Wedding Back from the trip upstate... not impressed?

[meresal]

Thanks for everyone's help in the decision making. I decided to drive, and got alot more done than I would have if I hadn't had a car!

I left at 7 yesterday morning, got to the airport in Dallas 30 minutes before FMIL's flight was to land... and it was an hour late. LOL. So we take a car to the wedding coordinator for the meeting and it lasted... ready for this, 45 minutes!!! She had nothing for us except 3 venue ideas, and she hadn't even called to see if they were available! Her first idea was one that FI and I have been talking about for weeks now, so we are going with that one. We ask her about table linens and she hands us a 3' binder that had about 400 fabric swatches to flip thru.

She said that they had done "many" events at this venue, but when we asked her anything specific, she said, "I'll have to call and check." Honey, I can call and check, as well as order all these things on my own. I'm actually going to call the restaurant today and see if I can go ahead and reserve the patio, because she already said the agency is very busy thru this weekend, and I really don't want to take the chance of losing it. (Is this alright?)

I was just extremely underwhelmed by the entire experience. It would have been fine if we lived in the area, but to travel all day just to determine a venue and have her tell us that we will start making decision in April?!?! We could have done this over the phone.

Are my expectations too high?

ETA: And she kept saying how happy they would love to help with the wedding also. "Do you have a wedding planner as well? Do you need one? There is alot we can help with? Ohh, we can help with that? We'd love to help with that as well? Please let us know if you need help with your wedding?"

 

[neatfreak]

Well the binder with fabrics is probably expected. I would expect them to give you some advice if you want it, but otherwise I assume they''d just let you choose what you want. But really, she should have called the venues and known if they were available at the very least!

And no it''s not wrong for you to do things on your own if they can''t get them done for you. It doesn''t take long to make a phone call about availability.

Sorry it was such a bust.

 

[BeachRunner]

This is just my .02 and I know nothing about wedding planning, but, don''t you hire a wedding planner to coordinate the wedding??

IMHO, that should include making the phone calls to venues to check availability, make the reservations, etc.

And yes, I would call and reserve the location (patio) you like, because you never know who will take it.

Good Luck!

 

[bee*]

Do you have to have a planner or is there any way that you could do it without her? It doesn''t sound like she was much help. Best of luck getting your venue!

 

[gtn]

She does not seem to be very helpful. The reason you hire a planner is to help guide you through the planning process, but it doesn''t seem like this woman is the right fit for you, get someone else.

I don''t think it''s bad that she gave you the binder to look through, but I would hope that she would help you navigate through the binder.

I''m sorry this trip wasn''t productive.

 

[meresal]

Thanks everyone. I really hope it was just a fluke thing and she is a great planner.

Just arrived back in Houston, and on my way I called the venue. Not only are they already BOOKED, the area that we want you have to have a 200 person minimum. So we wouldn''t have been able to use it anyway... I''m so dissapointed.

I actually found a different coordinator in the beginning, but FMIL found and chose this one on her own. FI''s family is doing the RD, so whatever she wants goes. I called and told her that I had double checked the venue and told her I would begin looking at other places. She said not to bother, and that is why she is paying this girl. To plan. She thinks that the initial meeting was to get an idea of what we wanted and now she will be better "equipped" to find us something we want.

*Fingers crossed* I''m hoping this girl pulls through. I am glad I called and listened to my intuition. It would have been much worse if I had to hear it from the planner.

 

[bee*]

That''s so disappointing about the venue. Really sorry to hear that. I suppose if FMIL is paying of the RD then there''s not much you can do. Thankfully that girl''s not paying for the wedding! I hope that you find another great venue soon!