Venue woes advice needed please 'flash'

I don't think it would be a deal breaker for me. What does that area normally look like without the marquee?

Will it be in the 'marquee area' on the below? Is your wedding in the house?

If it was me i would take it up with the venue and really get across that you picked the venue for the gardens and the big Marquee wasn't mentioned at the original booking.

You were obviously concerned about marquees to question the removal of the smaller one.

Yeah, I would definitely query it with the venue - did you sign a contract with them? Does it say anything in there about the marquee front?

Iv emailed the lady and said exactly that, that we loved the venue for the gardens, she's come back and said that the marquee will be up and if we want to use it then we can! I don't want the marquee at all! Basically it's just tough luck! We have paid a £1000 deposit but haven't sent the signed contract back yet, iv just read the contract, it just has the menu we agreed on and that we have full use of the outside area.

oh Kharv that's not the plans for where we are going, if you look in the picture there is a building at the top which is the coach house where we are having our reception, we are getting married in a church, the only bit of lawn is where they have put the marquee, the rest of it they leave to grow wild like a meadow.

Oh so that's the only bit of outside space there is?!

In which case, I would definitely be unhappy about that.

Yes that's the only outside space, thing is we can't afford to loose £1000 but not sure if insurance would pay out on this, she won't budge so I'm not sure what else I can actually do :-(

I think before you do anything else, it's worth looking to see if there are any other venues you like.

Do you have any more photos of your venue with the marquee up? I suppose what I'm trying to say is make sure it's not just disappointment clouding your vision - how would you have felt looking round knowing the marquee would be there?

If it does impact on your day then I think you need to arrange a meeting with the venue to discuss how they are going to compensate you (unless you want to cancel but I fear you may well not get your deposit back).

I think that's outrageous if this is a new thing since you paid your deposit or an old thing they didn't tell you about before ☹️

When you book the wedding with them do you hire out the whole grounds or can they use the rest of the property for other events etc, is there anything like this mentioned in the contract/brochure? If it says they may use the rest of the property for other events I'm wondering if she may use that argument..?

I wish I could give you some "proper" advice but I have absolutely no legal knowledge whatsoever. I wouldn't let it lie if I were in your shoes though, if it's July '14 then there is still plenty of time for her to re-sell the date and it is peak of the wedding season too.

I'm upset for you .

IMO, full use means that it is your choice whether you have the marquee or not. If it's not mentioned in the contract already, I'd mention this and say you would like your deposit back until you receive a renewed contract, fully stating what the situation is with the marquee. I think until both parties have signed the contract, you can get your deposit back at any time.

In theory, verbal agreements are as legally binding as written ones. They're just - for obvious reasons - a *** to prove.

Were there any witnesses present during the lady's original conversation? Anyone who could confirm that what she said to you is the spiel she puts on every time?

Do you have anything in writing at all? It needn't be contracts ... an email to confirm original conversations should add weight to your argument.

If you have wedding insurance you could run it past them.

If she refuses to comply / provide a refund you could check on the venue's website to see if they are authorised members of some sort of "wedding venue association" and escalate it that way.

You could also phone the CAB Consumer Helpline to check what your rights are:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_protection_for_the_consumer_e/consumer_citizens_advice_consumer_service_e/if_you_need_more_help.htm

Should everything else fail, there's always the Small Claims route, but I would be VERY wary of using it unless you have water-tight evidence in case you don't win and you get lumbered with legal costs etc.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

If it is the only space outside I can see why you are upset. Especially if it was a reason for choosing the venue. Is there anyone else you can talk to ? I didn't click with the person dealing with me and now I have someone else at our venue I can talk to as well .

I think it's a real shame that they are not being helpful ! IMO see if you can talk to someone higher up , if not ask for a meeting in regard to compensation and if your still not happy then I would say you want your deposit back. How did you pay your deposit !? At the end of the day it's whether or not it's going to ruin the day for you or whether you can over look it ?

i think if they have said total use for outdoor area the marquee should be an option ! Especially if it wasn't originally there. It's a shame you don't know if they need to use it the following day ? X

Just realised that you said you spoke to the owner - sorry :/

TOLD H2b about it - he said it takes the p*ss! He also says that if you paid the deposit based on it not being there and 'full use of gardens' you should be able to go down the route of 'false advertisement'. X