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Illinois-Chicago

Suggestions needed please!

Our wedding/reception venue does not seem to want to put the time or effort into our intimate ceremony on July 10th.  It takes them forever to answer questions, emails or return phone calls.  We inquired about a tasting and they said we could come to one of their wedding this weekend and they will pull some plates from that.  But, we get to sit at the bar and need to tip our server. It seems since we are not dropping thousands of dollars that they could care less. Our wedding planner/florist also agrees with us and she has worked many weddings at this same venue.

I am to the point where I do not even want to use this place.  Any ideas where a small intimate wedding of about 30 people could be held?  I am looking for a place where the ceremony and reception can happen. We live in Plainfield, IL, so I am looking for a location within an hour of here.  I am so frustrated that I cannot see straight.

Re: Suggestions needed please!

  • edited December 2011
    I know you're frustrated (and I would be, too) but I don't think finding a last minute venue is a good idea. Your wedding is in a month! 

    You'd lose your deposit on the place you have now, have to make sure all your vendors know where to go, send out different invitations.. and the list goes on. I'd just call or show up to the venue and tell them how you feel. Explain that it's your big day, you have a contract with them, and that they shouldn't treat anyone the way they've treated you. It's crazy that they made you go to someone elses wedding to try food!
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  • aimers1525aimers1525 member
    2500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I agree w/pp that it would be difficult to change everything so close to your wedding day. What were the terms of the contract you signed with them? Did you discuss what the procedures were for tastings before signing? For example, our wedding package pricing included a tasting for four people and that information was listed in our contract.
  • pixtynpixtyn member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks CeliaKH.  I know it is totally crazy to change the venue.  Not to mention, I have no idea where to even start looking.  I fell in love with this place the first time I saw it.  They have a bright sunroom with a cobblestone covered patio right outside.  So, it is perfect to have a ceremony on the patio and reception inside. 

    It seems that since we paid the deposit, they could care less because they made the money on that small room.  Our wedding planner/florist (who is a dear friend) has contacted the venue on our behalf.  She feels terrible because she referred us to the venue.  I just do not want the venue to cop an attitude because we have expressed our displeasure at the service we are receiving.

    It took a lot for me to get excited about the wedding in the first place (which I know sounds bad) because my family is not attending.  They reside in Florida and figure it is not worth coming to Illinois for my third wedding.  So, I will not have anyone at the wedding from my family or from my side.  So, that was a big downer from the beginning. But, as I started planning, I got more excited about it.  But, because of this lousy treatment, I am back to being down about the whole event.  Oh well.  Thanks for listening.
  • Marrin713Marrin713 member
    1000 Comments Third Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Pixtyn - 3rd wedding?  Have you checked us out on Second Weddings?  We've been having a discussion on how some people "look down" on seconds and thirds.  Just a thought.

    Anyway, H and I had our second at Klein Creek Golf Course in Winfield.  Less than an hour from Plainfield.  We had a small cocktail party reception with hosted bar, heavy apps, and cake.  We rented the smaller clubhouse room instead of their big one.  I have to say that the two girls who work(ed) there treated us well and everything went off without a hitch.  I was very pleased with everything.
  • pixtynpixtyn member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Marrin713, thanks for the suggestion on the other board.  I will check it out. 

    I will also look into your venue.  The contract we signed was very generic and only specified a timeline as to when final count and menu needed to be supplied by us.  I am very frustrated and upset about the whole thing.
  • edited December 2011


    Could you try calling the venue (or even physically going there) and asking to speak to the owner? Perhaps if you express your displeasure in a firm manner and they realize they could lose your business they might make more of an effort. I agree with the previous posts that it seems like it would be very stressful to try to reorganize everything a month before. 

    July 10th is a Sunday correct? If you are serious about changing venues, you should have an easier time simply because it is on a Sunday. You could look at Cantigny, Morton Arboretum (they offer discounts on Sunday's I believe) which both have beautiful scenery. Seven Bridges is also a very nice venue and you can have a ceremony outside.

    So sorry you have to deal with that, good luck!

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