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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this is probably not a good place to get married anyway?

51 replies

Thistledew · 13/08/2012 23:47

DP and I are going to get married Smile.

We are looking at venues near where we live, and had identified 6 venues that fit our requirements.

One venue in particular took our fancy, due to the lovely building and the fact that we could use external caterers. I phoned up the venue about a week ago and asked to make an appointment for DP and I to visit to view the building and discuss options. The person I spoke to on the phone seemed strangely reluctant to book us a visit. He first of all wanted to know when we want to get married. I explained that we are hoping to do so in Spring next year, but have no specific date in mind and can be flexible according to the availability of the venue. The guy stated that he wanted to make sure that he had availability for our preferred dates before booking an appointment to view. I suggested a couple of weekends, and he said there was no availability. I then asked him when he did have availability, within a range of three months. He stated that it was not easy for him to look up when they had availability without me giving him a date to check Confused. Eventually, I managed to come up with date when he said he had availability, and he agreed to book us an appointment to come to view the venue - but said that the earliest he could fit us in to do so was more than three weeks hence (every other venue we are interested in has arranged for us to visit the same week).

20 minutes later, he emailed me with the brochure, but stated that he had just realised that someone was viewing the following day, who had expressed an interest in the date I had agreed was suitable. He stated that he was therefore cancelling our viewing appointment. I immediately replied to ask him not to cancel the appointment saying that DP and I "are flexible regarding the date for our wedding. We will be fixing a date based on the availability of our preferred venue, not choosing a venue to suit a specified date". Later the same day he emailed back saying "I do not wish to book any appointments for a site visit until we are sure that we have the date available. I am happy to discuss availability if you provide me with dates (or less specific- such as a two week window) for when you are thinking to hold your wedding". Somehow, this email ended up in my Spam filter, so I did not receive it.

I phoned up again today to say that we had now viewed all the other venues, and were wondering if we could bring forward the viewing appointment, as we want to make a decision as soon as possible. I unfortunately go the same person on the phone again, and he informed me of the email that had ended up in my Spam filter cancelling our original arrangement. We again went through the rigmarole of him asking me to specify exactly when DP and I want to get married. He would not accept that we are basically happy to get married any time next year and kept asking for a specific date. Also the availability of the next viewing appointment is now 4 weeks away!

Yes, I get that they are a busy, popular venue, but then so are the other places we have looked at, which also only have a few days still available in Spring 2013. Everywhere else has welcomed us to view and discuss our preferences.

AIBU to think that this is a truly bizarre way to promote a business, and that based on their attitude so far, this venue may not be the most accommodating, stress-free, welcoming place to hold a wedding, and that we should probably give them a swerve anyway?

PS Sorry for the essay!

OP posts:
lightrain · 14/08/2012 08:08

They sound crap! Yep, I agree with other posters. Go one level above this guy to check its not just him thats rubbish. If you find the Sam, don't book there.

lightrain · 14/08/2012 08:08

Same, not Sam"

travailtotravel · 14/08/2012 08:14

OOh, I want to see it but I am afraid this doesn't look good. If they won't even let you in the door without a date, they are so going to dictate how your wedding goes big time. I can see it happening ...

We want to stand over there.
No, you didn't book to stand there, stand here.
I want to stand over there
You'll have to pay extra to stand over there ...

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/08/2012 08:18

Hmmm, very odd.

Did you discuss numbers? I'm wondering if you have to get near the 150 guest limit before they will bother to see you. I.e they will make more money off a 150 guest wedding than a 50 guest wedding?

I am very cynical though, Maybe he's just a git.

LucyBorgia · 14/08/2012 08:24

He is likely to be involved in some way with the wedding if you booked it. An awkward git is not needed in your planning especially when you have outside caterers to coordinate. Write a letter of complaint to owner and scratch it off the list. That's SO unnecessary I'm sorry you had to deal with that when everything should be so shiny and exciting. Horrible man.

CommaChameleon · 14/08/2012 08:41

If you've had this many problems with them already it's only going to carry on.

