Hi I need some advice on marquees if anybody can help as I don't know if my venue are screwing me over! We booked a viewing for our venue about 2 months ago and the wedding coordinator showed us around then sat down with us and went through the prices and packages we said at this point that we wanted a marquee on the grounds as we had seen them in some pics of other weddings at this venue and they were beautiful she said that's fine but we would have to 'rent' the grass out the back for a fee of £1450 (which was annoying seeing as the package included full exclusivity of the venue for the whole day) but we thought that was standard and agreed she then later that day emailed me with marquee company's that the venue recommend, a week later we decided to secure the date for next year in September on a Saturday by putting down the £1000 deposit that was required, the woman on the reception wasn't very helpful just took the money and gave me a receipt. So 2 months on myself and my partner were starting to look at booking our band etc so I sent a email to the wedding coordinator asking general questions and also asked would the venue be setting up out marquee or is that down to the marquee company- well she came back with a reply saying no the marquee company would have to do that and that we would also have to share our marquee of somebody had a wedding at the venue on the Friday with no cost going towards us (they just use our £4000 marquee) because we are new to this we were a little baffled as to how someone else could use our marquee? So we were at a wedding fair last week and a couple who have run a marquee company for 15years had a chat with us and when I mentioned the use of our marquee their jaws hit the floor and they said they had never heard of that, they said the carpets will be destroyed for our day on the Saturday if someone was in there on the Friday and they would need to go in and set out marquee up on the Friday with the light and drapes etc so I went back to the venue and they won't budge they said that if we don't want the marquee used we have to pay £5000 to rent the whole house on the Friday. I annoyed that I wasn't told this on my initial look around the venue and upon paying my deposit it's a non refundable one! Has anyone heard of this happening? Is it normal? Any help would be great!
Met my dream man on Halloween 2012
Proposed to me in Spain 22nd July 2014
Getting married 12 september 2015
Marrying my forever best friend :-)
CommentAuthorbarbie86
I think that's utterly ludicrous for numerous reasons. However, you are in a difficult position as you have already handed over a deposit (this is why it is SO important to go through EVERYTHING in the contract with a fine-tooth comb before handing over any money or signing anything).
I would probably send your wedding co-ordinator an email listing why their proposal is so ridiculous, with the main issue springing to mind being that the contract for the marquee will be with you. Thus, legally, if there is any damage, YOU will be liable for it. They cannot and should not be insisting on other people being allowed to use it for that reason alone. There will also be significant wear and tear caused if other people use it; however, this would be the least of my concerns.
Also, IF this is the policy (and I struggle to see how it can be) this should have been made clear when you booked. So go back through any emails/written communication/the contract and copy and paste everything pertaining to the 'lawn hire' and marquee. If there is no mention of it anywhere there, I don't see that they have a leg to stand on.
If you don't get anywhere with her, go above her head and speak to her manager. And always follow up any verbal correspondence with her with an email referencing the date and time you spoke and what was discussed. It sounds paranoid but I did this throughout the planning process, because frankly I just don't trust people, and there is a difference between someone 'agreeing' to x y and z in person, and having written confirmation of that agreement.
Good luck!
CommentAuthorIrishbride2be
Thank you for your reply! I thought that about the wear and tear also! They sent out a copy of our T&Cs a week after we paid the deposit and it doesn't say anything about the marquee in that. I wouldn't of put the deposit down if we were initially told this we would of looked else where it's just annoyed me they throw this at me after I paid the deposit! I wanted to go in and set up the marquee with my mum and bridesmaids and set up the tables how I want them etc but the venue have said we can't not until the Saturday morning incase someone else is using it! We've looked for another venue and nowhere has any dates for next year in September left. I'm at my wit end with my venue it's really starting to stress me out!
Met my dream man on Halloween 2012
Proposed to me in Spain 22nd July 2014
Getting married 12 september 2015
Marrying my forever best friend :-)
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Ahh OK well that makes more sense; for some reason I read it as the venue were saying you had to set up on the Friday, not that YOU wanted to (if that makes sense).
OK, so, I can see where they're coming from. You have exclusive use on Saturday, not Friday. So you have no real right to set up the marquee on the Friday. Think about it this way: let's say you weren't having a marquee, and were expecting the grounds to be 'empty' for your photos. Then on the day you arrive to find a big chunk of lawn taken up with a marquee, that you weren't expecting, and can't use. You probably wouldn't be too pleased and might wonder why it couldn't have just been set up the following day.
I'm not sure that the venue will compromise here, and I can now understand why.
So, I think you need to just book the marquee set up for the Saturday; they should be able to get in first thing presumably, so I wouldn't worry too much about that. As far as setting up the tables goes, surely your venue should be able to do this for you if you give them a plan? With ours, I just dropped everything off at the venue the week before (table names, table name holders, seating plan, post box, favours, menu/name cards etc) with post-its on all of them saying what they were and where they need to go. If they can't/won't (I really can't see why not) consider hiring a day of co-ordinator to do it for you, or, rope in some good friends/family members who aren't in the bridal party and ask them to help.
But yeah, I think they're probably not going to agree to you setting up on the Friday, though maybe you could ask that if by x date they have no bookings, could you set up on the Friday? That's a possible compromise.
CommentAuthorIrishbride2be
The venue have said from day one when we first viewed it that they always set the marquees on the Thursday so my thoughts were surely we should of been told right then that our marquee would be used by another wedding. They left that whole part out until we have paid the deposit which I think is unfair as I wouldn't of booked else I feel misinformed tbh :-/
Met my dream man on Halloween 2012
Proposed to me in Spain 22nd July 2014
Getting married 12 september 2015
Marrying my forever best friend :-)
Of someone else is using the venue of the Friday and want use of the marquee, they should have to take out there own contract with the marque company for the use of it.
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CommentAuthorSprucey
This is very strange! The contract for the marquee is surely in your names you have a contact directly with the marquee company and organise it with them surely it's nothing to do with the venue as you've hired the space from them at great cost! But surely could it not be set up on the Saturday? It's the same as if you were having a bouncy castle or something in the grounds other people don't get to use it you've paid for and are responsible for it!..
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CommentAuthorIrishbride2be
the venue and the marquee company have said they have to be set up 2 days before just because of how big they are and how much work goes in to setting it up etc I'm still waiting for my venue to come back to me with so kind of negotiation. I'm at my wits end with all of this i can't get excited about my wedding or even book anything for inside the marquee or even for my big day because i don't know if i will stick with this venue which then we can't find anywhere else with availability! just one vicious circle:-(
Met my dream man on Halloween 2012
Proposed to me in Spain 22nd July 2014
Getting married 12 september 2015
Marrying my forever best friend :-)
CommentAuthorJessica29792
That is ridiculouos, at the very least if someone MUST use your marquee on the Friday then you should tell your venue that you must be given half payment towards the marquee as it is not being used solely for you! I have never heard of a venue doing or saying something so stupid, and if I am honest I would ask for my money back. The wedding coordinator is supposed to be there to make your wedding day be exactly how you want it to be and not to tell you what you can and can't do. Most venues would usually say there is a specific time that all your florists etc. should be at the venue to bring all your decorations and whatnot in. This definitely shouldn't be the day before! At my venue we have exclusive hire of the full house and grounds which also includes the marquee. They say on the day all our contacts should arrive at the venue for about 11am, bridal party arrives at 12 pm, guests at 1pm and ceremony starts at 2pm! You should ask your venue what times they would recommend for everything as stated above and then ask them why they want you to bring the marquee in the day before your wedding for somebody else to use completely free of charge x
