Luminary Hotel & Co.

responses from the events team. I’m sharing this so other couples can make an informed decision. We chose this property after months of venue shopping, largely because of the water view. We signed our contract in March 2026 based on the written payment schedule: a deposit at signing, additional payments at six and three months out, and the remaining balance one week before the event. In May, we learned we were expecting and asked to move our date back roughly a year, to a similar weekend the following year. Our coordinator confirmed the new date by phone and said an amendment would follow. After no follow up, we contacted them again a week later. We then heard nothing for two months until a new contract arrived without explanation. When we didn’t immediately sign it, we were prompted to sign urgently. Only then did we notice the payment schedule had changed to add a new deposit due within two weeks. When we asked if that payment could be delayed, not because we couldn’t cover it, but because we wanted to prioritize setting money aside for the baby, we were told over the phone that “the contract is fair, and technically we could have charged you an extra few thousand dollars for rebooking.” No one acknowledged the two month gap in communication on their end. We ultimately canceled. We asked the hotel to return our deposit, partly because their contract describes a sliding scale cancellation schedule based on how far in advance a cancellation occurs, and because we had been told their booking window does not open until approximately a year out. Management denied our request in writing, calling it a “final determination.” They also noted that they had tried calling us a second time but hadn’t reached us. Both calls came while we were in client meetings, and we called back immediately and left voicemails that went unanswered. We were simply trying to coordinate a conversation at a workable time. Instead, we felt like an inconvenience rather than valued clients. The reason for our cancellation, a lack of hospitality and communication from a hospitality business, was never meaningfully addressed. We moved our ceremony with another venue without an additional fee. They responded warmly and thanked us for freeing up a date during a busy season. We’re out our deposit, but relieved we discovered these issues before the wedding. I’ve planned corporate events professionally, so I understand that busy periods happen and communication can occasionally fall short. What stood out was the repeated pattern and the way we were treated as paying clients. I’ve also stayed at Marriott properties for years without a single issue, so I had certain expectations. This was the first Marriott affiliated property where I felt the financial side of the relationship was being prioritized over the client experience. Even after everything that happened, the events team was unwilling to offer Marriott Bonvoy points as a goodwill gesture for the several thousand dollars we had already spent. I’m sharing this so couples know what the communication and customer service experience may look like before committing to one of the biggest and most expensive events of their lives.