Annabelle Mansion --- broke contracts, demanded donations, demanded free services, the list goes on Burleson Texas
I was a vendor of Annabelle Mansion for over a year, and working with Patricia was BY FAR the most trying experience of my 10 years in this business. As the other reports suggest, she is a complete diva who flies off the handle for absolutely no reason, is drugged up and drunk pretty much all the time (often asked members of my staff if they wanted to "party" with her), and regularly engages in business practices that are at best ethically and morally corrupt, and perhaps illegal as well.
My business catered wedding functions there for some time, and never had a complaint from the wedding parties themselves. In order to stay the preferred caterer for Patricia however, she forced us to donate to her "charity" as well as provide her free meals (and lots of booze) at our restaurant, cater her Christmas party free of charge, and feed all of her employees after every wedding. We also catered two weddings free of charge that were televised (one locally and one nationally) in exchange for the press, only to watch the broadcasts and find no mention of our business or company--- the drugged out beauty queen took all the credit.
Shortly thereafter, with no warning or prior complaints, we received a phone call 48 hours before a 250 person wedding relaying that we were no longer welcome on the property, from one of Patricia's employees who obviously had no idea why Patricia had made this decision, nor seemed to agree with it. When we pressed the issue we were told it was because of declining quality of our food, although to this day Patricia has refused to answer or return any of our phone calls. Our food was the same food we had been serving since day one, and had never received a complaint regarding it.
The ONLY complaint we ever received was that at one wedding we ran out of one of the entree choices, which when we investigated we found was due to the fact that Patricia would tell us a lower guest count and pay us based on that number, yet collect on the higher guest count from the wedding party. We always brought extra food just in case, and she was counting on this; no telling how many times she did it.
When we were told we were no longer welcome, we immediatley notified the bride of the situation, who was completely unaware. After she spoke with Patricia, she relayed to us that she had been told that we had been providing horrible food and service for some time, and that Patricia had found a better more reputable caterer to replicate the menu we had created. This was a complete falsehood, but we chose to bow out gracefully lest the bride-to-be's wedding become a casualty of Patricia's insanity. We had 6 more weddings contracted in the future, and one can only guess what Patricia told them.
We cater a multitude of weddings every year, and work with multiple wedding planners, locations, and other vendors in the wedding industry. Bring up Annabelle Mansion or Patricia around anybody in DFW in the wedding business and the reactions will range from a knowing laugh and shake of the head to full on disgusted anger. Vendors, no matter what she promises, it's not worth it, trust me. And to those planning your wedding, do not let this crazy person into what should be your happiest day. Stay away at all costs!
Dfw1616
Dallas, Texas
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Joe
Austin,Texas,
U.S.A.
ALL I KNOW IS WHAT I SAW ON TV AND I SAW HER IN THERE....
#5Consumer Comment
Sat, January 17, 2009
SHE DID NOT SEEM TO BE DRUNK OR ON DRUGS ALTHOUGH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITALITY HAVE A COUPLE OF DRINKS NOW AND THEN, THIS IS SOCIAL DRINKING AND IT IS NOT DRUNK --THOSE GUYS ARE NOT MANAGING WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.
WHAT I DID THINK WAS WEIRD IS THAT HER FACE DID NOT APPEAR TO SHOW MUCH EXPRESSION DURING THE INTERVIEW WHEN SHE HAD THE CHANCE TO DEFEND HERSELF AGAINST THE VARIOUS CHARGES THAT SOMEONE WHO APPEARED TO BE A DISGRUNTLED CUSTOMER BROUGHT AGAINST HER ON A RIP OFF REPORT POSTING AND WHEN YOU OFFER A SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC, WELL, THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE US CONSTITUTION APPLIES. PEOPLE ARE FREE TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY ABOUT THE SERVICE AS THEY EXPERIENCED IT.
I WILL HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THE TWO POSTINGS THAT THE TV STATION MENTIONED AND I LOOKED UP APPEARED TO BE FROM DISGRUNTLED FORMER EMPLOYEE AND POSSIBLY A DISGRUNTLED RELATIVE OR MAYBE ANOTHER FORMER EMPLOYEE.
