Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh

Vendor Reviews!

Photographer: Furnace Hill Photography Grade: C

The photography aspect was great. Joanie and Tanya were wonderful to work with, and had great ideas for photographs. The reason for the C, though, is for their overall professional (or non professional) conduct.  They were included for dinner, which did not include the bar for them, yet they had quite a few glasses of wine.  One of our groomsmen was asked to leave and was sitting on teh stoop outside, they decided to take him home on their way, trying to be nice, they said, but I hired them to be photographers, not chauffers, and one of the photographers was flirting with/back at the groomsman so the rumor going around after they left was that they took him to you-know-what.  They said they thought he had no ride home (he had quite a few though.)  After this happened,  and  I found out, I did call and say a few things that I shouldn't have to them, or at least should have waited, so not only was I fuming at this point but so were the photographers. We'll see how this pans out.


Ceremony/Reception Venue: The George Washington Hotel  Grade: C- (copy and pasting from a review i am posting online)

I had my wedding on Nov 28, 2009 at the george washington hotel. All through the planning they were more than helpful and accomodating for me. My ceremony and reception were held at the venue.  Once the day came, though, there were some downfalls.  The doors to the ceremony room were not open until 15 minutes before the ceremony, so guests were crowded in the lobby and rushed to be seated. I am unsure as to how the cocktail hour went, because we were having photos done at that time.  During the reception and after there were a few issues, also.  We had an unruly groomsman that we had to ask to leave after we cut him off from teh bar, and the waitstaff were taking drinks outside to him after it was communicated that he was cut off, they were freely serving the photographers and the DJ, who were not to be drinking, and we didn't get nearly as much of the left over food as we should have.  We had a cake for 150 people, maybe 125 showed up, and there was not one slice left. the slices were only MAYBE 1/4" wide each, also, so its not like they were giving large pieces. Also, What food they did give us as leftovers, was cross contaminated so its not edible anyway. (They packaged the fish and chicken together), and we had very little of any other leftovers, which there was plenty left of when they were tearing down the buffet.  The suite was very nice, and they were kind enough to give the groom/groomsmen a suite to hang out in before the ceremony.

DJ: Twist and Shout Entertainment  Grade: B

This vendor was also drinking, I know he had at least one beer, unsure of what else. He was a decent DJ though and kept the music going. I wish he played some more slow songs, though.


Officiant: Rev Mark with A Simple Vow   Grade: A+

He was spectacular. I really liked reverend Mark and his wife, and they were both so helpful and easy going. Everyone loved the ceremony and I would highly recommend him to someone.

Cake: Celebrations by Janet Rands  Grade: A

The cake was excellent and looked great. I would get many more cakes from her.
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Re: Vendor Reviews!

  • jennybean2010jennybean2010 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    aw, sorry to hear about the unruly GM and the unprofessional photog's. hopefully you get that straightened out. i agree with you-they were working and should not have been drinking. one drink i can be ok with, but any more than that is just rude. they were not there to be partying themselves, they had a job to do. i hope that the pictures you took turn out to be beautiful though and outweigh the events of the night!!

    we're also using rev mark, so i'm super stoked everyone loved him!!

    congrats, MRS!
  • reannalynnereannalynne member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks! I hope the pics turn out ok, we will see. It was fun overall, the GM today acts like nothing happened. We knew he was trashed but there is a difference in being drunk and being an unruly a$$hole
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  • jennybean2010jennybean2010 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    oh no. for him to have been asked to leave, you think it would make him realize! i'm hoping none of our GM's end up that way...they're all FI's good friends and every wedding seems to be their way of pretending they are still in undergrad and living it up. *rolls eyes*

    i'm sure the pictures will be great!!

    are you guys going on a HM?
  • reannalynnereannalynne member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    not right away,  i work retail so they would kill me if i asked for more time off.
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  • jennybean2010jennybean2010 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    lol, totally understand how that goes!!!
  • edited December 2011
    Congratulations MRS!  I'm sorry you had a tough time with your photographers-that really stinks that they were drinking while they were working-not cool.  it sounds like the ceremony was wonderful though, can't wait to see your pictures!
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  • edited December 2011

    Congratulations Mrs.! Sorry I never got to wish you good luck and congrats- never had a chance to log-on this weekend, but I thought of you! I'm sorry to hear of the few snafus, but glad you had some good vendors. Good luck getting things worked out with them, and on getting through the crazy holiday season! Can't wait to see some pics!

  • reannalynnereannalynne member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I forgot! We used Rebecca Closson with Pulling Strings for our ceremony music. we had a piano/violin duet. it was GORGEOUS, and i give them an A+.
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  • edited December 2011
    I hope your photos turn out well :) I'm sure they will be fine if the drinking was done at the reception after the majority of the pics were over.

    I invited my vendors to drink at the reception. I have also, as a former vendor, been invited to drink at receptions. But we never do because we have to drive home and it is unprofessional, I agree. I wouldn't be too hard on the venue for this because they don't know who is who in the bar line usually.
     
    If they were drinking on the job, that is really unprofessional. You deserve a portion of your money back.

    Flirting with guests/GM is also inappropriate. I will tell you that GM tend to be quite flirtatious at weddings, however, even if you (as a vendor) are wearing a ring and sending off an "I'm working" vibe.

    However, I will play devil's advocate and say that them taking the GM home after they were done with your reception was their (and his) choice, as they were no longer working your event. They were clocked out so to speak. And therefore, I think that offense should not have been brought up to them. But the others are certainly criticism-worthy.

    How were you made aware that these vendors were all drinking? I just wondered.
  • reannalynnereannalynne member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I and my parents saw them drinking. My dad said he would handle it, but got sidetracked with the GM issue and said nothing.  The bartender that was serving them was also the assistant coordinator that showed them where to set up etc, and was also the one that told us they do not serve the vendors (which is why we got a lower price for them)
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