I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! VENUE NIGHTMARE! UPDATED - new venue booked!

OMG I'd die. We went to view a venue we both loved close to home but there's forever scaffolding up and down so opted not to have it there as we didn't want to risk it.

I would go see the other venue close by and explain the situation, see if they can negotiate the price to work with what you can offer. There's really no harm in asking them. But I would defernetly demand compensation from your current venue, and the manager needs a seeing to.

A couple of key points :

immediately start a spreadsheet of all costs lost from this screw up. Invitations/giving notice/guests hotel costs etc

speak to a no win no fee legal company or such like for information regards compensation given the venue was booked solely for a view you will now be denied without a reasonable amount of time to replace the venue.

drqft an intimidating letter informing that you are seeking legal advice - google will be your friend here. Ensure you print copies of ALL written communication and go over your contract with a fine tooth comb for loopholes you can use to your advantage

inform all your suppliers of the situation. The venue change shouldn't matter a jot to any of them but their help and support will get you further

I wouldn't advise this if they hasn't acted despicably given the amount of time they have been aware of the scaffolding etc

If they knew in September they should have not only warned you but any other people booking. People would be booking the venue for its location and most weddings have photos outside, even more so at that time of year.

They must know the selling point of their venue and it would be the windows as you said and the location as its on the river. So therefore they have missold you something as they knew they were having the work done and could not give you what you wanted!! Had they warned you it would be a different story but they did not so it is very bad on their part. I am sure you wont be the only person complaining about this.

I would check your contract, I think you are owed more than a deposit refund. The time and money you have put in and the stess it has caused is awful. I just cant beleive they knew a full year in advance and didnt even happen to mention it to you!! Awful service! Think you need to name and shame once that money has hit your bank! I would alos check with your insurance company where you stand. I suspect there is somthing in the contract small print with the venue they may have thought you would have not read!

Good luck tonight with your viewings and I am a firm beliver in everything happens for a reason! ?

xxx

I would be seeking legal advice straight away. If that goes nowhere then I would be getting the other couples together who are affected by this and speaking to my local paper to get as much bad publicity for the venue as possible. Hope it all works out for you.

Oh hun I really am sorry you've had to go through all this. I haven't got anything to add to the already good advice everyone has given you, and agree you should be due something for all the stress, heartache & extra money you'll have to pay out. I know it won't seem like it now, but I also am a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason. I do hope you manage to get something sorted out soon. sending hugs x

Quite apart from all the comments about getting legal advice, with which I agree FWIW, I just wanted to wish you the very best of luck looking at new venues this evening. Hope that it goes well and you find somewhere you can love just as much/ more when it comes down to the big day.

Fingers firmly crossed for you.

and mine! I wish you the best of luck for the new viewings!

Everyone reading this will be thinking how they would react in the same situation, and I guess most of us would say something other than "ahh well, it'll be fine!"

Other than your dress, and those nearest and dearest to you who are attending, the venue is, surely, the biggest thing! We spend ages looking for the perfect place, the investment in terms of cost and time is significant.....the cost of a new car for goodness sake, so when it all goes wrong like this, I'm guessing that most people would have a bit of a panic, to say the least.

But, you do seem to have alternatives - perhaps not ideal in terms of cost, or being exactly the right location, but it could be worse....you could be finding nothing with short notice availability and having to look miiiiiles away.

So, positive thinking from the hitched posse is with you, and what is meant to be is meant to be. I am a great believer in sometimes the best decisions are the ones you are forced to make when you least want to. Yes, its stressful, and you could really do without it. BUT you WILL have an amazing day. Come what may.

I do know how you feel - first time round, my wedding dress was being stored in the shop I bought it from. 2 weeks before my wedding, the shop went bust and the owners did a runner....with their stock.....and my dress. This was in the days before t'internet, so no one had any idea how to find them, you couldn't get something going viral on facebook or twitter to track them down. But, people rallied round, helped out, found a pageboy suit for my cousin, and petticoats for my BMs which were also being hired from the same place, (again, think pre-ebay, so not easy!) and my amazing Dad somehow (I will NEVER know how!) tracked down the runaway owners and managed to retrieve my dress, just as the bailiffs turned up......

