I have known for a very long time that I wanted to get married at the Chrysler Museum. I am a lover of art history, specifically of the renaissance, baroque, and neoclassical art t...hat dominates the inside and outside of the museum. I chose my venue before I was even officially engaged. So to look back at my experience at the museum, my expectations were high, and for the most part, those expectations were met. Mary Collins was my contact for the venue, and for the most part, she was very responsive and accommodating. The rental was expensive, but the contract included many items that other venues did not.
The two main issues that drove me to a less than perfect rating both originate from the idea of preferred vendors. First, as a bride, I was always looking for the best deal and best value. I had no choice over the catering company that I could use for the reception. The company came highly recommended when it came to their food, and this recommendation proved accurate, but as I expected, the customer service was very poor until I was finally paired with a specific coordinator that cared and was talented in her position.
The other issue I had was the treatment of some of my chosen vendors. It was made clear that the museum personnel treated vendors differently. This was made most clear during my bridal shoot. When looking online at previous bridal portraits, areas in the museum that were open to preferred vendors, were denied access by my photographer and myself. Moreover, during a few meetings, a lack of professionalism was highlighted by some comments appearing to have the purpose of bullying my vendors. I understand that the Chrysler is a well-respected art institution, but by no means should vendors be treated differently because of the price they pay to be listed on a preferred list.
I am so happy with my choice in the Chrysler, and I was happy with how everything turned out. These negative points were very small factors in the overall experience.