IME once things start to go wrong they have a way of continuing, like a landslide, and nobody ends up happy. The man sounds like an arse and the experience so far sounds like a nightmare.

Do you really need the extra stress this is causing when other places have been much more accommodating and willing to make the experience much easier for you?

PenelopePipPop · 14/08/2012 08:41

Hmmm, weird. YANBU. till if you are looking there did you look at Pembroke Lodge too? I was at a wedding there the other weekend and the staff could not have been more friendly and the sunset views over London were magical. I know it has the odd scruffy corner, but the scenery makes up for a lot!

tiggytape · 14/08/2012 09:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Keepthechangeyoufilthyanimal · 14/08/2012 10:04

Wow that does sound very odd!
TBH that would set off alarm bells for me too, with them being so unhelpful now, I wouldn't have high expectations for the wedding itself, and you could do without that!
But if you are anything like me, forgetting about it wouldn't be an easy option if you think that could be the one!
I would like to think you have just encountered a difficult member of staff and I would call/email again and ask to speak with the owner/manager. If you get the same attitude I would leave it. and write a very arsey letter or email to complain

Re the keeping dates free for celeb wedding that someone mentioned above...could be a possibility, or I see that they do location filming...that could be a possibility? ??

I can see why you like it though - lovely venue!
Congratulations BTW!

Thistledew · 14/08/2012 10:04

I did try that, tiggy, he just kept repeating the same line that he didn't want to book a viewing only for the couple to be disappointed if their date was not available. I also said on both occasions I phoned that all the other venues had allowed us to visit within a week, and that they were likely to rule themselves out of consideration if we couldn't see the place in the same timescale as the others.

I really can't think of any reason why he might not want us to book there. We would be going for the larger room, so a bigger fee for them, and would be nearly up to capacity on guest numbers.

I might get DP to call today and speak to a manager- by profession his job involves negotiating contracts with suppliers of goods and services!

OP posts:
Thistledew · 14/08/2012 10:10

What did you mean by 'scruffy corners' Penelope? Prembroke Lodge is currently heading up our leader board because of the location and the staff seemed very welcoming and accommodating. It is a bit £££ though- we will probably have to come to a decision between paying for the gorgeous location there, and another place where the location is not nearly as good but the building is lovely on the inside and it will probably be about half the price!

OP posts:
Lambzig · 14/08/2012 10:38

Penelope and Thistledew, I got married at Pembroke Lodge and it was indeed lovely. If there are any scruffy corners, i really didnt notice anyway (and I am usually quite picky), but it had just been redecorated.

The staff could not have been more helpful and truly brilliant (I was a lazy wedding planner and they did extras for me like organise the flowers and a DJ last minute when we had been let down), the terrace is beautiful and they went along with my more mad schemes (I wanted to serve DH baked alaska for dessert as it is a standing joke with us) without extra charges too. The chief orgniser guy acted as MC too.

Cannizaro House in Wimbledon was another venue we looked at but that was more expensive. Nice setting though.

That venue does look nice, but seriously that attitude is so off.

eurochick · 14/08/2012 11:04

If they are not interested in your custom (as seems to be the case), go elsewhere.

ginnybag · 14/08/2012 11:26

Go for the staff, not the venue.

A lovely venue only serves to look great in the pictures. Good staff will help you make happy memories of the day.

And Bad staff will make you miserable.

Good staff should catch the things you've missed, and then vanish into the background. The woman who was the events co-ordinator for my venue was fantastic!

PenelopePipPop · 14/08/2012 12:23

I may be harking back to my youth pre-redecoration when Pembroke Lodge was the beautifully located but scruffy cafe in Richmond Park.

Also the wedding we were at was in the Russell Suite upstairs not the other suite downstairs (not sure what that is called). Still had amazing views and your guests can use the gardens and so forth but you don't get the use of the terraces.

The other nice wedding venue I've been to round there was Le Gothique but I doubt they'll let you bring your own caterers in. It was an epic wedding though. I think DH is still recovering from the quantity of profiteroles he ate and my hangover has barely worn off and it was 6 years ago.

