PLEASE HELP, RECEPTION HALL DOUBLE BOOKED, please help!

manda2178

I can't even believe what is happening to me right now.  My reception hall, the Portsmouth Pearl in Portsmouth, NH has double booked my reception and I now have no reception hall.  In their email, which was sent today at 4:50,they claimed that Paul Gallant, master cateror was fired for making several errors, including double booking my wedding, which is scheduled for Saturday September 10, 2011.  They even went so far as to say they lost my contract, but yet cashed my $500 deposit check which had my and the groom's name, the wedding date 9/10/11, and the Portsmouth Pearl written on it in the memo section.  I even have a copy of it from the bank. 

I have already booked and made deposits for the florist, the ceremony venue and tent/chair rental, the photographer, and the DJ.  Please help, any suggestions are welcomed, I don't know what to do, I can't believe I have to try to find another venue, or cancel the wedding and loose all my deposits for other sites.  The ceremony is in a garden, also in Portsmouth.  I'm so afraid every other venue will be booked because 9/10/11 is such a popular date.  Please help, I am devastated

klee3

I'm so sorry this happened to you!  Do you have a wedding coordinator?  Would you consider getting one and maybe paying per hour/service until you find another venue?  Often times they have great connections and can help you through something awful like this. 

The other thing is that some venues actually give you quite a good discount for short notice bookings.  Did you have any places that were in the running before you picked this hall?  Your right, there might be some that are booked, but you can start by calling and see how it looks.  Maybe there is something outside of Portsmouth too.  If you can, I would try hotels in the area as well.

As for your venders, they should be able to accomidate you if you give them a call and talk to them about what happened, since the wedding isn't intil 9/2011.  If the location of the wedding was listed on their contracts, you cold see if you could ammend it in writing. 

I'm not sure if there are legal actions you can take in this situation, but at the end of the day it's awful that this occured!  From bride to bride I'm so sorry your experiencing this. 

daisy667

How many people are going to be at your reception?

So sorry this happened.

daisy667

http://www.harboreventscenter.com/weddings.php

redsoxfan619

This is horrible! Even if you can't find another place for your date, your vendors might be willing to re-book another date with you especially once they hear what happened! I wish you luck, are you only looking in Portsmouth?

bmoruzzi

I'm so sorry to hear this news.  That totally stinks.  First all, take a deep breath.  Then start calling different venues.  Do not start calling your vendors.  It'll be much easier to find a new venue with the same date than to change the date with all your vendors.  Once you find a new place, then call your vendors and tell them that that the venue has been changed.  It's not a big deal for a florist, dj, whatever to go to a different place.   

ctag416

Have you checked Portsmouth Country Club or Ashworth by the sea(not in Portsmouth but close)
http://www.portsmouthcc.net/home.cfm?table=banquets
http://www.ashworthhotel.com/weddings/

SOEngaged101

Hi Manda -

 I'm so sorry about the trouble that you're going through with your reception venue!  I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself, my name is Lauren of SO Engaged weddings.  If you need help finding a new venue and coordinating with your vendors, I would be more than happy to help you.  SO Engaged would be able to provide you with a custom quote, and we can even give you a discount...I know how expensive and stressful these kinds of things can be for a bride, but we can definitely work something out if you are interested!  Please let me know any way that I can assist you!

 Thanks, and all the best of luck, it will turn around!

 

Lauren

www.so-engaged.com

lhiggins@so-engaged.com

venrena

Did you have a signed contract with this venue? If so you may want to think about getting a lawyer as well and suing them for their mistake. You may be able to at least recoup the cost of the deposits with the other vendors, however you would need to show that you tried to find a new venue and couldn't.  Plus since they made so many mistakes I'd want to be sure that they're kicking the correct bride out of the venue. I know someone this happened to several years ago at a different venue. After they got her lawyer's letter, suddenly the other bride was the one out the door. Ya, it sucks for the other girl, but if you were truly there first you deserve the space. Just because they lost your contract doesn't mean they can kick you out if you were the first to book.