early evening party and venue has booked room out for the morning!

Oh no, that's terrible, I can't believe they've done that - it's disgusting - they should be doing everything they can to help make your day run as smoothly and be as memorable as possible!! I would argue the point that they shouldnt have double booked- what does your contract say?

OK, do you have anything in writing confirming you have access from, say, 3pm? If so, they are in breach of contract. However, with 2 weeks to go it's unlikely they will cancel either you or the other booking.

Worst case scenario is that you have access from 5pm. So, work out priorities, and get friends and family onside to help. Do you really need chair covers? Tables can be laid and flowers set out in half an hour if the florist helps as well, and the venue has staff to help you. Sure, a band needs a while to set up, but do you need the band to start at 5.30? Or can they set up in the background while you eat and have drinks?

I do sympathise - my initial venue hid a lot of facts and costs from us, and we've decided to change, and got a cancellation from another place we like, so it's fine. That's with 5 months to go though, not 2 weeks. Fingers crossed you can come to some arrangement with the venue

The contract doesnt mention any timings but we did make it clear from the first meeting we had with them what timings we wanted. the notes they had when my partner went there today didnt even have what food people had ordered for the wedding breakfast even though i clearly told them that everyone would have lamb!

The problem with a band is sound checks etc. its impossible for a band to setup in silence!

OK I suppose it depends what you're doing as they set up. I went to a marquee reception last year where it was afternoon tea followed by hog roast, then a band. The band were setting up between the 2 food servings and while people were eating the hog roast buffet. All actually in the marquee, and people just chatted and mingled while they were doing their checks. Didn't really matter. I can't remember if an other music was playing at the time, but I don't think so. Of course if you are doing a formal meal with speeches, it's a different matter.

If it's going to be a big problem, then you need to ask the venue to tell you how they propose to allow you time for set up etc. Don't let them put the onus on you to sort it. I can understand them wanting a lunchtime event as well if you're only taking the "evening slot" but 5pm finish really is too late. I honestly would be posing every question (in person) along the lines of "so, when do the band set up?" "ok if the other event ends at 5 and we start at 5.30, who puts the chair covers on, and when?". Make them come up with the solutions.

Does the venue have another function room that they can move the other booking to? personally having worked in the restaurant industry for a number of years, the room will not be turned around in that time! my main worry would be that ...

firstly if the earlier function finishes at 5pm, their guests will not leave fully until about 15/20mins after that (venues don't usually chuck out on the dot) i would imagine they will have a last orders for them and then people will filter out which i doubt will be dead on 5!

secondly if the first party makes any kind of mess e.g party poppers/confetti they put on tables/food or sweet wrappers or food dropped on the floor etc then the room will need a full clean up and vacuum before you even begin to set up...

depending on how formal your seating is (if they are setting up places) this also takes time and im pretty sure even a professional venue dresser couldn't put on 150 chair covers and sashes in 30mins!...minus the band i just don't think the room will be ready...

Has the venue said that they have messed up with the bookings or are they saying they booked the other party knowing you were wanting to be in at 5.30pm and don't see the problem? It's tricky as you have nothing in writing but to be honest if they knew it was a wedding reception then i don't care if your reception was starting at 7.30pm surely they knew you would still need to set up?!?! and even 2-2 1/2 hrs isn't really enough for everything you need!!

Even if you were having a birthday party somewhere they let you have the room more than 30mins before it starts so if they use the excuse of not knowing how much you had to set up then thats rubbish.

In my opinion they have been greedy, they have been asked about another booking and thought why not for the extra money? when infact they have now upset you (and i would imagine the other function if they get thrown out early)

I think you need to phone the venue tomorrow and demand that they sort it out...if they don't have another function room (or could they turn their restaurant ares into the function room?) then I think they need to speak to the other party and see if they can find another venue or move the party earlier and own up to their problem....

I feel really sorry for you...if your not hapy with their response then don't just settle! as i say wedding or not ANY function would usually have longer that 30mins to set up so they need to sort it!

Good Luck!! x

Id be fuming if that were me and demanding they cancel the other function. I take it the other function isnt a wedding? If not they should really put you first and at least try to to sort something out with the other people, move them to another room or compensate them for postponing. Kick up a big fuss, this is your wedding day after all...are u getting married at the same place? How can they expect you to have your ceemony then have to take time away from your guests to set up the room! Its well out of order, I would definitelt direct them to this forum and tell them if they cant sort something out youll be expecting a discount!

You obviously need to speak to the venue in order to try and get this sorted out. However, if you don't actually have anything in writing then it may be very difficult to force their hand.

Having worked in the events industry for many years, I would also say that unfortunately, unless you have paid to have the room for set-up from 3PM, the venue are perfectly within their rights to have booked out the space before then. Though, obviously with the timings you have mentioned it isn't very good planning on their part.

Hope you manage to come to a reasonable agreement with them!

I'm afraid I think Stripey's got it spot on really. I was in the same position with the hotel where I'm getting ready, I asked for an early check-in so I'd have access to my room for hair & makeup and was told I basically had to pay for the night before to guarantee this.

I think it's a little unreasonable to expect the venue not to accept bookings for the room at any other point on a day where you've only booked from 5pm, it's a business so they're going to do what makes them money. HOWEVER, having said that they do appear to have left a very small window to turn the room around in and you are right to seek assurances that sufficient time has been left to ensure the room is able to be set up how you want it to be presented. They do have an obligation to be professional about that.

