Should I be getting annoyed by this?

[Deleted User] · June 2015

Need some second opinions. I've been having some communication gaps with my caterer, but don't know if this is just normal timelines since we're still a while out, or I am rightfully annoyed.

We did our initial tasting and booked her pretty early on - (just shy of a year out - wedding is this October) and she said we could set up a payment plan from there. We had a couple issues in December and January with me not receiving one of her emails, and her not getting a few of mine. I was a little annoyed by it, but let it go since it seemed to resolve itself.

Early April we made a few changes to our initial contract, and requested she update it so the payments would be adjusted, and mentioned they could use my card on file for the April payment once adjusted. Radio silence. I reached out May 1st, because I still had not received the updated quote/payment schedule, and still needed to make my April payment.

May 4th she sends the quote, but still nothing on the payment. So I respond with a thank you, and ask if she needs my credit card # again. May 8th she replied, and said they'd be charging my card on file (as I requested) that weekend and that her assistant would send a receipt via email (which I got the other times no problem). Sweet.

I check my bank account, and see a payment came out on May 11th. I follow up May 19th for the receipt. No word, so I follow up a week later and she says her assistant will be sending it over. She also stated that she wanted to get our 2nd tasting set up (for June/July) to pick out our actual food, and asked when might be good. I send her some good dates back on 5/26.

I still have yet to hear from her, and STILL do not have my receipt from a month ago. Although I have record in my bank account, I of course want to have an actual receipt of my payments made. Seems simple enough. I understand I still have 4 months until our wedding, but it's kind of frustrating. I have mainly communicated via email because I don't want to be a pest (and this gives me documentation of communication). I'll call her if I don't hear back this week.

She gets great reviews, and I'm sure she is busy,and know I'm not top priority at this point. Am I worrying over nothing? I'm really hopeful she'll be better to get in touch with once we're in crunch time.

ETA - sorry that turned out to be a super long post! TLDR - caterer is taking anywhere from a week to a month to get back to my questions or even take my payment.

beachyone15 · June 2015

Sounds like my venue/onsite caterer. Very responsive when I first booked, then it got a bit harder to reach her/get a response, then she showed back up at the end. I think your situation sounds fairly normal (although it drove me crazy too). Can you contact her assistant directly for the receipt?

novella1186 · June 2015

If she does a lot of weddings, it's her busy season right now, and like you said your wedding is not a priority.

The communication issues sound irritating and I understand why you'd be annoyed, but it doesn't seem like anything outrageous (yet).

I would just follow up with a phone call to make sure you get your receipt.

I had similar issues with my caterer, but about a month before the wedding they were suddenly way on top of things, and everything was totally fine.

You're not even on their schedule of a second tasting right now. The details don't need to be known right now, the menu doesn't need to be planned right now, the food doesn't need to be purchased right now, etc. Think of all the events she could be juggling where all these things HAVE TO HAPPEN NOW because one is this evening, there's another tomorrow, there's another the next day, there's 4 more this weekend, there's 4 more next weekend, and so on.

[Deleted User] · June 2015

beachyone15 said:

Sounds like my venue/onsite caterer. Very responsive when I first booked, then it got a bit harder to reach her/get a response, then she showed back up at the end. I think your situation sounds fairly normal (although it drove me crazy too). Can you contact her assistant directly for the receipt?

______

@beachyone15 Thanks, that makes me feel better! I copied him on my follow up request for the receipt... never heard anything!

@novella1186 - that's good perspective when you put it that way! I would like to get our second tasting scheduled since she was trying to get that done this month or next (and this summer is crazy for us), but you're right.

southernbelle0915 · June 2015

I mean, it's the middle of wedding season. Not at all making excuses, because you for sure have a right to be annoyed. I'm just tossing it out there.

Can you email high importance? Keep it very clear and short (easier for busy people):

"Hi (caterer) - I need two things:

1) my receipt from CC payment on (date); and

2) dates for a final tasting. Tasting dates that work for us are: (date), (date), and (date).

It's been very hard to get ahold of you and I would very much appreciate your timely response.

Thanks,

Alison"

knottie9c5ed33df4bbd226 · June 2015

I have been going through the SAME thing with my photographer. I sent her my rough timeline and she didn't reply for TWO months. I've had her not reply to emails before as well. I usually forward that original email and then say "Hey, did you get this below email?" I haven't gotten very aggressive with her yet. My BFF is a makeup artist for weddings and is APPALLED that a vendor is ignoring and not replying to emails for months on end. I definitely think it's not ok and you are well within your rights to be annoyed. I don't have much advice, but I sympathize.

[Deleted User] · June 2015

@southernbelle0915 Probably a good call to just send her a new email with what I need. The last one I sent was in response to a long email string, so it could have gotten buried.

And you're right, it is their busiest time of year so I probably should cut her some slack.

Thanks all!

anjemon · June 2015

I would also suggest calling and sending an email with whatever you decide. If you can call and talk to the assistant, you might be able to get your receipt and schedule a day for the tasting. Then you can email them afterwards with a confirmation of the day so you can keep the paper trail.

Should I be getting annoyed by this?

Re: Should I be getting annoyed by this?

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