HELP - My wedding distaster.

wippers

wippers

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,534
Name
Gareth
Edit My Images
Yes
I have a bit of an issue with my own wedding. To say I'm p*$%ed off is an understatement! :bang:

My Fiance & I are due to get married in just over 2 weeks. We chose the venue based on the looks of the place (along with price and a few other things), but mainly because we like the look of the main building etc. I've just been notified by the venue that there will now be scaffolding up across the frontage on our wedding day. This means we won't be able to get the photos we wanted and it just puts a very sour taste for the day.

Unfortunately I have paid for everything and everything is organised and ready to go as you would expect 2 weeks before the big day. The girl on the phone was trying to fob me off but I have demanded that the Manager call me back asap to discuss.

OK so not quite a complete disaster but It's really peed me off.

What can I do?

Anybody ever had similar problems?

My other half is going to be mortified when she find out later. :shake:

Gareth
 
Last edited:
Did they offer any compensation? Can you cancel and go elsewhere? Possibly if it's part of a chain you may be able to switch to another venue within the group.
 
Julie1979 said:
Did they offer any compensation? Can you cancel and go elsewhere? Possibly if it's part of a chain you may be able to switch to another venue within the group.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I have everything done and ready so to change at this late stage is just not an option I don't think. :shake:
 
Sounds like you need a drape over the scaffolding and a decent snapper to makethe best of it, have you discussed with the photographer to let him know.
Tbh its a bit of a letdown but you'll still be marrying the girl of your dreams (and vice versa) so dont let it spoil what should be a truly great day for you both.

Probably be raining anyway and you wont get any outside shots, or at least not the ones you thought you would.
 
MatBin said:
Sounds like you need a drape over the scaffolding and a decent snapper to makethe best of it, have you discussed with the photographer to let him know.
Tbh its a bit of a letdown but you'll still be marrying the girl of your dreams (and vice versa) so dont let it spoil what should be a truly great day for you both.

Probably be raining anyway and you wont get any outside shots, or at least not the ones you thought you would.
Click to expand...

I know the most important thing is who I'm marrying and I know that won't change, but when you've just spent the last 12 months saving and planning everything, it all feels like it's just gone pear-shaped.
 
Gutted for you!

Its all hinges on when you booked your venue and when they booked the building works as to how this is delt with IF they knew they should have warned you.

If the works are emergency repairs and are / were unforeseen then its a case of "these things happen" imho
 
Last edited:
wippers said:
I know the most important thing is who I'm marrying and I know that won't change, but when you've just spent the last 12 months saving and planning everything, it all feels like it's just gone pear-shaped.
Click to expand...

Because of some scaffolding? Really?
 
It could easily pee down with rain and ruin this perfect wedding anyway.

Pick somewhere else at the location as a back drop and ask for a partial refund to cover disappointment and hassle?

Or just take some photos of the front of the building without the scaffolding in different lighting conditions at the right time of day so you can just photoshop the people in later?
 
wippers said:
I'm not turning this thread into an argument, but when you've saved and spent over £15k to get the day perfect for both of you, it's just really disappointing.
Click to expand...

We've had two weddings in the last 2 years (our children got married - not to each other obviously). Trust me you will look back on this as a small dissapointment not a major disaster in a year or so. You need to focus on getting the bride through this as I'm sure she will be distraught, albeit she'll get over it.
Tbh there's far too much effort and money spent on making it all perfect on the day, the perfect bit is you're getting married anything else is candy floss.

To put into into perspective, my daughter attended my son's wedding just after her brain op, we didnt know if she'd be alive or not, let alone able to make the wedding (she's 32). A year later my son (who's 25) has had to have the same operation, so far so good, he's alive and making progress but not out of the woods, is a bit of scaffolding really that important? :)
 
Last edited:
Make the best of it, make a feature of the scaffolding to give you both something to smile about in fifty years time?
 
Steep said:
Make the best of it, make a feature of the scaffolding to give you both something to smile about in fifty years time?
Click to expand...

Throw up some tacky bunting and stuff to make it different and ask the venue to allow you to go back and get some shots later when it's taken down - not the same, but better than nothing.
 
srichards said:
It could easily pee down with rain and ruin this perfect wedding anyway.