THE HARD FACTS OF THE CATERING BUSINESS ARE THAT NOBODY CAN PAY PEOPLE WHO SERVE TABLES OR COOK OR HELP IN A CATERING BUSINESS JUST TO SIT AROUND WITHOUT WORKING.
THIS IS AN UNCERTAIN BUSINESS -- YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN SOMEONE WILL CALL AND WANT A PARTY CATERED. THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE INDUSTRY KNOW THIS AND HAVE A VARIETY OF OTHER JOBS AND ONLY DEPEND ON THEIR CATERING JOB PART TIME. BECAUSE THEY WILL ONLY BE PAID FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO WHILE THE EVENT IS BEING CATERED. NO WORK, NO PAY. BECAUSE THAT IS HOW IT IS.
THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX IS A BIG PLACE AND THOSE WHO WANT THEIR WEDDING (WHICH WILL PROBABLY END IN DIVORCE ANYWAY) TO BE AN ANTEBELLUM FANTASY ON THAT SPECIAL DAY AND ARE READY TO PAY FOR IT -- BECAUSE ALL WEDDING SERVICE PROVIDERS TEND TO CHARGE WHAT THE TRAFFIC IS WILLING TO PAY-- CAN USE ANNABELLE MANSION. IT LOOKED BEAUTIFUL ON TV --DOWNRIGHT ELEGANT FOR REHEARSAL DINNERS, FOR ANY EVENT BESIDES WEDDINGS!
IT WOULD MAKE A GREAT SET FOR A FILM--WHICH MAKES ME WONDER WHY SHE HASN'T LET HOLLYWOOD AND OTHER LEGITIMATE FILM PRODUCTION COMPANIES ABOUT IT FOR ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME.
IT REMINDS ME OF THE FILM SET OF "GONE WITH THE WIND" AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS WOMAN HAS BEEN SINGLED OUT FOR DOING WHAT OTHER WEDDING SERVICE PROVIDERS DO --ONLY A LITTLE MORE GRANDIOSE AND TEXAS LIKE.
AND ONLY THREE BASIC COMPLAINTS IS NOT BAD...
YOU GO, GIRL!
1301
Richardson,Texas,
U.S.A.
Crazy Nonsense
#5Consumer Comment
Sat, January 17, 2009
I currently work for Patricia and have been an employee of hers for the past six years. I have never had any problems with her during my time of employment. She has treated me very well and I could not picture her ever doing anything intentionally that would negatively impact one of the weddings in which she was providing services for. It is a business and sometimes it has to be treated as such and when problems occur they have to be dealt with in a professional manner. It seems that there was a problem with an employee and if the employee had so many issues with the owner, then why didn't the employee quit instead of waiting until the employee was let go and then cause such chaos. In my opinion it is extremely childish behavior to get online and try to give someone a bad reputation. It is easily done on the internet, anyone can say or be anyone and with it being anonymous, not much can be done about it. It is a free country and yes you can pretty much say what you want, but come on, be an adult about it. If there is a problem then work it out the correct way.
Patricia
Wylie,Texas,
U.S.A.
I PRAY THAT YOU GET A LIFE!
#5REBUTTAL Owner of company
Fri, January 16, 2009
Their are only a few vendors who are not allowed to work at the Annabelle anymore due to their conduct or service. They have joined together in a conspiracy lead by my previous office manager to destroy Annabelle's reputation through destroying mine. My brides have always come first. I am sorry if it makes people upset to the point that they would make up such lies. We have great vendors working at the Annabelle and look forward to 2009. I have been using the same caterer for two years. They are doing a great job. I find it hard to believe that my previous caterer would make up such lies about me because they have more class than this. I think it is my previous office manager who is responsible for this report as well as the others; whether it be direct or indirectly
Dfw1616
Dallas,Texas,
U.S.A.
To be clear...
#5Author of original report
Fri, January 16, 2009
I never actuallly witnessed Patricia takiing drugs, so I'd like to revise my comments to read she appeared to be on drugs and drugged out most of the time, but I can't be 1000% certain she was. Everything else in my account is 100% undeniable fact, and I didn't want to taint it with the one thing I suspect but can't prove. My apologies.