Need advice ASAP. I'll preface this by saying that we booked the wedding on June 28, 2014 -we decided to do this last minute
I have since sent out invitations, booked the DJ, photographer, hair/makeup. Today, which is 5 weeks before our event on August 16, 2014. The venue (we are doing both ceremony and cocktail hour/reception there) called to tell me that the person I booked with was recently let go and that they are just seeing my contract now as it was in his office and he had not put the event on the board. As an aside, they took the $1000 credit card deposit upon booking and I received a notice for my next payment from the bookkeeper in a letter dated July 2. The woman apologized profusely and said the date is available, but that the times would not work and that I would have to move my ceremony location (there are two-one is nicer-on the property).
On contract: 12:30pm invite 1pm ceremony 1:30 -6:30 cocktail/reception. Offer: 11:30am invite, 12noon ceremony, 12:30-5pm cocktail/reception. This means doing everything (including getting ready) an hour earlier PLUS we lose a half hour off the party. She has offered to pay for re sending invites (I made the first set myself and did all the work-won't be doing that again), and said she'll offer us some other things to make up for it. We are meeting with her tomorrow to discuss.
My questions is: What should I reasonably ask for??
We were thinking the following. Please let me know if this seems fair or if we should be asking for more/less.
-invitations completed by a company (she already offered this)
- a partial refund per person proportionate to the half hour lost (actually want to round up- we're paying $75+tax for 85-100ppl, proportion would be $6.75 off - thinking to ask for $8/pp refund)
-add food extras to account for inconveniences- time change and loss of preferred ceremony location
~add raw bar to cocktail hour (groom loves raw oysters and shrimp)
~add Viennese table to dessert time (bride loves desserts)
Thank you for your help in advance!!
Theresa