Pick somewhere else at the location as a back drop and ask for a partial refund to cover disappointment and hassle?

Or just take some photos of the front of the building without the scaffolding in different lighting conditions at the right time of day so you can just photoshop the people in later?
Click to expand...

This....

MatBin said:
We've had two weddings in the last 2 years (our children got married - not to each other obviously). Trust me you will look back on this as a small dissapointment not a major disaster in a year or so. You need to focus on getting the bride through this as I'm sure she will be distraught, albeit she'll get over it.
Tbh there's far too much effort and money spent on making it all perfect on the day, the perfect bit is you're getting married anything else is candy floss.
Click to expand...

...and this!


Once the wife-to-be has stopped kicking the cat, your first job is to arrange a meeting with your photographer [or at least a telephone conversation] to work out what alternatives there are. I am going to guess that the frontage of the building isn't the one single photo opportunity the place has, simply because I can't see anyone that takes photos of anything taking that kind of risk on our British Weather ;) So, as bitter a pill as it is, and in many ways regardless of the conversation you may have with the manager, you need to look at ways to work with the situation as it will be, rather than lamenting what could have been. Yes, I would be bloody gutted too, but you have 2 weeks and I am guessing a darned good photographer to help you make something of it. :thumbs:
 
Cheers for all the comments guys. You've lightened the mood a bit this end at least. Not sure the other half will smile quite so much though. She fell in love with this place when we first drove down the driveway so knowing it's going to look like a building site aint going to sit well.
I'm sure like you say, it won't spoil the day but the fact we would have gone elsewhere if we'd have known just make me grumpy (not that it takes much these days).
 
Some good points above and I love the idea of the hard hats/hi vis gear in front of the scafolding :lol:

I think the venue still have to offer something by way of compensation for this though. If the building work was known about when you booked then they are definitely bang out of line, however I'm sure they'll tell you it's essential/emergency work so you might be limited in what you can demand.

At the very least they should offer to foot the expenses for you to recreate some shots at the venue when the scafolding comes down (although that could be more difficult with the weather this time of year) so maybe more realistic to go for some money off the final bill and/or some free drinks?

I would approach it along the lines of "do you think we'd have booked your venue if we knew you'd have scafolding up as the appearence of the venue was one of the criteria that led to you booking it"
 
When I got married we turned up to the church to find that it was covered in scaffold.
The photographer had us swinging from it, and the resulting photo was one that we both still really like.
I hope it doesn't spoil the day for you two - for me, the main thing I can remember of the day was the huge warmth and love that we felt from everyone - the location and any problems with it just were not important.
I hope you can both not let it spoil things, and good luck !
 
If there's scaffolding there, how about dressing up in red dungarees and a cap, sitting your (then) wife up on the scaffolding, and Photoshopping Donkey Kong and some barrels into the shot?
 
The fact is that the op is not getting what he booked, and therefore should get some reduction in the fee.
 
Tori_T said:
If there's scaffolding there, how about dressing up in red dungarees and a cap, sitting your (then) wife up on the scaffolding, and Photoshopping Donkey Kong and some barrels into the shot?
Click to expand...

Beats dinosaurs I guess
 
cambsno said:
The fact is that the op is not getting what he booked, and therefore should get some reduction in the fee.
Click to expand...

Possibly, we havent seen the contract, maybe they mentioned the possibilty maybe they didnt. I'm sorry but this sounds so much like the American way of claiming for compensation for the slightest of things.
I really do feel sorry for the OP and his bride to be, things happen sometimes and financial compensation just doesnt make it right.
 
MatBin said:
I'm sorry but this sounds so much like the American way of claiming for compensation for the slightest of things.
I really do feel sorry for the OP and his bride to be, things happen sometimes and financial compensation just doesnt make it right.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry Matt, but I certainly don't take an "American way" (as you put it) towards compensation and this for us is certainly not a "slightest of thing". Whilst many may not bother about the front of their wedding venue being clad in scaffolding and probably tarps, for us the building was beautiful and was the reason we chose the venue. Perhaps if you think about why you chose your wedding venue and then remove that special thing and see how you would have felt (providing you have been married of course, because if you've not spent the time and effort I have orgainsing every last detail, then you do not have the knowledge to comment).:shake:

Anyway, back on subject. The Manager from the hotel has contacted me and we are going to meet him in person (his request) tomorrow evening. We'll see what that brings.
 
stevewestern said:
When I got married we turned up to the church to find that it was covered in scaffold.
The photographer had us swinging from it, and the resulting photo was one that we both still really like.
I hope it doesn't spoil the day for you two - for me, the main thing I can remember of the day was the huge warmth and love that we felt from everyone - the location and any problems with it just were not important.
I hope you can both not let it spoil things, and good luck !
Click to expand...

