A Wedding at Nesselrod on the New: A Beautiful Day Marred by Broken Promises…read moreWeddings are meant to be magical and stress-free. When we began planning ours, we envisioned an intimate micro-wedding with about 50 guests on a crisp November day. We chose Nesselrod on the New, under new ownership, for its rustic charm. Unfortunately, what should have been a beautiful experience was marred by disorganization, broken promises, and unprofessional behavior.
When we first toured the venue in July, Brittany, the new owner, promised the barn would be fully enclosed with permanent walls and heated floors by our wedding date. She also offered to decorate based on a Pinterest board I sent. However, early signs of disorganization appeared: Brittany gave different price quotes, delayed the contract (which still had the previous owner's information), and needed multiple reminders on details we had already discussed.
The major issue arose two weeks before the wedding when Brittany casually texted us that the barn walls would not be built; instead, she would hang cream-colored tarps. A week before the wedding, she added that the heated floors might not work either. At that point, with guests' travel already arranged, it was too late to cancel.
The night before our wedding, while we were in the middle of a special family dinner, Brittany sent a picture of the barn with clear plastic stapled up around it. Her accompanying message was, "I like it better without the tarps, brings in more natural light."
I responded, "The main thing is to make sure it is warm. It's going to be dark. We want the tarps."
Her response?
"I'm not going to use them, they cost a lot for one-time use."
This was the moment everything came to a head. She had promised tarps. She had promised walls. And now she was choosing, unilaterally, to back out of those commitments the night before the biggest day of our lives. Her tone grew increasingly defensive and dismissive. She claimed she'd gone "above and beyond" for what we had paid, even though she hadn't delivered what was contractually promised. She even said she had sold a car to afford the plastic sheets, which she insisted were superior to the tarps anyway. Her texts continued to get more hostile. When I began crying, my family insisted I cease communication.
On the wedding day, Brittany and her husband were still stapling plastic up hours before the ceremony. Our florist arrived to install floral arrangements on the arbor, and Brittany's husband--Joe--helped her while muttering curse words and angrily saying, "Who the f** holds a wedding in November?"*. That is not something a vendor should ever say, let alone at the actual event.
Guests had to wear coats indoors because the heated floors were non-functional. Brittany and Joe spent the reception sitting at the edge of the dance floor in casual clothing, scrolling on their phones. They looked completely disinterested and detached--like they were bored employees at a DMV, not hosts of a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Two teenage girls--wearing jeans and sweatshirts--wandered through the barn mid-reception holding a small dog. They helped themselves to food, stood around the drink table, and chatted with Brittany like it was a casual get-together. They even let the dog run around the dance floor, posing a tripping hazard while people were dancing.
These girls made it into our wedding photos. Let that sink in.
After the event, our family stayed behind to help clean up. We had been told that we only needed to remove the trash and that the venue staff would take care of the rest. However, someone had apparently gotten sick in the bathroom--and rather than quietly taking care of it as a venue host should, Brittany confronted my family and asked indignantly, "Who is going to clean the bathroom?!" My father and daughter-in-law ended up cleaning the mess in their wedding clothes.
As our family packed up the decorations, Brittany casually suggested they leave them for her to use. She also wanted to keep the extra plates, cups, silverware, and food. It felt exploitative and incredibly presumptuous. At this point, our family was so done with the situation that they only left behind a box of crackers--which Brittany said she could use to feed her chickens.
Brittany may be new to owning a venue, but there's no excuse for this level of disorganization, broken promises, and rudeness. What was most disappointing wasn't just that things didn't go as promised--it was the lack of professionalism, the gaslighting, and the hostile tone she took when we asked her to follow through on basic commitments.
Our wedding ended up beautiful because of our loved ones and in spite of Nesselrod. Brittany's behavior added unnecessary stress to what should have been a joyful occasion.
If you're considering Nesselrod on the New for your event, I strongly urge you to reconsider. A pretty venue is meaningless without professionalism and trustworthiness behind it.
