Hard hats at my wedding?

Re: Hard hats at my wedding?

• ReturnOfKuus member

  

  May 2014

  Are the areas that you specifically booked under construction, then?
  
  I'd raise hell and ask for a full refund, and scramble to find somewhere else (a nice hotel or something, maybe).  You can always send out last-minute venue change notices to your guests; I've received those before myself.
  

  

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• tawillers member

  

  May 2014

  What's in your contract?  Did they let you know at the time you signed that this construction would be happening?  If you signed a contract stating you were to use the whole space as you described and now you can't because of construction, I'd be getting some money back.  It sounds like a breach on their part.

  
  

  I'm sorry this work has begun so close to your wedding.  I'd demand things look as close to normal as possible for your wedding day, beyond having workers pick up their tools.  They need to do better than having plastic sheets separating your event from the construction.

  
  

  It might be worth it to have a coordinator go to the venue the day before and morning of to make sure everything is being done to minimize the feeling of construction zone.

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• wabanzi member

  

  May 2014

  The contract states the 2nd floor, ballroom, superior courtroom (it is an old courthouse), entrance…etc. Which includes a floor plan with everything specified.  And yes, most of what we contracted for is now under renovation.  There was no mention of this in the contract or verbally when booking.  Not even that this was a possibility.  In fact, the description states the rooms have all been recently renovated and gives the dates of their completion (in the past).  The contract also states that we agree to the premises in it's current state (at the time of signing). 

  
  

  This is one of those times I wish we lived in a bigger city.  Over a year ago during our venue search we only found three places (besides tents) that could accommodate 150+ and allowed open catering.  We booked one of them (above) the other two are of course booked for every weekend in the summer. Our catering contract is separate and paid in full.  So is our beverage/bar permit (which had to be filed 60 days in advance) and all of the alcohol is purchased. 

  
  

  I have spent about 4 hours on the phone with the management company today after my OP-- going over every detail.  They assure me they can make it all work.  I'm trying to walk a fine line of being firm with them, but also getting them on my side so they will do what is right. There will be about 6 weddings before mine, so that should give some opportunity to get it right--and for me to tour the other weddings' setup to make sure things will be OK.

  
  

  Do you think I should be tougher with them?  I just want it to look OK for the wedding and I'm afraid if I raise too much hell, they won't really work to make it right.  

  
  

  I think I just have to let go of the beautiful venue wedding I envisioned and accept a torn up hall, pipe and draping, and hardhat areas.

   

   

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• tawillers member

  

  May 2014 edited May 2014

  wabanzi said:

  I'm trying to walk a fine line of being firm with them, but also getting them on my side so they will do what is right.
  

  
  

  Do you think I should be tougher with them?  I just want it to look OK for the wedding and I'm afraid if I raise too much hell, they won't really work to make it right.  

  
  

  
  

  That's not how business works.  They should do what's right, not because you were super duper nice, but because if they don't they'll be sued for breach of contract.

  
  

  ETA:  Yes, be tough.  Get what you paid money for and agreed to.  Do not be a pushover.  You did not agree to a wedding during construction.

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• wabanzi member

  

  May 2014

  tawillers said:

  wabanzi said:

  I'm trying to walk a fine line of being firm with them, but also getting them on my side so they will do what is right.
  

  
  

  Do you think I should be tougher with them?  I just want it to look OK for the wedding and I'm afraid if I raise too much hell, they won't really work to make it right.  

  
  

  
  

  That's not how business works.  They should do what's right, not because you were super duper nice, but because if they don't they'll be sued for breach of contract.

  
  

  ETA:  Yes, be tough.  Get what you paid money for and agreed to.  Do not be a pushover.  You did not agree to a wedding during construction.

  I didn't  say I was being nice, but I am also not yelling and screaming. I'm being firm in stating what we need and what the contract states.  But businesses in this smaller town I find myself in don't really seem to understand the term "professionalism."  After living here for 20 years after graduate school, I still don't get how half of these places stay in business in this town.

  
  

  Believe me, my instinct is to yell, threaten, and get my lawyers all over this. But, I don't think suing them solves too much in this situation either. At the end of the day, we still need a venue. 

  
  

  But I am curious if anyone has dealt with this and how it was all handled.  

   

   

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• zizibet member

  

  May 2014

  Be firm and polite, but firm. Take no crap. Ask to have all their plans sent to you in writing about how they are going to fix this. Point out that they are breaching a contract-a legal document, nd intimate that you will take them to court to get money back if you need to. You are in the right here-it's a business, this is a business relationship, and if they start treating you not nicely, file a claim or get a lawyer to write you a letter on letterhead explaining that they have breached the contract.
  

  

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• HisGirlFriday13 member

  

  May 2014

  Ditto PPs. Be firm in explaining that they have breached your contract and you expect them to make it right, and that you expect that to be done on their dime and that you expect a refund.

  

  
  

  
  

  I'm gonna go with 'not my circus, not my monkeys.'

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• wabanzi member

  

  May 2014

  Just an update:  They have called three more times since yesterday and have gone over (just about) every detail with me.  The management team will be touring the building today to get a full assessment and report back.  The building is actually owned by the county (a historic old courthouse) and it is the county that ordered the renovations.  

  
  

  I will be meeting with a member of the county treasurers office next week (good to have friends in sort of high places) and I will be touring the building with the architect in charge of the renovation also next week. 

  
  

  As a "safety," I'm thinking of contacting all the other weddings/parties scheduled during the construction in regards to class action.  I think that would be my final play.  We would be suing the county government.

  
  

  But my end game is to have the venue nice as possible and usable for the wedding.  In the meantime, I still continue to try to find somewhere else.  No luck at all there.

  
  

  
  

   

   

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• SBmini member

  

  May 2014

  Do you know what hours renovations are happening? If you are having an evening reception, there should not be people with hard hats walking around! 

  
  

  I would continue to talk to them, I would tour the building and see what they are doing to minimize impact. And- I would not be afraid to ask for a discount because of the changes. The space you have is now is not the space you signed a contract for. You and the venue agreed to rent out a space that was not under construction. Stuff happens, situations change, but it is safe to say that you never would have booked the site if you knew it would be under a massive renovation during your wedding. I think you deserve a discount as a result of these changes. It never hurts to ask. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. 
  

  
  

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• wabanzi member

  

  May 2014 edited May 2014

  SBmini said:

  Do you know what hours renovations are happening? If you are having an evening reception, there should not be people with hard hats walking around! 

  
  

  I would continue to talk to them, I would tour the building and see what they are doing to minimize impact. And- I would not be afraid to ask for a discount because of the changes. The space you have is now is not the space you signed a contract for. You and the venue agreed to rent out a space that was not under construction. Stuff happens, situations change, but it is safe to say that you never would have booked the site if you knew it would be under a massive renovation during your wedding. I think you deserve a discount as a result of these changes. It never hurts to ask. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. 

  
  

  Definitely getting a discount. Even though it is only a few hundred dollars (it didn't cost that much in the first place). The construction is supposed to stop and be cleaned up by Thursday morning (our first set up day) and stay that way until Monday afternoon. The wedding is on Saturday evening, rehearsal on Friday evening, with all day Thursday and Friday for set up.

   

   

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