"You get what you pay for." - The truth is, you don't always even get what you pay for.
The main theme here to ask yourself is "Is this important life event for family worth putting in jeopardy?" Even when you have a signed contract and are ...over a year away and think there's no possible way this could go wrong. It can. Have you trusted in the right people to take care of you if it does?
The District shouldn't have had our trust. They did not follow up on emails in a timely fashion, when they responded it was short and uninformative, our event was double booked and there was no face to face discussion with both of us present. The event manager called my fiance and informed her over the phone that we were out and had to find a new venue. They gave us a choice, leave and get our deposit back or for a small reduction in cost we could move all our other components to fit their schedule after their mistake. There was zero assistance in mitigating their error, no offer of assistance or connections to another venue, no empathy. We were met with apathy and indifference.
Poor customer service and management are not something that you have control over. You do however have a choice in a venue and finding a place that has a reputation for ensuring your value as a client is paramount.
The service aspect of The District is non-existent. If you book with them, you'll have to demand responses and follow up on every communication you put out there because to them you're nothing but $$$ and they don't care about you and certainly don't care about your wedding. Consider how this decision impacts the person you love more than anything else. To see my future bride sobbing, in such a state of deep and utter shock and anguish - it's something I do not wish upon anyone. It's a pain and suffering that will subside but in that moment nothing can solve it. Think about that when you're considering a venue. Consider alternatives.