"My main frustration was with the maître d', who appeared somewhat annoyed throughout the evening and seemed eager to rush us. When it came time to choose our food options with him, we were informed that prices had increased since we signed the contract the previous year. He told us he was doing us a favor by honoring the original price. From that point on, he continually reminded us how much his suggested tip was. While I would have considered giving a respectable tip if the service had warranted it, it was hard to feel that way since the maître d' only fulfilled the usual responsibilities expected of him, without any extra effort. The waitstaff even had to pick up some of his slack, helping to fluff my wife's dress before she walked down the aisle. Throughout the day, it was frustrating that we could not locate him at times, as it seemed he was also managing other events.
Since it was raining and we couldn't have the ceremony at the gazebo, we chose to have it under the tent. However, the maître d' kept asking both my wife and me, separately, if we wanted to move it inside, as if he were trying to get a different answer from each of us. Thankfully, we were in agreement that we wanted to stay under the tent. Annoyed, and knowing it was a cooler evening, he made no effort to provide any heaters for our guests. Don’t think our complaints are isolated; the most common feedback from our guests was about the lack of guidance from the maître d' beyond the standard wedding flow. When it came to traditional wedding services like serving champagne after the ceremony, organizing the bridal party lineup, and setting out our seating chart signs, the maître d' did his job adequately. However, he fell short in terms of being accommodating and thinking on his feet.
On the positive side, the waitstaff was absolutely fantastic and extremely attentive! We received numerous compliments on the quality and quantity of the food, so kudos to them and the chef! The only downside to the food was that one of the stations we added for cocktail hour, which we paid extra for, promised sangria but it was not served.
Additionally, the front desk at the hotel was a mess. Guests were told that rooms weren’t booked when they actually were. Most of the wedding party was assigned to the same section of the hotel, except for the man of honor, who ended up on the opposite side. To make matters worse, the maître d' from another wedding even let himself into our suite the night before our big day while we were in there preparing for bed.
Overall, while we were happy with how our wedding day turned out and consider it a wonderful experience, I would hesitate to recommend this venue for a small wedding."
Lentil Soup
