Very upset with my venue. *UPDATED*

Re: Very upset with my venue. *UPDATED*

• cschuma2 member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I'm not sure that there's anything you can do now which definitely sucks.
  
  I just wanted to know if this is common with venues of this kind in this area? 
  
  Our budget put us more at the level of VFW and union halls than hotel ballrooms and country clubs.  None of the places that we looked at had any sort of shady pricing in their contracts so this seems crazy to me.  I. too, would have been leary of signing something crappy like that.

  

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• catarntina member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  cschuma2 -- When I signed the contract with my reception hall, I asked if the prices would be going up, etc.  They said "doubtfully."  But the contract did NOT include the per person price.  I forced them to re-write the contract with the agreed upon per person price written on it before I signed.  She seemed kind of annoyed when I requested this, but I needed to protect myself.
  
  OP -- Did you put down a deposit? If the $3 pp extra is more than your deposit, I'd forfeit the deposit and go elsewhere.  I'm not sure there is anything else you can do other than forfeiting your deposit.  It does seem like you got swindled. Maybe report them to BBB? I don't know.

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• abbeylynne06

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I've never heard of this before, and I'm kind of confused as to the point of a contract then, you know?  Obviously it's used to hold your date, but generally contracts protect both parties.   They spell out the agreed upon details, including the price.  This doesn't make much sense to me, and I'd be really frustrated too.
  
  May I ask what the venue is?

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• Simply_Caitlin member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  The extra cost will be $600 (200 person minimum) and the deposit I gave them is $1200.  I anticipated the cost going up sometime between now and the 6 month mark.  I was even ok with it, as it was still cheaper than the other places I looked at, but since it went up already, I just fear it will again.  I'm going to fight it.  If this happened 6 months from now instead of 2 weeks from the contract signing, I would've just sucked it up, but the timing is what has me fuming.
  
  This is at the Holiday Inn French Quarter.

  
  
  258 invited
  182 can't wait to party
  76 are missing all the fun
  
  

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• akirken member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  This totally sucks. I'm sorry that it happened and I too, would be furious. It does not make much sense to me either that they are able to change the prices after you signed the contract.

  

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• polo26

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-toldeo_very-upset-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:237Discussion:ef819de2-5c12-4ba7-9931-3c650b73b87aPost:6723e0c3-2f89-420b-a344-db6a2a75963d">Re: Very upset with my venue.</a>:
  [QUOTE]I'm not sure that there's anything you can do now which definitely sucks. <strong>I just wanted to know if this is common with venues of this kind in this area?</strong>  Our budget put us more at the level of VFW and union halls than hotel ballrooms and country clubs.  None of the places that we looked at had any sort of shady pricing in their contracts so this seems crazy to me.  I. too, would have been leary of signing something crappy like that.
  Posted by cschuma2[/QUOTE]
  
  It does seem to be common for some places around here. When I was searching for my venue, I had more than one place tell me that it would be in the contract that the price could go up a certain percentage before the wedding day. I thought it was crazy too, but it happened at more than one place I looked at, and none of them were this venue. It seems to be at the "all-inclusive" places rather than individual caterers.

  

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• Jookie77

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I would be upset too! Like PP said, isn't that the point of a contract?? It is supposed to lock in price and other important details. I'm sorry to hear this happened to you! FWIW, I just went to a wedding there and everything was great, plus it's really convenient to be in a hotel (and one that has a bar as well).
   
  I wonder if you called and complained if they would do anything. Sometimes a threat of spreading the word about what you're going through with them might be enough to make them help you out a little.

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• Simply_Caitlin member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I think I will call them this week.  Again, I did know what I was signing and I did anticipate the price possibly going up once before my 6 month mark, but not 2 weeks later.  That's the part that really gets me.  It's just really sad that this early on, I already have a bad taste in my mouth about the place that I'll be spending the majority of my wedding day.  Hopefully they make it right.

  
  
  258 invited
  182 can't wait to party
  76 are missing all the fun
  
  

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• abbeylynne06

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-toldeo_very-upset-venue?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:237Discussion:ef819de2-5c12-4ba7-9931-3c650b73b87aPost:6723e0c3-2f89-420b-a344-db6a2a75963d">Re: Very upset with my venue.</a>:
  [QUOTE]I'm not sure that there's anything you can do now which definitely sucks.<strong> I just wanted to know if this is common with venues of this kind in this area?</strong>  Our budget put us more at the level of VFW and union halls than hotel ballrooms and country clubs.  None of the places that we looked at had any sort of shady pricing in their contracts so this seems crazy to me.  I. too, would have been leary of signing something crappy like that.
  Posted by cschuma2[/QUOTE]
  
  Unlike the PP, I have NEVER heard of this before, so I don't think it's common.  In fact, several vendors told me that one of the perks of planning early was that you'd lock in the price when you signed the contract.  So, I had 2009 pricing (when I signed the contract) with several vendors for our 2010 wedding.

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• rlpunches

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I would call them. I would simply calmly and logially explain why you are upset. You seemed prepared for the cost to go up, but not so soon. And now...who is going to say that it won't go up more in the meantime. I would hope that this venue would want to keep their customers happy. The main reason you book venues, caterers, photography early is to clarify the services offered and the pricing. My wedding isn't until May 2012 and I signed many contracts back in January. Good luck! I really hope the venue is willing to make some sort of a compromise/extras for you.

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• Castillo2B

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  I have never heard of that before either.  I would contact them ASAP!  And if they don't change the price I would choose another venue and keep the FQ booked and go through the motions as if your still going to have your reception there until right before anymore payments are due and then cancel so they can't get the wedding date rebooked.  (Sorry that is my evil side coming out)

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• Simply_Caitlin member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  Well, I feel a little foolish now to be honest.  And a little embarassed.
  
  While I am glad I was not crazy being upset originally and I do appreciate you all letting me know I'm not crazy, I should really have called my coordinator right away. She was disappointed that I spent all this time being upset without talking to her.  She made it very clear that her job is to keep me as happy and stress free as she can and she takes that seriously.  She spoke to her GM and said I shouldn't be held to the price increase because it was so soon, but assured me that she personally did not know about the price increase.  She sounded so genuine, I found that easier to believe that I would've expected to.  Basically what it boiled down to was I had just gotten home from a long 2 day trip to NY for a funeral for someone who meant a great deal to me.  She was a vegan who could not have gluten so every wedding venue I went to, I brought Gloria up to make sure they could accommodate her unique diet.  So she had been a very big part of all my wedding planning and to lose her, so soon after I finally picked a place, it was heartbreaking.  I know this may sound strange, but seeing so many friends and family members at the wake and funeral, everyone was asking about the wedding plans and all I could think about was how sad I was that Gloria won't be there.  Then to come home Wednesday to that email, I had a major meltdown that was so much less about the French Quarter and more about everything else.  The conversation I had with my coordinator today though, if this is any indication of how she handles sticky situations, I absolutely did pick the best place.  I am now truly looking forward to working with Tawnya.
  
  I can't quite describe the conversation I had with her, but it was great.  Maybe this was a blessing in disguise because I really did settle on the French Quarter, not because I loved it, but because it was the most convenient and budget friendly for what we wanted.  Now I'm more excited about the venue than ever before.
  
  Maybe the lesson learned here is to be more vocal.  If I had called her right away, this conversation would've happened sooner and I wouldn't have been losing sleep over it.

  
  
  258 invited
  182 can't wait to party
  76 are missing all the fun
  
  

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