Hello Yelpers!
I had my wedding here this past Saturday and the hall owner "Loanie" made it the most stressful experience possible. She gave no respect for it being our "special day", and she did everything possible to make it difficult for us. Some key points:
1. When we first went to view the hall, she showed us an area where we could use as a dressing room, and to store our personal belongings. On the day of the wedding, when we attempted to put our clothes in there, she decided to turn it into a shrine of some sort, and did not allow us in that area any more. We ended up having to get ready in the bathroom, and my videographer had to do his best not to shoot the urinals in the back, even tho it could not be avoided. All of our personal belongings had to be kept in the bathroom, and one of my dresses ended up being vandalized since it is a shared bathroom.
2. When we signed the contract, she stated there were 50 round tables, 500 chairs, 8 long tables, and 1 small round cake table for us to use. When it came to that day we were setting up, she allowed us to use only 400 chairs, 40 round tables, 2 long tables, and the cake table. When we asked for the rest, she stated she would charge us $20 per additional table. We had to run to a different supply store to rent additional tables for $9/each to save $. Keep mind this was all the MORNING OF THE WEDDING!
3. She stated we were allowed to use everything in the hall. And she had Thule hanging from the ceiling with lights that she did not allow us to remove. She also had stage lights that were included in the package. When we went to view the hall 2 weeks before the wedding reception date, we noticed the stage lights were not plugged in. When we asked her about it, she stated she would charge us $200 to plug in the stage lights. We opted to go with a private lighting company, and when we brought them in for an estimate, the owner said she would read the PG & E meter herself the moment we get there to set up, and then read the meter again the minute we leave, and would charge us for the electricity use (since we were not using her lights, she wanted to make her $ back somewhere). The Thule that she did not allow us to remove, with Christmas lights strung on it, she charged us $150 to turn on those lights.
4. The main reason we chose this hall was because #1, you could bring in your own catereres. #2, you could bring in your own alcohol and bartenders. This was clearly stated in the contract. 2 weeks before the wedding, she stated all alcohol had to be purchased by her, and we had to have a police officer on duty that she would hire at $85/hour. Keep in mind we signed the contract 1.5 years before the event, and all this comes out 2 weeks before.
5. Throughout the whole event, she would dress up as a guest and lurk through our reception. We found her behind the bar a few times taking 1/2 filled Remy bottles and hiding them under the bar. We also found her in the bathroom, looking at our belongings that had to be stored there. My dress that was vandalized was found on the floor in the corner. Who did it, we do not know. Yet my mom caught her in there on 2 different occassions, just looking at our stuff.
6. We tried to set up a few chairs in the back area so our smoking guests would have somewhere to sit. However, she came out and stated we rented the hall itself, and not the outside. Yet she was teaching a yoga class in the hall all the way up until 5pm. Our ceremony started at 6pm. So we were not able to set up decorations in 1/3 of the hall that she was using for her yoga class.
7. When we signed the contract, it stated the hall was $4,500 with cleaning fees included. We put down a deposit of $1,000 and had to pay the balance of $3,500 2 weeks before the event. When we went in to pay the deposit, she stated the $1,000 was just for cleaning fees, and we still owed her $4,500.
So future brides, event planners, my fellow yelpers, please beware. This lady made it such a horrible experience for us. And she held full control and power since we were already there that day with 430 of our guests. She knew it was too late for us to change venues. DO NOT CHOOSE THIS VENUE!! She added stress to a day that needed no additional stress. She paid no respect to any of our guests, any of our vendors. She goes back on her word. If you DO decide to go with her, make sure you have every single thing in writing, down to "electricity included". read more