Help!

Ok on the other forum someone has PM' d me as they have come across this thread about my venue
http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/community/forums/thread/504351

I don't know what to do now . I am so grateful to the person who messaged me about it as she may have saved me alot of stress & heartache nearer the time but at the moment I just feel so gutted!!! Knew it was too good to be true. xxx

 

oh no... dont know what to say to help. Have you booked?

 

Me again..... I think you need to take deep breaths and dont panic. Im not saying its not true but after all its one person's review and you never know the other side of the story. there was something on the one show the other day about businesses writing bad reviews for other businesses to make them look bad so people wouldnt go with them. However, dont just ignore it either, if you have booked I would contact them and discuss any concerns, check that you have everything in writing and feel confident that all will be ok.

If you havent, then you could still discuss with them.. go with your gut instinct but make sure you feel happy.

 

Thanks hun, sorry it was such a long post wasn't it!!! Yes we have booked it & paid £750 deposit!! Mark said the same about the review as she seems to 'advertise' the new venue at the bottom. But I said to Mark that if they had saved my wedding with 8 weeks to go then I would be raving about them too!! Checked her other posts too & they all seem legit but who knows? Also I phoned them tonight anonomously & asked to speak to Jenny & was told that she no longer works for the company anymore!! Well considering she was our wedding coordinator it would have been nice to have been informed!!! I am going to ring them again & try & organise a meeting with them. I am just gutted as it took so long to find a nice venue that didn't cost the earth & now it looks like I am gong to have to go back to the drawing board!! Oh well happy days!! xxx

 

Oh no, don't know what to say - at least you have been given this advice so far in advance and if she could organise something in 8 weeks you will be fine. Like MrsBrown said take a deep breath and do some investigating first. I have had a quick look at their website and would be concerned as they only have place holder images and none of the actual hotel and their 'NEW" wedding site and brochure haven't been updated since 2009.

I wouldn't panic yet, but would contact the venue and speak to them, check out some of the facts that were given in the other brides post (should be easy to check some without arousing suspicion - like name of the manager and casually check about name change) Also if you go for a drink disgruntled staff can give loads of info away.

As I said I wouldn't panic but would start researching asap and then once you have some evidence make a decision - have to say most of the reviews I have seen have not been great and the lack of pictures on the website would worry me especially as it would seem the temporary images have been there since 2009.

Also no sure if you were planning on using the huge amount of green space at the hotel, but just found a document dated sept 2009 by the Rochford council that was proposing building on the area outlined in red which is used by the hotel and may have been sold? They had several options for what to do with the site and one of them was nothing so may not be an issue - Not meaning to panic you just seeing what I can find.



Good luck, hope you get it sorted soon, sending you big hugs

Keep us posted xx

 

I have to agree with MrsBrown - take it easy and don't get stressed out about it (easier said than done I know).

Arrange to go and see the venue and discuss concerns. There isn't much point digging around purposely looking for bad stuff about the venue, you chose it because you loved it and it was what you both wanted - finding bad stuff now is only going to make you feel bad. However, you have seen someone else's bad POV and now have to take that into account. Discuss options with H2B, write a list of questions down for your meeting so that you don't miss anything out and try to stay open-minded.

IF you don't want to go ahead with the venue after seeing them, do you have wedding insurance? You may be able to claim your deposit back, that is if the venue won't give it back anyway.

I hope it all gets sorted. Try to stay open-minded and if you get satisfactory answers to your concerns and are happy to continue with your wedding there, then do it, don't let anyone's opinion sway you, do what is best for you and your fella. Everything will come out in the wash one way or another and you will have a beautiful wedding. Keep us posted with any developments xxx

 

Ok. I have read the other review and have to say it's pretty bad.

I would suggest printing it off and taking it with you to the venue to discuss your wedding, not with the wedding co-ordinator but with the manager and wedding co-ordinator together. Look up if the hotel is a chain, if it is, send a copy of the review to the head office customer service in addition to meeting with the hotel and state your concerned for your own wedding which is absolutely fair enough. It will get filtered down and they will realise you are serious and wont put up with any nonsense.

Trading standards will have something to say about the brochure saying 'no hidden extras' then charging for water! Be strong but not angry - firm but fair is the way to go. Firm means you expect to get what you booked with no extra costs. If they refuse to honour that, you mention trading standards, their head office and ask them to sign a piece of paper confirming that they are not honouring the brochure promise. They wont sign. They may well back down though!

Hopefully they will have already learned their lesson and be good but don't be frightened to pull out if you've not paid them loads yet. The very last thing the wedding co-ordinator will want is to have to explain why you've pulled out.

Thinking of you and let us know how you get on. Any big issues then give me a yell and i'll happily call them for you, not to have a go but to get you the deal you were promised in accordance with the current consumer legislation.

