If you're super-organized, Seven Sirens Bethlehem is a decent value, but don't expect the level of…read moreservice you see at The Blendery in Easton. Our 100 guests brought in huge bar revenue on a holiday weekend while keeping the space open to the public, yet we felt like an unwanted burden.
Bait-and-Switch Pricing: I laid out a very basic party plan that was much more like a birthday than a wedding, and Rob gave me a quote. Hours after agreeing to the price and securing our date, he called back claiming his "partner" said they couldn't do a "wedding" for that price, raising it by several hundred dollars with no other explanation or change in my basic plan.
Nickel-and-Diming: Rob initially pitched add-ons like a chocolate fountain and a coffee bar - I loved both ideas until it turned out they'd cost more than my caterer charged for our whole dinner service. In hindsight, I have no idea where he would have even put these in the space we were given. He also wanted to charge $150 to set out 10 centerpieces, $150 for servers, and extra fees for tables he wasn't even sure if he had. I declined and found help with these things elsewhere.
Lost Payments (DO NOT PAY CASH): I dropped off my 50% deposit check on June 25 (cleared July 1). Rob confirmed by text that he had received it. On Aug 10, Rob texted (in the same text thread) asking if I had ever paid a deposit or sent the contract. I had to text him a photo of the cleared check because he also forgot the amount.
Ignored Messages & Sarcasm: A week before the wedding, Rob read my FB message and texts across two days with zero response. I had to ask my DJ to nudge him (they're friends). When Rob finally called back, he was sarcastic and hid behind being "off." A simple "I'm off, I'll call Friday" would have sufficed.
Music Caps: Rob wasn't sure he could accommodate my request to play some Greek music for my family between dinner and the DJ starting, claiming it "impeded normal operations." When he finally agreed, he capped it to 15 minutes. If you've ever been to Seven Sirens on a Saturday evening, you know there's never much going on before 8pm; not sure why this was even an issue when I was renting out the space and providing a normal DJ & karaoke for the remainder of everyone's entertainment.
Dirty Venue: When I arrived to decorate a couple hours before the reception, the tables and seats were dirty. I had to wipe them down myself (in my wedding hair & makeup) and remove a messy extension cord left across the booths where my guests would be eating. They also failed to set up our 4 catering tables. The poor single bartender on duty was completely uninformed and had to haul heavy tables out by herself.
Mid-Reception Interruptions: The first time I ever met Rob was while I was trying to enjoy dinner with my guests. He interrupted to say I could play my Greek music after all because--exactly as I'd predicted--there were no outside patrons there anyway. By then, dealing with music logistics wasn't something I wanted to manage mid-reception, and so I said 'forget it.' He also asked how I was going to pay the remaining balance, and I had to inform him that his bar manager already received my check the night before.
The Bright Spots:
Bar Staff: The bar manager, Sam, and the bartenders were fantastic and kept the many tabs for all our guests very well-managed. We're still trying to figure out how one couple ended up with a $400 tab for only two of them, but we think they stuck to their signage that you'll buy the bar a round if you don't close your tab before you leave (they returned to retrieve their forgotten credit card the next day).
DJ Dave Waldron: Their preferred DJ was amazing and made our party a fantastic time.
Bottom Line: Management misplaces financial records, leaves the space dirty, dumps setup on single bar staff, and nickel-and-dimes clients. I have screenshots and photos to back up my statements if management wants to try and dispute this review. Look elsewhere in the Lehigh Valley if you want a stress-free event that you don't have to micromanage.