I'm sure it won't spoil the day and the main thing is still the marriage to my beautiful fiance. :thumbs:

Tori_T said:
If there's scaffolding there, how about dressing up in red dungarees and a cap, sitting your (then) wife up on the scaffolding, and Photoshopping Donkey Kong and some barrels into the shot?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. :thinking:

boyfalldown said:
Beats dinosaurs I guess
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure. ;)
 
wippers said:
Anyway, back on subject. The Manager from the hotel has contacted me and we are going to meet him in person (his request) tomorrow evening. We'll see what that brings.
Click to expand...

Sounds promising, and at least he is wanting to deal with it face to face rather than hide away from it, so an encouraging start.

As others have said though, whilst this is a big inconvenience, please believe it won't spoil your wedding at the end of the day. You will have so many more memories to look back on and cherish that this will (eventually) be funny to you both, although I appreciate that's probably hard to believe right now (we got married in Wales and managed to pick the weekend in 2007 when most of the M4 was under water!).

Good luck tomorrow and, more importantly, on the day. Hope you both have a fabulous day! :thumbs:
 
cambsno said:
The fact is that the op is not getting what he booked, and therefore should get some reduction in the fee.
Click to expand...

Very much depends on how long ago the venue was booked, and how sudden and immediate the remedial work to the building is.

If the loss of photo opportunities impacts so largely on the day, then I wonder at the priorities of the marriage.
 
Strangely a wedding is a really important occasion for bride, groom and family.
I am not at all surprised that wippers is upset that the 'ideal' location that they chose has turned into a building site - and look at some of the responses he's getting ... unbelievable!
 
viv1969 said:
Very much depends on how long ago the venue was booked, and how sudden and immediate the remedial work to the building is.

If the loss of photo opportunities impacts so largely on the day, then I wonder at the priorities of the marriage.
Click to expand...

Well, many togs posting in the business section think that the pics are the most important part.
 
cambsno said:
Well, many togs posting in the business section think that the pics are the most important part.
Click to expand...

But it's not their wedding, is it.
 
viv1969 said:
But it's not their wedding, is it.
Click to expand...

You're clearly on here with no idea about weddings from the other side if the lens, and I'd also like to point out that you know nothing about me or what my priorities are so I suggest you tootle off now and try to troll a different thread. Bye.
 
gramps said:
Strangely a wedding is a really important occasion for bride, groom and family.
I am not at all surprised that wippers is upset that the 'ideal' location that they chose has turned into a building site !
Click to expand...

That

Its not a disaster on par with ill health etc but I can understand why he's not happy ( I presume he wouldn't have picked the venue if he'd know it was going to be covered in scaffolding)

IMO the venue manager should give him a partial refund , or at least some kind of gesture (like an extra break or something)

At my Brother in laws wedding they cocked up the desert course (served chocolate mousse instead of the one ordered, some guests were allergic and couldn't eat it) - hardly a major issue in the bigger scheme of things, but the hotel still offered a refund for the price of that course, and a 2 night stay at any of their hotels for free by way of recompense
 
OK, lets calm it down please. There is a huge difference between impacting on the 'wedding' and impacting the 'marriage' - one is a single day, the other has the intention of being a lifetime and i think we are talking about the former not the latter here. Lets not question the marriage please, it is both unfair and not the issue.
 
wippers said:
You're clearly on here with no idea about weddings from the other side if the lens, and I'd also like to point out that you know nothing about me or what my priorities are so I suggest you tootle off now and try to troll a different thread. Bye.
Click to expand...

Well I have the opinion of one on the wedding side of the equasion, and photos were certainly not the highest thing on my list. Your initial post (hence the subject of said post) is regarding photos. Your title of calling me a troll is laughable.
 
OK.....On this thread I am out.
Good luck to the bride and the groom.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top