If your booking is effectively on a room hire only basis, as your post suggests, all they are obliged to do is ensure the room is available to you from the time of your booking. If you are setting up yourself, I guess they would have expected you to book from a time that allowed you to do this. As for the band set up and testing, as you had warned them they'd need access from 3pm, it's strange that they didn't offer you the option to book the room from that time instead but if your booking is from 5pm you can't really insist on it. I hope a compromise can be found though.

Good luck!

Its not on room hire basis only. We are having the wedding breakfast at the venue as well, but that is only for around 20 people. The main part was the party in the evening, for which we have paid the venue over £2000 for the buffet alone!

just to clarify my whole day is at the venue except for the ceremony itself

What time is your wedding breakfast? im presuming you are having this in one room and moving into the evening room at 5.30pm? is there another room that the other function can move to? i understand what people are saying about the hiring it from the time you need to set up but from the venue's we have been looking at we are wanting the ceremony in one room and wedding breakfast in another (some even have a third for the evening) personally i wouldn't even think to ask if i could set up my wedding breakfast room more than half an hour before because i would presume that i could!!

I think the venue are in the wrong because if your having your wedding breakfast before 5pm and they are expecting you to set up from 5pm, when are you supposed to set up? during your wedding breakfast? what if you can't afford professional venue dressers and wanted to do it yourself (i know we couldn't afford one!!) usually if you are having the whole day at a venue the contract should state a time that you will have the room from and I would imagine this would count for both rooms as you aren't going to set one up, use that room then set another up for the evening...

personally i think they have made a mistake and they should try and accomodate the other function elsewhere!!

x

The ceremony is at 1pm in a local church and then the wedding breakfast is in the venue at 1pm for immediate family only. The evening reception then is planned to start at 5:30pm in the same venue but in a different room.

The venue have known our plans all along, so ive got no idea how the expect us to set up the evening recpetion unless we could do it in the morning. We did specifically ask if we could setup in the morning and only 2 weeks ago we were assured that it would be no problem at all.

The florist was planning to arrive at the venue at 11am to set up flowers etc, and the chair covers are also being delivered there the day before

Hiya

Speak to the venue as Im sure they will do their best to help as long as you are firm with them. We had a misunderstanding with ours regarding flowers and expected a meeting with all involved (ie Hotel manager, wedding Co-ordinator). We explained that regardless of who's fault the misundersatnding was it was still the reason we booked their venue I metioned that I had asked advice on here without naming company but was clear that I would! Also if they dont help could you put everything off by half an hour or so ie talk to band and explain and explain to guests. I would expect a hugh discount from venue if this happens or maybe venue could speak to other party involved for you, Maybe they would let band etc up etc Hope some of this helps x x x

Unfortunately theres no chance of a discount, we've paid in full as the wedding is in 16 days! also, moving things back is not ideal as invites have gone out a long time ago etc

I'd advise against using Hitched to blackmail them, try speaking to them civilly as mrs H suggested and move the balls back into their court. make them solve the problem, tell them they need to set up the room ready for your guests in 30 mins flat or it does become breach of contract.

From what you have said here, they need to sort out the other function and either cancel or find them an alternative...
If i'm to put myself in your shoes, we will not be having a professional florist as i will be using my own glass for centrepieces and doing flowers ourselves, and we will not be having any professional venue dressers. I am fully expecting that me and my family can go to the venue in the morning and set up BOTH the wedding breakfast and the evening room up, obviously use the wedding breakfast room first and then move through to the evening room...there is noway that i would want them setting up my evening room without me with only 1/2 hour! especially if you have paid professionals to come and set up (florist and chair covers) I would imagine that they won't be happy with the amount of time given for set up as it could also affect their level of service! e.g chair covers will be rushed!

I think you should arrange a meeting with the venue asap...you need to be firm, i wouldn't threaten them but I would tell them the reasons you booked with them etc and make sure they know you aren't happy with the service!!

They have made the mistake so they can sort it! if they offered you the two rooms to use one after the other, there should not be a gap inbetween for a rushed set up! I don't envy you but I think you need to be firm and make sure they sort out THEIR problem!

Good Luck! Hope your day goes the way you want!

x

WSS - If you have asked for morning access as recently as two weeks ago and now there is another function, someone has made a massive c*ck up at their end and they need to get it sorted. Hope it all works out for you in the end!

The thing is we dont have proffesionals to setup for us! only the florist is setting up flowers, everything else is being done by us including fitting 150 chair covers and sashes!

I really hope u get it sorted welly_59, keep us all posted!!xxx

Well then it's even more important you get the room earlier...im pretty sure your mum/auntie/sister whoever isn't going to sneak off after the wedding breakfast to put the chair covers on and im pretty sure the venue won't offer to do 150 chairs in 30mins!

i can only see it working if they cancel the other function OR give them a different room!! x

Have you phoned the venue yet this morning?

When you do I would make sure you ask them why you were assured things were ok 2 weeks ago, but now things are different. When did they make the booking for the 2nd function - they would have been obliged to tell you about it when they booked it, and if they've known about it for months, but then mislead you, then there has to be grounds for something in that.

As other people have said - put the onus on them. Tell them you expect them to have that room 100% ready by 17:30, or they breach the contract. It is thier responsibility to rehouse the other event if they need to.

Maybe they'll get all hands on deck to get your room ready for you as quickly as possible even if it's not ready for 5.30pm and let your guests into the bar or the room you're using for the WB whilst you're all waiting for the other room to be made ready. As it is their error I'd also expect them to provide each guest with a free drink while they wait for your room.

I was a BM a couple of years ago and after the WB and speeches we were all herded out of the main room into the bar and left there to wait unti they had made the room ready for the evening reception. I think it was about an hour. Not great but we just had a drink. The band set up might be an issue but I'm sure they'll work around it.