to cry over hotel bridal policy?

[PrebendsBridge]

Getting married in 4 weeks v cheaply. Registry office, two guests as witnesses, no flowers, haïr dressers, cars or any of that stuff. £200 cream L K Bennett dress.

The only 'treat element' of the day was booking a night at a 5 star hotel, with dinner for our two guests.

That's all we can afford, and I didn't want to have to wait years saving to get married.

Only problem now is that I can't wear my dress to the hotel. They have a bridal policy of only one bride (their wedding package) at the hotel. So despite my not having anything ostensibly bridal, as my sheath dress is cream I can't wear it incase I offend a bride who can afford a massive wedding package.

AIBU to think this sucks??

Why would you want to give money to a place like this? Name and shame them, too, so we don't give them money.

Is it too late to get a refund? I sympathise about the wedding party exclusivity thing, and that in itself would make me want to consider booking elsewhere if there is another wedding going on, as much as you don't want a big fuss, you should feel exited about it being a special treat and being pampered.

I'd want to be somewhere where the knowledge of the nature of our visit was met with a "Ooh how lovely, we'll be sure to make it an extra special stay for you" rather than "Ok. We'll take your money. But at no point must you resemble a couple on your wedding day under any circumstances."

Yes, send them several a day, saying you can't decide!

Do you think maybe I could have some fun with them sending them alternative dress link suggestions??!

www.roxx-online.com/onlineStore/images/roxxonline/productPhotos/Gothic%20hooded%20medieval%20dress%20-%20black%20velvet%20%26%20red%20taffeta%204397.JPG

I don't understand. Fwiw your dress is gorgeous and elegant and not ostensibly wedding-y at all!

Is it like at Disney world a member of staff in a Mickey Mouse costume wandered into another's patch... They'd get the sack for possibly ruining the magic for kids. If another bride in a dress sees another, do they explode?

HA yes start emailing them!

Or better still:

'thank you for your email. I will indeed take you up on your offer of assistance to find me the perfect dress which will also permit me to attend your amazing hotel. As I have a few friends also helping me out on my search, I am sure that you would not mind my passing on your email to them so that they can email you some links. Once again, many thanks for your offer'

And watch their inbox MELT.

They don't have exclusivity to protect!

If they wanted to offer exclusivity, they would offer exclusivity. They haven't done that!

I'll lay odds that there will be a guest at the other wedding wearing this...

Consulting the hotel about what you are allowed to wear to dinner might be the most ridiculous thing I have heard. Please cancel and go somewhere else. And then complain to the owners.

Just book different fancy hotel and don't give this ne your business.

Why in the name of all that's wedding related are you persisting with this idiotic hotel?

Also, name it! I wasn't going to stay anyway but happily will boycott for a reason now :)

I would cancel and go elsewhere. Why would you want to give your money to a hotel that cannot even write an email in grammatically correct English. Frankly I'd be amazed if this is really a 5 star hotel. Where are you? If you are in London and want a lovely genuinely 5 star hotel have a look at The Goring.

howlinman.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/hideous-wedding-dress1.jpg

Definitely cancel and find somewhere else to spend your money, but not before you've had loads of fun sending them links to huge meringue style wedding dresses and adding for their view

I wouldn't have sent them the link to the dress! Bloody rude reply imo, cancel and go elsewhere, why spend your money there?

Just say you want a full refund as they can't accomodate what you want, don'tget changed on their account!!!

And name and shame the ridiculous hotel?? ;)

Just tell them you've reordered it in the blue... then turn up in the cream. whoops... They are hardly going to kick you out!

How do you know what's in their wedding package Juno ?

lovely dress btw

Cancel. It's spoilt it now, tell them you would never have booked with them if you realised you couldn't wear a white shift dress at the restaurant.

Then go elsewhere and don't mention weddings.

BTW - you've had a lucky escape, if there's a big wedding going on in the hotel, it might be noisy and all the staff will be geared up towards the wedding party. Having stayed in a hotel when there's a wedding going on and not being part of the wedding party, it's a really crap experience compared to going to the same hotel any other time.

Juno I said there were different types of places and I listed three types 1) multiple wedding 2) one wedding at a time 3) exclusive use. No this is not exclusive use but it is a one wedding venue. The other bride has booked a venue with one wedding at a time policy and presumably the cost reflects that it is one wedding at a time. The other bride is not being unreasonable and does not deserve bitterness that she can "afford a massive wedding package"

I'd choose a different venue on principle

I don't think I could be bothered with this silly petty rule. Go somewhere else if you can.

It is a very nice hotel: Rockliffe Hall in County Durham.

Can anyone recommend any others in the area?

Reluctant to have to change my dress, especially now everyone has affirmed my choice by telling me how lovely it is!!

Um.. because exclusive use of the venue would mean that the OP wouldn't have been able to book there.

Obviously.

It's a beautiful dress, stunning, and nowhere in the description is it referred to as a wedding dress.
If they don't reconsider, vote with your feet and book elsewhere. Not forgetting to share your experience on twitter.
They don't deserve a penny of your business tbh. Their arsey attitude could take the shine off your day.