Complaint Review: Academy DJ's - Richard Barker

I hired Academy DJs for my September 16, 2005 wedding. I spent months planning every song that I wanted played. I even planned when I wanted them played. A few days before the wedding, Richard Barker, the president of the company, called and told me that if I did not pay before the wedding they would not show up for the event. The contract did state that payment was to be received before they would perform their services, but it did not specifically state that meant days before the actual event. We were under the impression that when it said before the performance, that it meant before he would begin on that day. Which is what most companies do. However we were wrong. So even though I already had a check made out to the company to give to the DJ the day of, there was no way I could get it to their office in time for it to clear. So I had to put the whole event on my credit card. I didn't understand why they didn't ask for the money the several times we talked to DJ Tony B about the big day- who was the DJ Academy DJs subcontracted for my event - but there was nothing I could do about it at the time. Finally it's my big day. Every one was there...except the DJ. When my husband called DJ Tony B and asked where he was, he informed my husband that he was at home...in Wisconsin. That he had the days mixed up and thought our wedding was the next day. Even though my contract clearly stated September 16th....even though every form I filled out on-line and submitted to the company said September 16th...DJ Tony B still thought it was the 17th. He also failed to mention the emergency services that Academy DJ claimed to provide for such an instance. Richard Barker told me about it the day AFTER the wedding...which did not help at all. Frantically the hall searched for a DJ near by to come and cover for this gigantic error of Academy DJs. Two hours later, the new DJ finally showed up, but since I picked different music than what is typically played at a traditional wedding, he didn't have most of it. Our receiving line was rushed through because we were so behind, with music from a CD the hall provided. Our introductions into the reception were done by the people at the hall without the music I chose. We then ate to the music the hall played from that CD for us. I did not get to dance with my new husband to the song I wanted to. I did not get to dance with my father to the song I wanted to. My husband did not get to dance with his mother to the song he wanted to and so forth. Basically every song I picked for the special dance to the cutting of the cake was not what I chose. We also had to pay the new DJ the same money that was promised to Academy DJs even though he wasn't there for 2 of the hours that Academy DJs was supposed to be there. When I talked to Richard Barker on September 17th explaining what DJ Tony B told my husband, he was appalled and promised to not only give me my entire amount, including the deposit, back, but to "round up a bit" for my trouble. Well finally the credit hit my credit card, but the money he said he would send to "round up" was not there. When I questioned him about it, he replied that he did not recall saying he would give me anything extra. That he did all he was legally required to do. I mentioned to him that an attorney friend of mine said the very least Academy DJs should do would be to pay for the 2 hours that were lost due to the error of his company. But my friend was wrong. Mr. Barker did the very least he could do....nothing. He did give me my full $545 back and the $50 deposit we paid back in February to hold the date, but he said if I had any further issues about this I should contact DJ Tony B myself. That he hired Tony B as a sort of subcontractor and that he was the one responsible for the error....not Academy DJs. I did point out to Mr. Barker that my signed and dated contract was with his company Academy DJs NOT Tony B, but apparently that didn't matter. The company did do what they were legally entitled to do, but that still doesn't change the fact that I lost 2 hours of my wedding. That my very special day that I planned down to the tiniest detail went completely wrong. That I had to rush through my dinner and photos so that I could talk to the new DJ because he didn't have any of my music for the special dances, or any other important part of my special day for that matter. I was incredibly upset, but the new DJ did the best he could do. I understand that Academy DJs doesn't have to reimburse me for the hours lost, or for the aggravation they caused me and my husband, but something should be done. I found this website while playing around on my computer and had to send this on. I don't want another bride to be horribly humiliated and crushed on her big day because Academy DJs hires people that do not show up. Please feel free to respond to this email address if necessary. I have already emailed Mr. Barker a few times about all of this, but have since asked him to please not email me again. I didn't want to argue with him anymore about who said what and who did what wrong. So please do not ask him to respond to me on this in any way shape or form. I didn't do anything wrong....Academy DJs did and I think other brides out there deserve to know what happened to me to perhaps prevent it from happening to them. Thank you,

Mariann
Cocoa Beach, Florida
U.S.A.