Sogno D'Elite Events, LLC

e. With 64 guests, they said only one bartender was included (one per 50 guests), which immediately felt like a red flag — 64 people lining up during cocktail hour for one bartender didn’t make sense. So we paid extra for a second bartender. Both, however, were scheduled to start at 5pm when cocktail hour began. This meant any alcohol served prior to 5pm had to be an additional fee. The issue came up with the “complimentary welcome drink” listed in our contract which meant only water with lemon. Since we wanted guests to be greeted with champagne upon arrival around 4pm, we paid additionally for a champagne welcome cart. We later realized the champagne we paid extra for was placed at cocktail hour instead of at the entrance, so no guests received it before the ceremony — defeating the purpose. Since champagne was already included in the alcohol package, we would not have paid extra for 50 glasses just to have it served during cocktail hour. And later for the reception toast, a few of our guests over 21 did not get champagne, but my 6 year old nephew was given a glass at his seat. The situation felt like a scam especially since Sogno D’elite is a recommended vendor at Secret Gardens and is very familiar with the venue. Another disappointment was the seafood tower. It was expensive, and what we received was underwhelming. We chose calamari, oysters, and shrimp. They forgot cocktail sauce for the shrimp and simply dumped the calamari into a bowl of marinara sauce. The bar was closed during speeches even though we paid extra for an additional bartender, and guests were turned away when they tried to order drinks. The owner later said our planner made the decision, but since we paid for the bar package, we felt that should have been confirmed with us. Even though it was about 30 minutes, we weren’t compensated for the lost time, and a long line formed once the bar reopened. We also never got to finish our meals. We were served burrata salad with everyone else, but during the speeches and while greeting guests and taking photos, we didn’t have a chance to eat it. When we sat back down, our salads were gone. No one asked if we were finished. Given how expensive Sogno D’Elite’s food and bar package is, we felt we should have at least been able to enjoy our meal and not feel rushed. The biggest issue was the entrée: we paid a premium for filet mignon, but what was served appeared to be a different, lower-quality cut and was overcooked. We were told it may have sat too long on the grill, which was especially disappointing considering it was served to the groom. We chose medium for everyone who picked the fillet. The owner later said we could have asked for a new piece, but in the middle of your wedding with everything going on emotionally and mentally — the last thing you want to do is let anything ruin your day. We only had 40 guests choose filet mignon, a small wedding, and they still couldn’t get it right. The owner was not present and relied on secondhand information, while several guests commented that the filet was very overcooked. Ironically, the following week we had a $28 filet at Carrabba’s Italian Grill that was way better than what was served at our wedding. The owner only reimbursed us for the extra 50 glasses of champagne we paid for- nothing else.