Our wedding reception is going to be held in a historic building and they hold regular themed evening events, which is basically a meal with actors entertaining you set to whatever time that theme is. It's not like a restaurant meal, you all eat together. It's great fun but it's not cheap (you're paying for meal, unlimited drinks plus theatre) and we've not been for 6 years because of it.
We decided to go on Saturday. I've been making a dress for myself since February (I'm a good seamstress but with my OH working away I can't dedicate a lot of time to it because of the children and I couldn't finish it until close to the date because I'm pregnant and had to fit it) and spent a lot of money on it. I knew I'd be doing it as a one off because this is our last baby so even if we go again it's still a maternity dress. My OH and his friends are big into history, he went in Saxon chain and our friend went in Viking armour - theirs was reenactment quality. So basically we went to a bit of effort for this day and took it seriously.
So we got there and everything was good, we were taken through the building (bit of scene setting) to the restaurant. We were the last people there and in the last but one group to be taken in, so were a bit surprised that it was quite empty in there. It took about an hour for the others to filter in, they'd been outside smoking, obviously as everyone eats together we were late getting starters - almost 9pm and the licence is for 10:30pm! The actors tried to get the entertainment started during that time but were constantly either heckled or spoken over so they pretty much abandoned it and took to interacting, they spent a bit of time with us, knew exactly what the guys were wearing and joking about no wonder pregnancy had done my back in if I was carrying Saxon babies, they come out in armour.
Each course went the same, long gaps between as they disappeared for half an hour to smoke. The guests shouting over the actors etc - it was two large groups that did it. OH spent a lot of time sat on the steps because of the noise and ended up with an ice pack. We left as soon as our deserts were finished because we saw no point in staying. My head was spinning so much I felt like I'd been drinking (far more than I had) I could hardly get upstairs when we got in because I felt so ill.
I emailed our wedding coordinator (same team as arrange these events) and told her we were not impressed but had come out with a couple of ideas about the wedding and a better idea of what it will look like. She called me back to say she'd file away our wishes and as far as Saturday was concerned she said they knew it had gone badly and my wedding wouldn't be the same because they'd be my guests (I also know one of the actors who will be there and he wouldn't be heckled!) I'm not worried about my wedding, I said that to her in my email and on the phone.
I'm left feeling a little annoyed about her response. The night cost us over £200 between the three of us, it's not something we can do again and I feel like my dress has been wasted. She said you never know who has booked to come so you can't control it, but I disagree! Yes YOU CAN! You can train the actors to hold their own when they're heckled (or employ actors strong enough to - the guy they're employing to be one of the main actors at my wedding is not employed for these events) you can have the events and catering team deal with these people who stand outside for over an hour and tell them that no one can eat until they sit down so sit down or lose their food! I didn't pay so much money for one meal to be left until almost 10pm before getting my main!
So I'm not sure what to do. Do I complain or leave it? And thank you if you're still reading at this point!