This $35,000 Deal Is The Most Expensive Groupon In Boston … Ever
Photo by Allegro Photography on Flickr
Groupon is going big and hoping customers will dig deep in their pockets to cough up tens of thousands of dollars for local deals that they call “epic” with a national appeal.
The online daily-deals website’s latest venture features a “dream wedding” package that puts the planning process in the hands of the professionals, but comes at a cost of $35,000—a long-shot from their typical coupons that usually don’t pass the $1,000 mark and the most expensive Groupon offered in the Boston market to date. For those who want to skip the tedious task of putting a wedding together, you have until March 31 to let Groupon take care of the memorable family gathering.
The first-of-its-kind Boston package is meant to eliminate the grunt work for couples tying the knot. “We’re always looking for new, creative ways to showcase local businesses and surprise and delight our customers in all of our markets, and the recent wedding deal was the latest example of that in Boston,” says Groupon Communications Coordinator Erin Yeager.
For the price, the dearly beloved would receive a ceremony and reception space for five hours at Boston’s Mandarin Oriental, complete with a DJ, three-course meal for 100 guests, a wedding cake, a two-night stay in a suite, blocked off rooms for attendees, coat check, and an anniversary dinner one year later. It also eliminates the hassle of picking linens, china and chairs, which would fall in the hands of a catering manager.
But the setback? For those with big families, inviting people more than the 100-person guest limit would cost about $350 per extra attendee. So you might want to whittle down the list and leave out the embarrassing second cousin you were considering to invite. Couples will also be stuck figuring out the costs for parking and transportation—a task that can be frustrating in Boston on a normal day—as well as stationery, wedding attire, an officiant, photography, and flowers.
There is also the risk of having a wedding that isn’t unique if another couple decides to pay the $35,000 for the event.
Of course, this isn’t the first time Groupon has put together a package that cost as much as some peoples’ annual salaries. This bundle-wedding package joins the rank of some expensive Groupon offers like a 2011 deal that let customers have a private cooking lesson with Todd English, followed by a private dining experience with his friends—for a mere $25,000.
Other Boston-related entertainment packages have included a VIP experience with the New Kids on the Block at the Summer MixTape Fest in 2012. The $10,000 up-close-and-personal experience “sold out,” according to the company’s website, after one person scooped up the offer.
And for the truly adventurous, in March 2012, Groupon put a trip to the Titanic—yes, an underwater adventure—up for grabs. The deal included a copy of James Cameron’s famous film, signed by a Leonardo DiCaprio look-alike (seriously), and a 13-day expedition on a large support ship. Before a 12,500-foot plunge into the North Atlantic to scope out the “unsinkable” ships remains. One person paid for the $12,500 voyage, according to the website.
No word yet from the company on whether anyone has grabbed the Mandarin Oriental wedding Groupon yet, or what happens if no one buys the $35,000 package.
