The Crystal Ballroom Fort Lauderdale LLC

If I could give zero stars, I would. My wedding at Crystal Ballroom Beach Place was supposed to be one of the most joyful and memorable days of my life, but the venue's unprofessionalism and disorganization created a number of unnecessary and inexcusable issues. Despite sending several detailed formal complaints, I have yet to receive any response. The complete lack of accountability and customer service is appalling. Since they want to ignore me, I will leave my very detailed complaint here: * Despite being promised both a banquet captain and a day-of coordinator, we received one individual attempting to handle both roles. This change was communicated at the rehearsal, leaving no time for adjustments, insufficiency, and causing significant disorganization. * Throughout the planning process, we were introduced to three different day-of coordinators. While Mushi was excellent, Andie was unresponsive, failed to send follow-up emails, and ignored specific requests. Gus, who handled the day-of, was underprepared, misinformed, and unable to manage the execution effectively. * The day-of event coordinator was responsible for creating and implementing a timeline for the wedding day, as outlined in the contract. However, this was completely neglected, forcing me to create the timeline myself and disseminate the information to the coordinator and others during the week of the wedding. * After our grand entrance into the reception, Gus was noticeably absent and did not manage the first dance, parent dances, or other critical elements as outlined in the invoice, quote, and contract. He only reappeared when it was time to introduce a surprise performance as dancing began and then again when it was time for the send-off. * The memorial table was improperly set up in the ceremony space, despite clear instructions to place it solely in the reception area. * The cocktail hour, explicitly requested to be held on the patio, was ignored. It began in the ceremony space until we intervened, and even then, the patio lacked tables, seating, and decor. This was especially disappointing as we specifically chose this venue and ceremony time to provide our guests with a beautiful sunset view of the ocean during cocktail hour. * The seating chart was mismanaged, with the sign placed incorrectly, tables assigned improperly, and redundant table numbers displayed despite instructions to use only the ones we designed. The bride had to personally point this out to Gus. * The processional order of our bridal and groom parties was rearranged without our consent, causing confusion and undermining the carefully planned flow of the ceremony. * The welcome sign was not placed at the ceremony entrance table. Instead, the gift card box was incorrectly placed there and not at the designated reception table, as instructed. The bride had to personally point this out to Gus. * Décor lacked the vibrancy we discussed and agreed upon during the planning process. We were never shown an example of the centerpieces, and the result did not align with our vision. * The lighting in the reception room, meant to be burnt orange, required multiple corrections during the event despite prior instructions. * The dessert station still had dinner chafing pans on it when it was time for dessert, directly violating Addendum - Food Manager Policy: Section 4(n) of the contract, which requires the dinner buffet to be broken down promptly after service. * The dancing on the cloud effect malfunctioned during our first dance, and the sparklers did not go off at the correct time. These moments, meant to be highlights, were ruined. * Guests were not properly directed to the bubble send-off area, leaving no one gathered at the correct location for the send-off at the staircase. They were also inappropriately asked to return their bubble favors after the send-off, a request we never authorized. * Bar inventory was not fully accounted for, with missing open and unopened bottles despite instructions for their return. * Décor items were returned damaged, and many extra wedding favors remain unreturned. * We were forced to make multiple trips to the venue to retrieve items that should have been returned in a timely manner after the event. These issues weren't minor. They were the result of negligence, poor planning, and clear disregard for a paying client. And to make matters worse, after expressing my concerns professionally and clearly in a written complaint, I received no response. Not even an acknowledgment. I would strongly caution any couple considering this venue. The space may look beautiful, but behind the scenes is a team that does not operate with care, communication, or integrity. Once they have your money, the service stops. Save yourself the stress, the heartbreak, and the disappointment. Choose a venue that not only delivers but also respects and values the trust you place in them.