We were really really short of money so did registry office plus hall hire for £100 in twickenham (near where my Mum lives) so have no recommendations for amazing venues based on my own wedding. But can recommend our florist - Roseberg's in Richmond. The woman who runs it actually beat me down on price because she didn't want me going over-budget and the flowers were absolutely lovely. That was 7 years ago but it looks like the same woman runs it.

drtachyon · 14/08/2012 13:26

YANBU. It's very bizarre.

The venues I was interested in when getting married were all happy for us to arrange visits without needing to know our intended wedding date - as others have said, it's very common for couples to pick the venue first, then book a date that the venue has available.

The awkwardness you've encountered so far would put me right off. No point having a beautiful venue if the staff are going to make things as hellish as they possibly can.

IfElephantsWoreTrousers · 14/08/2012 14:27

Thinking about this further, the situation is really reminding me of the boutique shop scene in Pretty Woman:

How much is this one?
I don't think that would fit you.
I didn't ask if it would fit. I asked how much it was.
It's very expensive. I don't think we have anything for you here. You're obviously in the wrong place.

They are trying to tell you to get lost, without saying so to your face.

Thistledew · 14/08/2012 14:35

That is exactly what it feels like Elephants, although I have no idea why. The only information I gave on the phone was a rough idea of when we would prefer to get married and that we have a 'long list' of 140 invitees, but this includes some people from abroad who we are half expecting not to come, and quite a few children who may be left at home. We would need the larger room in any event.

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 14/08/2012 14:56

Did you give them your address? Not that I'm suggesting theres anything wrong with it but they may well be vile snobs of that ilk.

Thistledew · 14/08/2012 15:22

Chubb - I don't recall giving out my address, and in any event I am fortunate to live in a nice area, so I don't think that would be the issue. Or maybe I did, and I don't live in quite as nice an area as I thought!?!

OP posts:
Chubfuddler · 14/08/2012 15:26

Who knows, the point is you shouldn't be having to beg them for the honour of handing over merry bushels of cash. Screw them.

mumah · 14/08/2012 15:32

YANBU.
Service is a massive part of the day, it took us a long while to find our venue (we saw some utter holes, one of which thought it was acceptable to walk us through someone's wedding dinner setting, picking up and showing us their favours whilst laughing Shock and also made us stand halfway up on the stairwell with our buggy whilst the Bride was having her procession down with her father!) In the end we found a beautiful barn with staff who are willing to do anything to help. I'd strike them off, they sound like they will cause you nothing but stress and that is the last thing you want on your wedding day.

IfElephantsWoreTrousers · 14/08/2012 16:17

How posh/not-posh is your voice? Could they have judged you by your accent? They may be very exclusive and only willing to speak to sloany brides (or their P.A.s/professional wedding planners, obviously). I'd be tempted to call back pretending to be a wedding planner working on behalf of [the Hon & Lady Thistledews-Father] arranging the wedding of their beloved daughter, and see if that gets you a viewing. Buy OTOH forget about them.

I've been to a wedding at Pembroke Lodge too and it was great - the down side was that they did have the ceremony & reception all in one room and it seemed to take FOR EVER for the staff to move all the furniture to get set up for the meal. I think they thought we'd go outside while they shifted things, but it was bucketing it down. I expect there would be an option to have two separate rooms which would obv be more expensive but if you can stretch to it that might be a good idea if this is the venue you go for. It was just lovely to be in the park though.

IfElephantsWoreTrousers · 14/08/2012 16:21

[buy] = [but]

HazleNutt · 14/08/2012 16:29

What Elephants said - ask someone to call pretending to be a personal assistant to [insert posh name] and see if they have any availablity for her wedding :D

Although I agree, it's not a good sign if somethng is that much trouble. quite fun to imagine the conversation you musthave had though. - so, which day?

  • Any day.
  • no, i can't tell you when we have availability. You must pick a date first and then I can tell you that this particular date is booked. Ok, pick a date now. No, that's booked.