Honestly, the wedding coordination service did not feel worth the price we paid. We sourced all of…read moreour own vendors and managed/DIY all of the decoration elements ourselves. The coordinators' involvement was largely limited to basic setup and following the timeline we created together.
When issues arose during the wedding, there was a significant lack of communication and problem solving. For example, there were problems with the gate crash games, and the top layer of our wedding cake went missing. As newlyweds, we were not aware that the top layer of the cake is traditionally saved for the first anniversary. Since the coordinators presented themselves as professionals with experience in wedding traditions, we expected them to provide guidance on important customs like this and ensure meaningful details were not overlooked. Instead, no one informed us that the cake layer was missing or explained its significance, and we only found out afterward.
Additionally, the coordinators presented themselves as knowledgeable and experienced in Chinese wedding traditions, which was one of the reasons we trusted them. I specifically wanted my family to be present and able to watch the gate crash games. However, everyone was ushered out, leaving me completely alone in the room when my husband arrived to pick me up. This was extremely disappointing, as sharing this tradition with my family was an important part of the experience.
The gate crash games also did not go as intended. While my bridesmaids were responsible for carrying out the games, the coordinators should have stepped in when they noticed things were not following the intended format. Given their claimed expertise in Chinese wedding traditions, they should have been able to recognize when the games were not being conducted properly and provide guidance or correction.
During the traditional tea ceremony, the positioning was also handled incredibly poorly. We were placed by the photographer in a way that left our backs completely facing the groom's side of the family, meaning his relatives couldn't see a single thing. This is exactly the kind of situation where the coordinator should have spoken up and adjusted the layout, but instead, they stood by and let a deeply meaningful moment be ruined for half of our guests.
During speeches, I made it clear everyone was to stand at their seats when giving speeches. Jeannie told one person to stay at her seat but allowed the other two to come onto the stage. Totally not consistent at all! Made that one person look bad for staying at her seat whereas the others went on stage to give their speech. That person at the seat was more important to me than the other two giving speeches! Yet they were not told to stay at their seats and allowed on stage!
We also received multiple complaints from our guests regarding the entertainment:
* DJ: The music was poorly managed. Every time I left the room for an outfit change, the music stopped completely, which disrupted the flow and atmosphere of the reception.
* MC: While the MC was friendly, they did not help create energy or engagement among our guests. We had specifically requested that important announcements and activities be translated into Chinese for our elderly guests. Instead, the reception games were conducted entirely in English. As a result, many of our older guests did not understand what was happening and were unable to participate, leaving only the younger guests involved.
Overall, we were extremely disappointed by the lack of communication, oversight, coordination, and cultural consideration. We expected a much higher level of attention to detail, guidance, and support throughout the event.
