Rochelle W. Sent on 08/01/2022
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Quality of service
1.0 out of 5 rating
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Average response time
1.0 out of 5 rating
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Professionalism
1.0 out of 5 rating
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Value
1.0 out of 5 rating
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Flexibility
1.0 out of 5 rating
Double booked
Please do not book this venue! I have been a manager in hospitality for nearly 10 years, a certified event planner and I have been a catering/convention services manager for Marriott and Hilton brands. With that being said, I have never had an experience with a venue or run an event like the experience I had here for my cousins wedding reception.
The hall was booked (more than 6months in advance) for the reception here was scheduled for 8pm following the wedding at 6pm. The owner decided to book a last minute wedding on the same day!
Structure wise you need at least two hours for your event staff to CLEAN and sanitize the areas between events for a venue that size. We were told that our setup was able to start anytime after 8am. After arriving on the premises we were greeted by the new manager/coordinator, who started working there on Tuesday of that same week. She was kind and accommodating, however she did not know we were even coming or the center’s policy (because she is brand new). This is what we were told, that if an event is setting up or happening no other parties can be on the premises. We were informed about this 45 minutes after we arrived at the location. That’s when we found out there was a last minute wedding booked from 12:30-5pm! Now my cousins wedding had been on the books since the winter! That pushed our set up time 5:30-8 for the 8pm reception. Absurd!!! So we left and decided a few members of the family would just have to MISS THE WEDDING that we traveled 6, 8, and some 12 hours to get to!!!
That evening when we arrive at 5:30 we see people dancing inside, we wait, then decide to run to the hotel and come back. However when we come back at 6:00 to set up again, the event is going on in full swing. The other party that was promised to be gone was on the dance floor and the bartender was still serving drinks! How are people coming in and out of the venue with drinks, glow lights and party favors, having a great time while my family, all our vendors and decorators were waiting outside with trunks open full of flowers and decorations.
We ask what’s going on and was told the group “now” has the venue until 6:30! What happened to 5:30? By the time we are able to physically get in the space it’s 6:45, we have 1 hour and 15 minutes to set up a wedding reception for 200 people!
The staff worked as fast as they could and were very kind. But even as fast as we all tried there was not enough time, so the wedding party, the bride and groom were all onsite before the centerpiece were even on the tables. The guests walked in to the hall and HELPED with the set up for the first 30 minutes of the reception!
After this we find out there are TWO leaks near the vents in the ceiling and the workers said “oh yeah, because it rained”, that’s a hazard! It was near the table with elderly people sitting at it. Thank goodness we saw it and moved the table around before someone slipped!
The owner, of course, was no where to be found, no call no apology, nothing. It’s not the staffs fault, not the coordinator either it’s the decision to put two large scale events in the same day. No one wants to be rushed out on their special day! And no one should have run into all the problems we did. It was 9pm when I finally was able to get dressed and put my makeup on. I was so tired I left right after we took family pictures. It was disappointing that my aunt and cousin did not get what was promised. They should get a refund if not I’ll encourage them to take legal action and call the health department on that facility.
During the whole process things stick out to me.
1. The owner did not have any communication with the coordinator and left her to figure things out on her own. Your coordinator should know the details of that event before they arrive and have a copy of the contract, layout and any food and beverage service.
2. The contracts: There should never be a point in time where a person pays for a service and cannot get in contact with their coordinator/owner for weeks or months on end.
3. The setup and clean up: You should never book 2 events within 1-2 hours of each other! Venue setup is done before a client or party arrives onsite. Client decoration is 4 to 6 hours depending on size. This is pretty much an industry standard for weddings and receptions! My cousins setup was sloppy and the staff had to clean and pull tables and chairs while we decorated because the venue double booked!
4. If your facility has any leaks they need to be fixed immediately, if not put out a caution sign and come up with an alternative solution in the mean time for safety.
Please do not book this venue! I have been a manager in hospitality for nearly 10 years, a certified event planner and I have been a catering/convention services manager for Marriott and Hilton brands. With that being said, I have never had an experience with a venue or run an event like the experience I had here for my cousins wedding reception.
The hall was booked (more than 6months in advance) for the reception here was scheduled for 8pm following the wedding at 6pm. The owner decided to book a last minute wedding on the same day!
Structure wise you need at least two hours for your event staff to CLEAN and sanitize the areas between events for a venue that size. We were told that our setup was able to start anytime after 8am. After arriving on the premises we were greeted by the new manager/coordinator, who started working there on Tuesday of that same week. She was kind and accommodating, however she did not know we were even coming or the center’s policy (because she is brand new). This is what we were told, that if an event is setting up or happening no other parties can be on the premises. We were informed about this 45 minutes after we arrived at the location. That’s when we found out there was a last minute wedding booked from 12:30-5pm! Now my cousins wedding had been on the books since the winter! That pushed our set up time 5:30-8 for the 8pm reception. Absurd!!! So we left and decided a few members of the family would just have to MISS THE WEDDING that we traveled 6, 8, and some 12 hours to get to!!!
That evening when we arrive at 5:30 we see people dancing inside, we wait, then decide to run to the hotel and come back. However when we come back at 6:00 to set up again, the event is going on in full swing. The other party that was promised to be gone was on the dance floor and the bartender was still serving drinks! How are people coming in and out of the venue with drinks, glow lights and party favors, having a great time while my family, all our vendors and decorators were waiting outside with trunks open full of flowers and decorations.
We ask what’s going on and was told the group “now” has the venue until 6:30! What happened to 5:30? By the time we are able to physically get in the space it’s 6:45, we have 1 hour and 15 minutes to set up a wedding reception for 200 people!
The staff worked as fast as they could and were very kind. But even as fast as we all tried there was not enough time, so the wedding party, the bride and groom were all onsite before the centerpiece were even on the tables. The guests walked in to the hall and HELPED with the set up for the first 30 minutes of the reception!
After this we find out there are TWO leaks near the vents in the ceiling and the workers said “oh yeah, because it rained”, that’s a hazard! It was near the table with elderly people sitting at it. Thank goodness we saw it and moved the table around before someone slipped!
The owner, of course, was no where to be found, no call no apology, nothing. It’s not the staffs fault, not the coordinator either it’s the decision to put two large scale events in the same day. No one wants to be rushed out on their special day! And no one should have run into all the problems we did. It was 9pm when I finally was able to get dressed and put my makeup on. I was so tired I left right after we took family pictures. It was disappointing that my aunt and cousin did not get what was promised. They should get a refund if not I’ll encourage them to take legal action and call the health department on that facility.
During the whole process things stick out to me.
1. The owner did not have any communication with the coordinator and left her to figure things out on her own. Your coordinator should know the details of that event before they arrive and have a copy of the contract, layout and any food and beverage service.
2. The contracts: There should never be a point in time where a person pays for a service and cannot get in contact with their coordinator/owner for weeks or months on end.
3. The setup and clean up: You should never book 2 events within 1-2 hours of each other! Venue setup is done before a client or party arrives onsite. Client decoration is 4 to 6 hours depending on size. This is pretty much an industry standard for weddings and receptions! My cousins setup was sloppy and the staff had to clean and pull tables and chairs while we decorated because the venue double booked!
4. If your facility has any leaks they need to be fixed immediately, if not put out a caution sign and come up with an alternative solution in the mean time for safety.
