Disappointing Experience. Proceed With Caution.
I never expected to write a negative review about a wedding vendor, but our experience with Lashonda was genuinely disappointing, and I believe other couples deserve to know about it, especially if their venue requires them to use her company.
We initially contacted Lashonda to inquire about availability, unaware that our venue required us to use her services. When we mentioned that we were considering another vendor, she immediately contacted the venue. Once we understood the policy, we confirmed that we would proceed with her. We acknowledge that we should have clarified the venue's restrictions beforehand, but we were polite and willing to comply.
Unfortunately, things went downhill from there. The contract she sent contained errors that we had to point out, and a simple request to adjust the bartending schedule by 30 minutes turned into a contentious discussion, despite our willingness to pay the full contracted amount.
The biggest red flag came when Lashonda called us at approximately 9:45 p.m., raised her voice, and accused us of being difficult clients. She also claimed that our mothers had been repeatedly contacting her, which was completely untrue. After we questioned what she was talking about, she admitted she had confused us with another couple. She never apologized for the mix-up or the way she had spoken to us. During the same call, she also made an unexpected comment about having been to jail over "this stuff," which added to our discomfort.
Despite all of this, we proceeded with the booking because the venue required us to use her company and paid the full $450.
After taking a week to reconsider, we decided we were no longer comfortable moving forward and requested cancellation 29 days before our wedding. Lashonda initially offered only $175 back. After involving the venue, the refund increased to $225, meaning we lost $225 for a service that will not be provided.
We understand that vendors have cancellation policies, and we take responsibility for not clarifying the venue restriction earlier. However, we believe professional communication, accurate contracts, and basic courtesy should be expected, particularly when working with couples planning one of the most important days of their lives.
Our advice: Read every contract carefully, confirm the cancellation policy in writing, and pay close attention to how a vendor communicates before committing. Wedding planning is stressful enough without these kinds of issues before the day even arrives.
This is our honest experience, and we hope it helps other couples make an informed decision. read more
