ComplaintsforThe Grand Manor

• Initial Complaint

  01/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 7/30/2022 I paid the Grand Manor $535 to shut down their restaurant that's inside of their wedding venue. I got married on 12/10/22 there and if i didn't pay to close down the restaurant part then people could just come and go as they pleased, it was recommended we did that. On the night of my wedding they let another wedding party have their wedding rehearsal at 8pm which is outside in the "garden" section. After their rehearsal that wedding party came into my reception through the restaurant that i had paid to close down so this wouldn't happen. I also paid $8,500 for an open bar and they also had drinks while inside the "closed" section. They put signs outside that said "closed for private event" that went ignored. The other wedding party was getting married the next day so they knew about closing the restaurant down for an event. I have reached out to the owner several times and went back to the facility. The ladys in the office have apologized for this and said they will no longer be having rehearsals like this, but i feel like my wedding shouldn't have to be the "example" wedding so this doesn't ruin someone else's wedding. The owner doesn't feel anything was wrong. He said he was sorry i felt this way. I would like to be compensated for closing down the restaurant and still letting strangers in and on top of them drinking for what i had already paid for.

  Business response

  01/11/2023

  To Whom this May ******** Thank you for contacting us in regard to our December 10, 2022 event. ******* and ****** were a pleasure to work with. Per contract, they did shut down our public restaurant for their big day. A little bit about our venue, upon walking in our main doors, there is a lobby area. About 20 feet to the left there is a public restaurant (located inside The Grand Manor). There is no access to the reception space (the grand Ballroom) from this restaurant. It's a room of its own. This restaurant, if closed privately, is used for cocktail hour at the beginning of the event and the bar.
  
  ******* paid to have it shut down. With this $500 + tax cost, we do shut it down to the public. In doing so, we put a "Closed for Private Event" sign upon walking in from the outside of our building, in front of the doors, take all online ordering off, do not take reservations, no restaurant staff works, and upon anyone entering, we kindly remind them we are Closed for a Private Event and do not serve them (food or alcohol).
  
  Unfortunately, there is no way to monitor a couple that walks into the actual building. Whether it be one of our locals that always comes to eat, individuals from the outside, or a ******* from the road. If individuals do not read or disregard the "Closed for Private Event" sign, all we can do as a venue is kindly remind them we are closed, and they leave upon request. We are very sorry that these individuals so rudely entered (whether intentionally or by mistake) however, we feel that we held up our end, as we always try to do as a venue. From Candices remarks, it made it sound like we welcomed them into the building with open arms, which is clearly not that case.
  
  Unfortunately, we believe most of her remarks to be false as well. I've attached documents from her "God send" wedding coordinator stating the individuals who entered did not have drinks, and also a document from the actual bartender that was bartending that night, that she did not serve any individuals that walked in. Again, we did shut down the restaurant to the public the night of Saturday 12/10 for her event. As much as we strived to keep *******'s day all her own guests, there is nothing else we could have possibly done. The only remaining option for permanently keeping unwanted guests out are locking the doors, which we cannot do. The Occupational Safety and ********************* has specific requirements for exit doors to maximize the safety of that of employees and clients during fires, natural disasters, terrorism, hazardous material events or other immediate crisis. OSHA-mandated details, such as the design and placement of exit doors, facilitate a clear and obvious means of quickly leaving the building in an emergency. Unfortunately, we as a venue have received many disgruntled, nasty, and untrue messages from everywhere she has posted about this situation negatively instead of handling via emails with us, in person, and ultimately here on the BBB. She has posted on ***************************** Business, and we now have individuals posting that do not know both sides of the story. Defamation is the act of communicating to a third party with false statements about a person, place or thing that result in damage to it's reputation. It can be spoken or written. While we do not wish to hold ******* accountable, it's 100% effecting our business. If you take a look at our other reviews, you can tell we take pride in our family-owned and operated business.
  
  We have written two emails to *******, and talked to her once in person, about her concerns of Saturday 12/10 and we do not feel compensation is required for these moments as we did shut the restaurant down. While it was a minute part of her big day that we wish never happened as well, and we have apologized for, we took pride in handling a situation like this quickly, smoothly, and to the best of our ability. We are happy to see ********* reviews of the venue that the "food was amazing..venue is beautiful..servers and bartenders were all so sweet, and very accommodating! Our cakes was great!"
  
  Please let us know if you need any further information from The Grand Manor. We can be reached at *************, or emailed at ************************************** We wish all parties the best and will continue to host beautiful events to the best of our ability! Chef *******, Owner and Executive Chef
  See Attachment/File: image0

  Customer response

  01/12/2023

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  This has turned out to be ridiculous and honestly, comical. I for one will never be sorry for letting others know the truth and how this was handled and also let others be aware that when they pay that extra fee to close down the restuarant, that doesn't guarantee their event with be private. If the grand manor doesn't believe this, then why do I have emails from the office staff apologizing and saying they would be upset to this if happened to them? And also, why change the way rehearsals will be will held for 2023 per, the email I received from office staff,if this wasn't a issue? The grand manor has great reviews because I'm sure they've never had a wedding rehearsal on a Saturday at 8pm on someone else's wedding night. I along with many guests seen the unwanted guests with drinks in their hands while standing in the doorway of the reception. It really didn't need to go this far, but for the simple fact the owner didn't recognize this as an issue and simply apologize himself for what happend, is the main issue, it was not "just a minute" they were inside the building either. The owner would rather say "I'm sorry you feel this way" and again, not apologize. What a shame this is.
  See Attachment/File: Screenshot_20230112-061543_Gmail.jpg

  Business response

  01/20/2023

   

  Hello!

  We have no regrets in how our staff handled the unforeseen situation. As our administrator supported, she had hoped our staff handled it professionally and as quickly as possible. After speaking with our staff and after assessing the situation, we feel that we did the best we can. Once again, we are sorry those individuals walked passed, as you stated, our lovely "Closed for Private Event" signs. We will continue to hold rehearsals prior to each wedding. We allow individuals to enter the outside garden area once you are done using the garden for your big day. At that time, you have no other use for ****************** area, and we allow a quick ***** minute rehearsal. If there is an event on a certain day, we work around everyones timeline to accommodate all parties. Your $500 went to shutting down our restaurant, which we did, to host your cocktail hour, and bar. Which was done. No outside guests were able to be served or make reservations as we were Closed for a Private Event as our signage stated. No drinks or food were served to outside guests. As an owner, I am truly sorry this happened to you on your big day. Hosting weddings almost every weekend, we take pride in doing our best with what is thrown our way. I'm sorry if you felt my apology was taken as "I'm sorry you feel this way" instead of "we were sorry this happened to you". 

   

  Please let me know if there is anything else we can assist any and all parties with! Chef *******

   

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