 

You guys are my little gems! I knew that I needed to calm down & you guys were my 1st port of call you are all angels & have helped me massively.
I have wedding insurance luckily so am going to ring them & see what they say with the whole situation but to be honest I am very unnerved especially that they are planning on changing their name & that they have a new manager/wedding co-orinator & didn't tell us!
Iprincess what you have found out about the planning is very interesting too I will get Mark to take a look in to it. You are right about the pictures too, they have been the same for such a long time but just thought they hadn't got round to it, not so sure now!!!
MrsC2b thank you you are absolutly right we loved the venue when we see it so need to hear what they have to say just wished they had got in touch with the name change & having a new wedding coordinator & stuff BUT atleast I have 8 months to decide what to do not 8 weeks!!!! Eeep that would be too scary!
Popple thank you so much you are a star. Really really grateful for the information & if I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall I will call on you for help if you don't mind!!
Thank you ladies once again & I will let you know what happens when I ring the insuance company and when I get a meeting with the venue.
Love you all loads xxx

 

Oh sweetie big hugs to you.
I can't offer any different advice than the other ladies but they are right that you need to stay calm and try not to worry too much and make an appointment as soon as poss. It WILL work out in the end and you will have a fantastic wedding day!
Lots of love Ju xxx

 

Thanks hun. Will let you know how it goes xxx

 

Glad you're feeling a bit stronger, you know we're here if needed and I am serious about calling them if you need me to. Hopefully wont be required but they may just need a friendly pointer in the direction of the updates in consumer law

 

Oh no poor you! Like you say, it's better to know now than when it's too late (forewarned is forearmed and all that) but it's still a horrible situation.

I agree with poppleminster - be calm, fair but firm. Politely stand your ground and make sure you're not hit with bad service and hidden costs. If they've got new management in then hopefully things might improve going forward. The woman writing the post on YAYW may have had a particularly bad experience so it may not always be like that.

I really hope you get it sorted, let us know how you get on xxx

 

Oh Rach I really feel for you. Haven't got any advice to give as the other lovely ladies seem to have given you very sensible advice. I'd be useless if this happened to me. I think go with your gut instinct after talking with management etc etc. Just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and really hope you get something sorted soon. Thanks god you still have 8 months left. Big hugglies xxx

 

Thanks Becky & Pink. Going to ring them tomorrow. Haven't had chance as been working all weekend. Said to Mark I think we will just cancel with them. Spent last night looking at other venues just can't imagine spending 8 months stressing incase it does all collapse just before the wedding. The lady who stated the thread has given me her number too so am going to call her tomorrow & just chat things over. Phoned insurance company before work this morning as wanted to know where I stand. Basically we won't get the deposit back unless they actually go into liquidisation but I expected that anyway. Just going to fight tooth & nail to get it back from the venue! xxx

 

Good luck. Let us know how you get on x

 

Thanks hun, will do xxx

 

Good luck hun, I hope you get your deposit back xx

 

Thanks hun i have been driving myself crazy tonight lookiang at different venues just feel very upset at the moment as our budget just will not stretch to any of the other venues round here should have known it was too good to be true.From what I have found out looks like the venue won't be there by the end of the year! Going to ring some places tomorrow & play the poor bride card see if I can get some good deals. If not I have found a £3k package that the ramada jarvis do but it just depends on what dates they have avaliable as its not an everyday deal. Oh well everything happens for a reason. Atleast its 8 months not 8 weeks or even worse 8 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
xxx

 

Glad to see you are finding a silver lining in all this, can't believe they might not be there - Wonder when they might of mentioned this to you or if you would of just turned up one day to find it closed. I'm gutted that this has happened to you both but like you said at least you found out now. Good luck with the poor bride card - practice your eyes filling up with tears as you explain the situation and try and do things in person (and take the little one - always handy to pull on their heart strings!)

I sound awful now don't I? oh well I just have perfected the art of negotiation (especially when I know what price I want things for - I once managed to get us laminate flooring for the entire house for £500 including underlay and beading!)

Good luck with the search and keep us posted xx

 

If you wish, if you give me a list of the venues and the price max you can afford and what you want, I am happy to call them for you Psychology is my strong point closely followed by the ability to know when to negotiate and when to back off. If you do it yourself, you'll be suprised at who might reduce their prices if you tell them the truth about what's happened in a way they can have empathy and you make a clear case as to why their venue is what you dream of having but can't unless they reduce their price a wee bit (like a lot and chuck in freebies). They key is to be charming but not slimey and make them feel their venue is special and only they can help you. You ask open questions for a bit then a killer cold question at the end of "so, I really want my wedding to be perfect and at a place I trust but I can't afford this, can you help me'?. Cue innocent expression and a long pause during which you do not back down and no matter how long it seems, you say nothing!

It takes a hard person to turn down a bride's dream. You are not lying and you are not doing anything wrong, you are simply making the truth more obvious than you would normally dare to say. Most people are very private so wouldn't say their feelings when talking business. This is one instant when in pays to do so!

Good luck but do try those other venues you like but can't afford. Be prepared to tell them a budget of £500 lower than you can actually afford and therefore give yourself room to reach a compromise.