Vendor anti-prop
I’m probably going to be very unpopular because of this, but I recently had the worst experience with a venue that I could imagine happening to a couple. I won’t name the venue, but if you suspect it might be yours, drop me a line.
Firstly, this venue, which is a very popular venue in the Fourways area, booked the first wedding to start at 16h30 on a balcony, while booking a second wedding in the hall which that balcony belonged to i.e. there was one wall seperating both weddings. Every bride wants to feel special on her wedding day, like she is the only bride in the world, it is her day. You don’t really want to meet another bride adjusting her makeup in the bathroom. But hey, they could have pulled it off, their guests may not have bumped into each other or gone to the wrong wedding, the brides may not have seen each other and the people being seated in the hall may not have heard the tail end of the ceremony of the bride on the balcony. Unfortunately in our story, the bride on the balcony was late at the salon, and in which bridal story is the bride ever on time? No one is going to start without her, right?
In our story, the bride on the balcony arrived, went to the bridal suite to change and was promptly told that she had to clear the balcony by 17h30, this was at around 17h10, whether the ceremony had happened or not. She was also told that since the florist had been late they hadn’t been allowed to put up the flowers because the guests in the hall were already in place. Now, if someone had been as rude to my mother-in-law as this venue co-ordinator had been to the mother of the bride there would have been some consternation and the manager would have been called. As it was there were a bunch of men in kilts who were not looking pleased.
I don’t understand why they booked two weddings so close together, both physically and time wise. Then of course this being a scottish wedding, the lads in kilts were keen on a bit of the old bagpipes. Up runs Miss venue co-ordinator, no bagpipes, they will disturb the wedding next door.
I could carry on about the terrible service, the fact that getting cutlery seemed to challenge the staff, probably due to the wedding next door, and the inability to produce a clean plate. Lastly, lets just say that in general when the bride and groom decide not to seat the photographers, the venue provides a space for the vendors to put equipment down, sit, and a vendor meal of some description. This place did not, the first one in four years of shooting weddings. To say I would not recommend this place, would be an understatement.
Lastly, always ask whether there is going to be another wedding happening at the same time and what kind of time restrictions are going to be placed on your getting ready, your florist/decor arriving, when will you have to clear out the venue. You don’t want that kind of stuff being sprung on you on your day.
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