Detailed below is a list of issues where our Contract was breached for the wedding of Lesley Coleman (now Johnson) that was conducted at the Odyssey Country Club in Tinley Park, Illinois.
In addition to the several meetings Lesley and I had with you, Desiree our wedding coordinator from Dejanae Events spoke to you on Wednesday (9/15/10), Thursday (9/16/10) and Saturday (9/18/10) leading up to the wedding events, You informed Desiree on Wednesday that you would be dropping off the bridal bouquets at the hotel around 1:30-2:00pm and head right over to Odyssey because of the extensive set-up. You also discussed a rain plan and the challenges you might face should should there be a need to move the ceremony inside, but you always spoke of arriving at Odyssey around 2:30pm. This was what Lesley and I were told from you as well during our last meeting in your office.
The Dejanae Events team consisted of three ladies and they arrived at Odyssey a little before 3pm to begin their work and Tony Cazeau (the band leader) arrived around 3:15pm or so. This was confirmed by Odyssey. Approximately aroung the same time is when we were informed that two people from Divine Sesaigns arrived. I was informed that it was your husband and another man. At your requiest at approximately 2:28 Desiree sent you a text of the ddress to the hotel because you stated your husband was enroute to deliver the bouquets. When your husband and the man arrived they did not have any other floral pieces only their piping and draping, etc. and they began to set-up the backdrops. This was verified with Dejanae Events and Odyssey. Your husband told Desiree thjat you were in route. Around 3:17pm one of your assistants called and asked Desiree for the room number and what was the latest she she could drop off the bouquets and Desiree told her 4pm since we had eliminated the pictures acheduled to be taken at a train station.
At 4:15pm Desiree asked Maha's husband when were they going to start the set-up for outside because guests were arriving and we needed to seat them. That is around the time you and your female assistants arrived at the Odyssey with the flowers. According to Desiree and Odyssey, you were very rushed as you you worked feverishly in the corner near the stairs. (Note: The are that you worked was where the band was to set-up but they could not becasue you were in the way. This delayed our live music for 30 minutes.)
Desiree asked you specifically when did they plan on setting up for the ceremony and you looked at her and replied "I have until 5:30, right? The ceremony starts at 5:30pm." Desiree told you, "No, it starts at 5:00pm." This was discussed with Desiree prior as well as Lesley and me. According Desiree and Odyssey you and staff rushed outside with the columns and draping. Desiree called Ven (photographer) at 4:30 to see what was going on over at the hotel and asked him to stall for about 10-15 minutes because the ceremony was just now being set-up. That is when Desiree learned that Lesley didn't have a bouquet. Desiree found Maha (who was back inside at that time) and asked her what was going on with the bouquet. According to Desiree, you spoke to your husband in your dialect. Desiree figured out that the bouquet was left at the studio. I called Ven back and he informed me that the bridal party was getting in the limo and heading to Odyssey.
You started immediately to make the new bouquet and Desiree asked for the boutonnieres. They were given to Desiree unlabeled on a piece of tissue paper with no pins. Desiree asked you for pins. One of your assistants searched in a box and handed Desiree a few. Dejanae Events actually used some pins from the flowers purchased from Catherine's Garden to attach the boutonnieres. The Groom, William did not have a distinct boutonniere as he contracted and he should have. After that, the bridal party and I arrived and the maid of honor informed Desiree how the hotel had to cut 18 inches or more of stem from the bridal bouquets and that two of them were not wrapped. Desiree took them and gave to her assistant Patricia and asked her to speak with you about finishing them and that we needed the petals for the flower girl basket. Desiree aksed for the corsages and you gave her three. According to the notations Lesley e-mailed Desiree, there were more, but you stated to Desiree that we only ordered three. Desiree placed the wrist cosage on my wrist and iThe rose bearers did not have roses as we requested. The yellow and red roses should have been assembled three each and wrapped for the rose bearers to carry. One of Desiree's assistants then grabbed was handed two undecorated roses so the ceremony could began. All of these issues helped cause a delay and late start to the ceremony.
After Desiree got Lesley down the aisle, she ran back inside and only 50% of the room was decorated. At that time Desiree told Kelly and Patricia, her assistants to stop assisting her and and to help you as much as possible because guests would be entering the room in approximately 30 minutes. Desiree and Odyssey witnessed Dejanae Event coordinators attaching crystals to the gold trees, moving the poles for the pipe & drape out of the way, and moving floral containers, so the room could be satisfactory in its set-up when guests started entering. Your team was still assembling the pipe & drape behind the head table, positioning the gobo on the dance floor via a ladder, positioning the up lighting (a guest actually tripped over one, which may come back to haunt you) and placing centerpieces on the tables only moments before the bridal party entrances into the ballroom.
Upon your departure you stated to Patricia a Deajane Events coordinator that you had 5 weddings/events that day and the one before your wedding ran late.
In addition to all emails (Lesley's and mine) sent to you relative to the subject, below will include areas where the contract was breached. Lesley is out of town now, but when we come to your office Tuesday, we will have the contract at hand and any emails where she communicated directly to you regarding changes, additions, etc. The only changes to the Contract should have been my request which were no flowers be placed on the columns or runner and this was all due to the rain. Setting up for the wedding and the reception with guests arriving is supremely tacky and in case you do not know, my family does not represent tackiness in any form. The bottom line is you owe us a refund in some degree and I would hope that you would have enough integrity to make this issue right. Our wedding was chepaened by your actions and we tried so hard to make sure that day was reflective of what our family represents.
This email may not include all matters, however it is a good representation of the events.