Let me just start by saying that I loved my wedding. And thank god I had good vendors, bride’s maids, and family that made it possible. My parents dished out a lot of $$$ to make this wedding happen. However; the venue manager/owner of the “Fountain’s Hall” in Lockhart, TX, was totally unprofessional and shady. # 1. The venue location was a little inconvenient. The venue had a shower and full bathroom in the bridal suite, so we figured it would work. My mother, bride’s maids, and I could show up early to set up for the wedding and reception, then shower and get ready there. This fact was mentioned several times to the venue manager/owner. Even in our last meeting we said we’d be there early to set up and then shower and get ready. The shower was broke and it never occurred to her to notify us. We ended up having to get a room at a nearby motel to get ready in. # 2. We ordered an ample amount of beer for our guests and brought in our own liquor. Half way into the reception we ran out of beer. One of my bride’s maids had said she only saw a couple of cases stacked behind the bar. So unless there were other cases hidden somewhere, the venue did not supply the amount of cases we paid for. Hard to prove, I know. But I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Later in the evening one of my guests had mentioned that the bartender (the owner’s son) said we were running out of liquor. That was hard to believe considering the amount we bought. When the reception was over I asked one of my bride’s maids to check the bar and she found a couple of unopened gallons of liquor and one half bottle and the tequila we brought in for the margarita machine was still half full. The bottles were hidden behind the bar and the rest of our supplies were sitting on the bar. The bartender was “helping” us clean up and volunteered to get all our stuff and put on top of the bar so we wouldn’t have to go behind the bar. (Yeah right) I had someone go behind the bar anyways and that’s when they found the rest of the liquor. Did they think they could just keep it? I was upset because we bought that for our guest and they were trying to hide it to keep it. They were telling our guest we were out and turning them away. It was bad enough they short changed us on the beer but to straight up and try to steal from us!?!? # 3. The venue manager/owner told us that if our guest list was over a certain amount of people that we had to provide Deputy Sheriffs for security. My father said that was fine and we would pay for 2 of them. The venue manager said we had the option of contracting them ourselves or going through her. She said she had contracted them before so my father said we would just pay for them through the venue. Day of the wedding no deputy sheriffs ever showed up. When asked about security, she said her son was acting as security. Her SON!??? The BARTENDER / SECURITY??? Seriously??? There’s a big difference between 2 armed deputy sheriffs w/ some legal authority and her beer gut (dressed completely inappropriately, ie. raggedy jeans, faded and worn out stripped shirt w/ a fishing cap) no authority having son! We paid her (in advance) $290 for 2 deputy sheriffs and she insulted us by not even telling us she was going to substitute the deputy sheriffs with her son to do the job. The same son who was also working as bartender. # 4. My husband and I were to leave the reception at 10:30pm with a big send off, which we had. My guests were to enjoy themselves and the DJ was to play on until 11:30pm. I was told by my wedding party and guests that as soon as we left the venue manager/ owner started to rush out guests and was picking up peoples belongings in the bridal suite and groom’s men quarters and putting them by the front door. Doing all this, while people were still dancing and trying to have a good time. She took people’s purses, wallets and car keys, all kind of personal items and just put them all out and put them by the door, where anyone could’ve taken them. Our wedding party had put there personal belongs in, what they thought, was a safe place. Can I just say……you don’t pick up someone else’s purse, especially a stranger and just move it. That’s rude and unprofessional. I don’t recommend The Fountain’s Hall, in Lockhart, TX for any bride. Getting married is stressful enough. Your wedding day is going to be crazy and the last thing you need is to get robbed, lied to, and disrespected on your big day. That affordability of the venue is what really attracted us to this place; I guess you get what you pay for.
Mrs. Jessica Baker #52
www.austinoutlaws.com