Temecula Creek Inn Nightmare
November 13th, 2009 § 3 Comments
To say that Paul and I just finished a terrible bout with a wedding venue is an understatement.
When we first visited the Temecula Creek Inn, we thought we had found the perfect venue after months of searching. It’s romantic and story-bookish and charming.
We sat down with the catering manager to discuss their packages and then asked if they would work with us on their package to get closer to our budget. She agreed she would do everything she could. After the first discussion she said she would get right back to us ith a new quote after she talked with the chef.
2 days passed and no word from her. I called the venue to speak with her and she apologized for not getting back to me and that she would get the quote, “right over to you.” Two days passed…still nothing. At this point I was growing frustrated and asked Paul to start calling.
Paul called for three days until his call was finally returned. She briefly apologized for the lack of communication and said she was dealing with some personal issues. She promised she would get a new quote, “by the end of the day.” We waited and waited and waited. Two days later and two phone calls later she finally sent something over.
What she sent us were prices that were half of what their advertised catering packages were. We were obviously pleased with the new quote but had a few more questions. When we got her on the phone to discuss the new quote she was short, rude and responded, “Look, I am trying to help you here but need to draw the line somewhere.” Both Paul and I were a little taken aback by her. After one week of her being unresponsive and promising to get right back to us and then not returning our calls at all, she felt like she was the one who needed to draw the line?
Maybe she isn’t used to negotiating. Maybe she is going through personal issues and they are affecting her job…I understand busy and I understand things happen but her inability to take responsibility for dropping the ball was frustrating. And the rude way she was treating us was even more off-putting. All I could think of was, what happens if she has another personal issue during the week of our wedding? Will things fall apart then too?
We decided to call the General Manager in a last attempt to try and salvage our relationship with the venue. He looked over our quote and explained that the pricing she gave us was in no way do-able. She gave us the catering packages for special corporate events and not weddings and they couldn’t even honor what she over-promised to us. He said he would put together a new quote for us that would be a great deal but we would need to move our event to a Friday or Sunday and to a month of their choosing.
After our conversation with him it was clear that this situation was way too messy and the venue was ruined. I couldn’t get past my frustration with how we were treated and I wasn’t willing to spend $30,000 on a venue that seemed to see us as nothing more than a business opportunity.
It wasn’t about the money, even though we were negotiating the best price for our wedding which is what I would think any couple having a wedding would want to do. We were willing to make it work for us because we loved it so much. But the amount of disregard the catering manager treated us with ruined the entire experience for us.
The Temecula Creek Inn apparently gets great wedding reviews but for some unfortunate reason that wasn’t our experience with them. It was problem after problem and a string of disappointments.
It is a beautiful place and no loss to them as I am sure someone will book the venue in October. But the relationship is ruined.
The vendors we’ve booked we have shared our bad experience with, our families and 150 guests are aware of our frustrations with the venue and any of my friends who are getting married, I will warn about the Temecula Creek Inn.
And while the loss of our business is no loss to them this situation has indeed affected us.
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I just saw this post… I don’t know you but I’m having my wedding at Temecula Creek Inn and I’ve had the opposite experience. I’ve found everyone there EXTREMELY helpful and accommodating, particularly the catering manager. I’m sorry your experience isn’t what you wanted it to be but I don’t see the point in dragging TCI through the mud and bragging about it online.
I am in no way bragging, simply stating my experience with them. We were truly sad about our interaction with them as it is a beautiful place and where we wanted to get married. I’m happy to hear that your experience has been the exact opposite as I wouldn’t want anyone to have our same experience.