The event planning company called "WOW" in Galena, IL

cbennett22

Be careful when considering utilizing the above company for either your event planning &/or flowers for your event.  We just had them supply flowers and netting for the church pews, along with set up & the cost was $2,000. Now mind you, my daughter in-law indicated their budget was NOT to exceed $2,000 & the event planner (?? owner of company) Jonelle took that as a go ahead, I'll take the $2,000 & only give her about $500 worth of flowers.  We also rented their different size vases for a candy buffet as well.  Let me just indicate what she did not provide us with the day of the wedding: 1st she shorted us 5 boutineirres/corsages & we had given her the list at 3 different meetings.  She &/or her staff did not stay with our bridal party whille we were getting ready to either apply or hand out the flowers OR make sure we had all of them. She & her staff took off to set up the reception hall & we were unable to reach them.  They most likley came from IL to WI to set up church & then head over to reception to set up & then back again to church to retrieve flowers to be taken back to reception hall to be used, for ALL of 6-7 hours.  Then our invoice indicated that our large vases which she supplied were to have 12 calla lillies in them on every other table, each vase ONLY had 3 calla lillies.  But mind you, she charged them for 12 x 10 tables.  I know each event company can & will make mistakes, but come on, this is their business & time to shine!!  I just want anyone interested in utilizing to have them send you an itemized invoice with what they'll be providing you with your money (she literally mailed my son & wife an invoice stating @2,000 & did not list what that included, ie staying with bridal party for handing out flowers till ceremony begins etc.  Very unprofessiional & I highly doubt we will ever see a refund for our flowers not provided.  Just be mindful IF you should select them for your event, wouldn't want anyone else to expect your event to be taken care and then they drop the ball.

Dissapointed

WildMagelet

Try posting this on the Illinois board.  It'll be of more help for local brides.

ETA:  As for getting a refund for flowers not received that were invoiced, I would officially request a refund and get ahold of the BBB.

As for what she did or did not do when she got there, that should have all been outlined in your contract.  If it wasn't outlined specifically, you can't hold her accountable for not doing it.

cbennett22

Another note on this event planning company, IF it was indeed outlined that the remaineder due prior to wedding should have been paid in full - THEN the company should have sent a reminder to bride/groom at the very least two weeks prior & not the Tuesday the week of wedding & then threatening that IF she doesn't get her money by Friday,(day before wedding!) that she would NOT show up on Saturday.  Now let me say on our behalf we had never given her any reason wouldn't pay her the remainder due.  We always met up with this individual as scheduled, on time and I thought everything was going well between us .  I believe that it is the company's responsiblility to send out email or snail mail reminder of balance due two weeks prior  or sometime prior to event & not leaving it to the last minute and then threatening & scarying the bridal couple that they wouldn't have flowers.  HOW VERY UNPROFESSIONAL.  I don't know what kind of individuals they've worked with before &/or if they've been stiffed, but that's not our problem & they need to spell things out more appropriately as to not to have to threaten their "paying customers" with defaulting on delivery of signed contract days before their event.  Shame on you, it's not like the bridal couple doesn't have enough to worry about in addition to working to pay for their event - but certaintly don't need to be harassed.  My husband & I were informed of the conversation between Jonelle w/WOW and our son( that took place earlier that week) of wedding at  our rehearsal dinner, that stress wasn't appreciated at all!!!

Very dissapointed

cbennett22

what does MOH stand for & how does this comment apply to our situation??

cmp1986

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_flowers_event-planning-company-called-wow-galena-il?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:28Discussion:239c00c9-45ed-4986-8172-b36b2c08c715Post:4265ba38-22d2-4210-9409-8924cf74d11b">Re: The event planning company called "WOW" in Galena, IL</a>:
[QUOTE]So, you joined The Knot on  10/3 so you could come on here and bash this vendor who had a contract with your son and daughter in-law??  Have you even seen the contract or are you just going by what the bride and groom told you? Have you complained and/or requested a refund directly to this vendor? Sounds like the contract stated that the final payment was due 2 weeks before the wedding.  There is no reason why this vendor should have to send a reminder if it's in the contract.  The couple is at fault for not paying on time. If there was no problem with paying, then it should not have been a problem when the vendor called and requested payment on the Tues. before the wedding. Make the payment and done!! Bride and groom should have apologized and been grateful this vendor was still willing to work with them. They brought that stress on themselves! Obviously the bride and groom knew that they hadn't paid for the flowers in full so......hELLo!!!!!!!!!!! THEY KNEW DAMN WELL THEY HAD NOT PAID FOR THE FLOWERS....but left this vendor hanging.  Sounds to me like there is a heck of a lot more to the story. Sounds like you want the vendor to follow the contract but you feel the bride and groom should not have to follow the contract. These people are wedding vendors, they are not there to babysit the bride and groom and send them reminders to chew when eating. As for not being able to reach them on wedding day, did you have the correct phone number??   Maybe they tried to pass out flowers etc. and not all the wedding party was there or  wasnt ready! Maybe they couldn't wait anymore because they had to do the reception room. Again, sounds to me like there is more to the story and there is always two sides!!
Posted by callalily07[/QUOTE]
I agree!

cbennett22

Sounds to me like you're a event planner yourself defending your actions! No one asked her to babysit the bride and groom, ie chewing their food - how in appropriate of a statement!!! You sound very childish and can't understand that a competent event planner shouldn't threaten a couple 4 days before their wedding that they wont' show up and provide their intended work!!  Sounds like this is MOST LIKELY coming directly from an employee IF not the owner of "WOW", I'm trying to warn other couples that if choosing them, beware of Jonelle in Wow and her sassy attitude!!  Lastly, when you provide a contract, for $2,000, it SHOULD outline what you're providing, not just Ok then, I'll charge you $2,000 & you'll get what you get.  AND yes I did see the contract, very unacceptable. My son is a CPA, has gone to 5 years of school to know that your services SHOULD BE outlined and not for the customer to have to guess or assume what will be provided!! Our son &  daughter in-law would have gladly paid the remaining balance prior to wedding had their been a simple email to them &/or 2nd invoice &&&&& yes that is the event company's job, are you kidding me? !! Nice job trying to defend "Wow!  Shouldn't have to spell out that they should have stuck around to assist handing out flowers & making sure that everyone was covered, as well as bringing the list that was provided not once but three times to them as to whom was to have a boutineirre or corsage.  I could have done this for HALF the price & done a much better job, at the very least what is expected of a flowerist!!  Also, we can't be a mind reader, vendor should have outlined in her contract what she would provide, oh no, that's right, she didn't - let's just take them for their $2,000 & not tell them what its really paying for!!  Shame on you if this is a "WoW" employee trying to defend themsevles OR if you're another individual that's been burned enough by other irresponsible people & you take it out on others!!  I didn't join Knot.com to vent, I already joined to assist my son with his wedding & felt it was important to share our concerns with other innocent wedding couples!!

Mind your own business!!

cbennett22

One more note, in their CONTRACT, it indicated that there would be 12 NOT 3 calla lillies in each vase on tables at reception. After the wedding my daughter in-law contacted the vendor & they said, well 12 calla lillies looked like too many, so we went with 3 - don't you think this should have or could have been communicated to the bride BEFORE the wedding - bride was very dissapointed - SO NO, they didn't do their homework before.  This should have been considered BEFORE the wedding, afterall this is their job, to no what will work & what won't & not to just "wing it" on the day of wedding!!  I CAN SCREAM AT YOU AS WELL IN LARGE CAPS as well.  We have every right to voice our concerns here, this was a very adequate job at best!!