Wedding Ceremony Site Not So Nice Anymore...

beccabuckle

I need some help...  Two days ago my step-mom called me after talking to the owner of the site where we're having our wedding ceremony, and she was extremely concerned.  She asked the owner what we would do if it rained and she told my step-mom that since we're having the reception somewhere else we should just have the wedding there.  On top of that the owner kept telling my step-mom how overbooked she was on our wedding day and that opened up another can of worms regarding photography time.  I've been stressing out ever since I heard that.

After speaking with my co-workers and thinking about the situation we've narrowed it down to this...  The owner doesn't want us to use her facility anymore because someone else wants a full wedding and reception there; which means more money for her.  We already put $300 down for the wedding and I'm concerned she won't refund the money.  I knew this businesswoman's reputation, but I'd had a co-worker get married there last year and she said it was amazing so I assumed I would be ok...  Now just two months before my wedding I'm feeling like I made a huge mistake.

Does anyone have advice or hope for me?  I'm so unsure of what steps to take.  I know what I want to do...  I want to tell her that because of what she said to my step-mom I can clearly see that she doesn't want our business and that I want our money back.  Is that the fair thing to do? =( 

MNNEBride

Do you have a contract that states how many hours (and which hours) you have the site to take pictures/have the event/clean up? 
Do you have another option as a site for your ceremony?  If so, and you want to move it I would make an offer to the original site.  I would offer to free up her day if I could get my deposit back.

Wzz

let me see if i understand - you arranged your ceremoney at location A, and reception at location B, and the owner at location A told you to go ahead and have your ceremony at location B in the event of rain? no alternative plans were given to you?

i think if this was her suggestion, she should refund your money, but you have to verify what she plans to do as the owner. you need to ask her about this and also ask where in her contract is the policy in writing. it's odd that they'd tell you to have your ceremony someplace else in bad weather if they can't accomodate you, and then expect you to be okay with just letting them keep your money without questioning it.

beccabuckle

Our reception is at a local park and we've reserved the pavilion all day so we were thinking of moving everything there.  The contract is very vague...  She guarantees us 2 hours for the wedding and photography, but if the other wedding before us goes over we can't do pictures until later.  She kept mentioning to my step-mom how overbooked June 22 was and that led my coworkers and I to the possibility that there is another couple wanting the same time and a full wedding with reception there.

The only alternatives she gave us was to rent a $2000 tent (which would put us off to the side of where we wanted the actual wedding to be) or pay an additional $450 to move the wedding to another location of hers (which is not a nice place at all), but she kept pushing the park wedding onto my step-mom.  I've decided to meet with her today to talk about alll of this.  At this point I feel like I don't want to have the wedding there anymore.  I almost feel like she's treating us like dollar signs not people.  I'm hoping when I meet with her in a couple of hours that everything will clear up and work out. 

Ella and Pedro

She probably *is* treating you like dollar signs, because she got her budget and the goverment slashed it.  Goverment meaning whoever funds that park - state, town, federal?

She probably also is treating you this way because although she is an 'events planner' she works for a park, and her focus is on what is best for the park and your money does enable the park to get what it needs - just trying to see her point of view.  Having said that -  I don't agree with this priority but I can imagine it being an easy one to fall into, in her line of work.

I think you need to read your contract clearly before the meeting.  It sounds like you could ask for money back, but she would not be obligated to give it to you. If I was you, I'd compare the cost of the tent rental to lossing the deposit and starting over.

Good luck!  

beccabuckle

Well, I wanted to update you ladies on how things went.  It's not really pretty, but I'm happy I did it.

I met with her and asked if she actually told my step-mom that we should just have the wedding at the park, and she said yes.  I told her then that we were taking the wedding in a new direction and we wouldn't be using her facility.  She kept asking if it was her fault and I wanted to say yes, but I just kept saying we've changed our minds.  She then pulled out this cancellation form that I had never seen and told me her cancellation policy; you get all but $75 of your deposit back once the date is rebooked.  She told me that they would do everything they could to book that date and then ran downstairs to get my paperwork.  When she returned she laughed and said it looks like we didn't have you sign the cancellation form and I need you to sign that...  I sat there staring at the paper saying I'm not signing this, and while I looked at it she said "Oh!  It looks like we've had lots of calls about your date!  So we'll be fine."  That's when I told her I would not sign this form since we had never discussed it before that date.  She immediately said "Well...  How about I refund the money now and we'll be all good?"  I said I'd like that, but she only refunded me $225 not the $300...  I know I could have fought her on that $75, but my gut said take and it and go.  So I did.  The whole thing was an act for her and I knew that.  Several people have told me how lucky I was to get the money back right away.

I'm sad that I'm not having my wedding there anymore and now I have my parents trying to tell me that my park wedding isn't a good idea.  I really didn't need this stress two months before the wedding...  But I do really appreciate all of your advice!  It made me feel more confident when I went and spoke with her.