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Just Said Yes April 2021

Wedding Venue breaking contract?

Rikki, on April 1, 2021 at 1:25 AM Posted in Planning 0 5
My fiancé and I have been a very flexible “Covid” couple, and completely understand rolling with the punches. However, we could really use any advice regarding how to deal with changes posed by our wedding venue.
We booked our venue last may (2020). The venue is a boutique hotel, with 4 event spaces - courtyard, kitchen, dining room, and living room- and advertises for the use of their front lawn for cocktail hours when renting all event spaces. The rental agreement we signed stated we would have the venue from Friday April 23 at 11AM to Sunday April 25 at 11AM with all event spaces booked out. This was finalized nearly a year ago. We have already solidified our rehearsal dinner plans at the venue for Friday night with other vendors and rentals for these event spaces the day of the wedding.
The venue has undergone new ownership and extreme renovations since we singed the agreement; which I would have known nothing about if I did not work across the street. To the point that it is not the same venue we purchased. Not only has it lost any “historic” feel, several of the rooms booked by our family were converted from double to single rooms without notification, sending many scrambling to find beds elsewhere. On top of accepting our wedding would have a different “feel” than we intended (which we accepted gracefully) when I sent our venue coordinator our headcounts 30 days out, she told me that we did not have the event space rented for Friday night. She also informed me that the living room would no longer allow food and drink; which is the main interior area, where our cake was supposed to be set and cut, and where part of the cocktail hour was to take place. The other change was that the front lawn would be under construction and off limits. Not only does this impede the waterfront view, it also removes the space for the satellite bar and cocktail tables already purchased for the front lawn for the remaining cocktail hour area. Our coordinator is very familiar with the venue, and planned our rentals and layouts accordingly, which were finalized prior to being told any of these things (less than 30 days out). These recent changes with the new ownership are throwing curveballs, and I’m pretty sure breaking contract? I’ve scoured our contract, and the only provision which references amendments states changes or modifications to the contract must be signed by both parties, and I didn’t sign anything related to any of the above.I’ve asked the venue coordinator to honor our contract, but haven’t heard anything back. Any advice is helpful!

5 Comments

Latest activity by MK, on April 1, 2021 at 8:03 AM
  • Rebecca
    Master August 2019
    Rebecca ·
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    I would ABSOLUTELY bring up this contract to the venue, ask to see *their* version, and possibly seek legal counsel.

    I'm so sorry, that's really messed up.

    • Reply
  • Elizabeth
    Super June 2021
    Elizabeth ·
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    You're close to your date, so I would bring this up immediately. Go through your contract today and make sure to flag the provisions that entitle you to certain things. In addition, having the venue with the same capacity it had when you signed may be implied. Do you have a lawyer friend who can help you draft an email?


    If they don't fix this, I would take them to court. Also I would leave a bad review, but only if court fails or you don't want to go.
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  • Erin
    Expert May 2021
    Erin ·
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    I would look for anew venue ASAP
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  • Katie
    VIP August 2020
    Katie ·
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    Hi Rikki, we too had serious issues with our venue and had rolled with the punches the whole way through. What we did was show up in person (unannounced because we weren’t getting response) and asked to speak with the General Manager or Owner. My now husband was with us on FaceTime and I was there in person. My husband is more assertive so he explained all of the concessions we were ok with during covid and stated our case. Escalate from within their company and speak to the top of the house. Good luck!!! ❤️
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  • MK
    Expert September 2021
    MK ·
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    Wow, I absolutely feel like this was a break in contract. It's a totally different venue with different, or lack of, the accommodations you agreed to when you booked the venue. I would be completely livid.

    I agree with Elizabeth. If it were me, I would immediately get a lawyer and take legal action if they don't fix it. That is totally insane.

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