wants bag checks, metal detectors, or to remain compliant with entertainment riders.
Additional Cleaning Fees
Additional cleaning fees are most often triggered by special effects or activities that create residue or debris beyond standard cleaning. Items such as confetti, balloon drops, foam, or similar effects require extra labor and time to remove. If a room cannot be quickly turned for the next event, the venue will apply a cleaning fee. Glitter is almost always prohibited due to the difficulty of removal.
To avoid these fees, it is important to confirm approved effects in advance and understand what the venue considers standard cleaning versus specialty cleaning.
Yummy and meeting minimums.
Food and Beverage Minimums
Food and beverage minimums exist because venues must maximize the revenue potential of their space. When you contract an event, the venue commits staffing, inventory, and resources based on that minimum. If the minimum is not met, you are required to pay the difference. This is not a penalty, but rather a guarantee that allows the venue to operate efficiently and plan appropriately.
Storage and Material Handling Fees
Storage and material handling fees cover the labor required to receive, organize, store, and deliver event shipments. This includes boxes shipped in advance containing signage, giveaways, or production materials. These fees are standard and should be anticipated whenever materials are shipped directly to a venue.
How to Manage All These Fees
We are here to help!
Partnering with an experienced event designer, like Blue Spark Event Design, can make all the difference when it comes to managing venue costs.
Our team knows how to navigate contracts, ask the right questions, and negotiate fair rates on your behalf.
Even when certain fees cannot be eliminated entirely, we work to minimize their impact and handle the details so you don’t have to. By relying on our experience and industry relationships, you gain both cost savings and peace of mind—ensuring your event runs smoothly, efficiently, and without unnecessary stress.