LaFinka

experience working with the venue manager was unfortunately very difficult throughout the planning process. From our very first open house visit, communication felt uncomfortable after Rachel learned my mom owns a flower shop and would be handling our wedding florals. Since Rachel also owns an event planning/floral and decor rental business, it immediately felt like there was pressure to use her services or her preferred vendors only. One important piece of advice to future couples: read the vendor approval section of the contract very carefully. We hired our wedding planner before realizing she needed approval from the venue first. Once we found out, we immediately apologized and tried to correct the issue, but getting any communication back was extremely difficult. Our planner repeatedly attempted contact and received little to no response, and when they finally connected, my planner was made to feel very poorly despite handling everything professionally. Unfortunately, communication issues continued throughout the entire process. Rachel was consistently difficult to get ahold of, and when we were able to reach her, it often felt like our concerns or questions were not a priority. One of the most frustrating experiences happened when we scheduled an appointment to view linens and table settings. My wedding planner, my mom, one of her employees, and I all arrived on time and waited for over an hour with no communication. After finally reaching Rachel, she initially claimed there was never an appointment scheduled, but once we provided the email confirmation, the explanation changed to a family emergency involving her dog passing away. While I truly sympathize with that situation, a quick text or email would have prevented four people from sitting there waiting for over an hour with no idea what was happening. Eventually, her husband came in her place, which required us to wait even longer. At that point, we decided to continue with the venue because we had already signed the contract and genuinely loved the property itself, but we chose to work with other approved vendors whenever possible because communication had become so stressful. There were also moments where policies felt inconsistently enforced. For example, we were told we could not use real candles indoors, which we accepted, but then later saw photos shared by the venue featuring real candles being used in the exact same room we had requested. I searched extensively for reviews before booking and could not find many experiences, which is why I felt it was important to share ours. The venue itself is stunning, and our wedding day turned out beautiful, but couples should know going in that the planning and communication experience may not be easy.