Good luck tonight - take a deep breath and think of what an amazing day you will have

From the sounds of things wherever you end up will be 10 times better than this place. they clearly have no regard for you as a client.

our venue had the potential for having scaffold work over our wedding, but they were going to cancel weddings so as not to ruin peoples pictures/weddings/day. when they emailed me i broke down in class! so i know how you feel.

but our venue bent over backwards and actually delayed their renovations by a year just for our wedding. we were honoured! THAT is how you treat clients- not the way of this venue.

best of luck with the viewings and def go after the old venue for invite and giving notice costs!

Read all the posts, just wanted to say good luck with the viewings tonight

I would be gutted. Not to mention raging. I hope you get something sorted.

Have you looked I trip advisor or Facebook to se if there are any other couples who have had the same news? A bit of bad publicity often works wonders. Facebook went mad over this one http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2532614/Hotel-owner-refuses-refund-700-deposit-grieving-pensioner-wife-died-cancer-50th-anniversary-party-venue.html excuse daily fail link. I know the circumstances are a bit diffirent but could be the way to go

I completely sympathise with you on this! We have booked our venue for a number of reasons, but the number one reason is the beautiful views out across the beach/sea.

I would be devastated if I had to go through this, I wish you the best of luck with your viewings and hope you get it sorted! x

It's not the Runnymede on Thames is it?

How did the 3 viewings go last night? Have had my fingers crossed for you! x

Hope all went well last night, let us know how it all went. Hope it was positive! ?

xxx

Hope the venue viewings went well. How awful of them!! X

My god, how awful, I can't believe the way they treated you- I hope you do get a chance to name and shame them, that's a shocking way to treat your customers!! Good luck to you, hope you get your venue sorted quickly!

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all of your replies.

I booked the new venue and its so beautiful. I'm happy about that but extremely stressed at the amount of work its caused me. I've had to call all of my suppliers today and I've got to cancel my pianist and find new decor to fill the new venue which is bigger. I'm also worried about money because were getting a bank loan to pay the extra cost, we still had a huge discount and would never have been able to afford the new venue without it. We looked at it when we got engaged but it was out of our budget.

I have 12 beautiful pink pillar candles if anyone is interested? The new venue don't allow them....or confetti!

I think it's all worked out for the best though, its so much nicer, but most of all I trust them!

This is the window I would have got married in front of;

I'm now getting married in this room;

With Reception drinks here;

I'm weary about naming and shaming for now as I don't want to jeopardise any compensation I might get!

Nightmare, glad you have got it sorted. It is very easy to identify both venues from the pictures you have posted so maybe take them down if you are worried.

Aah I didn't comment before because I had nothing helpful to contribute other than sympathy but I'm so glad you've booked the other venue and WOW it's absolutely stunning! I hope you get the compensation and apology you deserve and I hope the rest of your planning is stress free now. x

Well done Emabee - as a local, who knows both of your venues, I'm really pleased you went for it! It's such an icon, you'll have a piece of history in your photos. Also I know your "old" venue and it doesn't surprise me that they treated you like that. Good decision!

The new venue looks amazing. Have a great day and I hope you get compensation.

Glad there is a silver lining to this nightmare. xx

.

Wowsers that new venue is stunning! I'm sorry you had to go through this but so pleased you have the new venue sorted

The new venue looks lovely, beautiful rooms

Hope all goes well with rearranging everything

Wowza what a lovely venue! I am glad you have managed to rearrange at such short notice! Happy days :-)

What a beautiful new venue! Glad you got something sorted, now take the previous venue to the cleaners!!

I love the new room you're getting married in :] it's really posh!

WOW just b.....y WOW??

New venue is STUNNING!!!!! ?

xxx

Yup - that new venue might just be good enough It's flippin' gorgeous. Glad you love it. Things usually work out for the better - just wish the ride wasn't so bumpy sometimes lol x