Complaint Review: Lisina Catering

First here is some background:

I was recently married and while I was sorting through all of the vendors and everything, my mother informed me that a friend of mine in high school's mom was opening her own catering business and that she, Criss, was trying to get an event to springboard her. My sister and I were both married this year, and Criss thought that if she could do our weddings it would get some attention for her. My sister's husband had a few catering connections and what they did not do, my mother did. I was still going to use Criss.

My now husband, Criss (the caterer), my high school friend & her husband, & I sat down to hash out plans. We were planning a wedding for 150 and we were going to have traditional Southern Indiana fare (ie fried chicken, mashed potatoes, etc.), Criss told us she would do it for $50 above the cost of food and that she was going to decorate our reception hall for us. She said that the day after the wedding she, my mother, husband, & I would sit down and figure out the bill and pay her then...it should only be about $400. She had a contract, which she marked through and wrote "DOES NOT APPLY" on it and had me sign it, saying that the only reason she needed a signature was for her tax purposes. She gave me another receipt which stated "Food + Decorating... Cost of Food + $50 COD), so I thought I was fine. All was well, or so I thought.

About a week and a half before the wedding, I receive a phone call from Criss. She tells me that she has already spent $600 and that she is planning on spending over a $400 more! I was speechless! She then goes on to say that she needs me to pay her $1000 in cash on Thursday (before the wedding). I stutter that I need receipts and she hangs up. A few days go by, he talks to his folks and I talk to mine and they said they thought something was fishy, too. So we called her and told her that we would give her $500 on Thursday and we would give her the remaining balance on Sunday after going over the receipts. She screamed that this was unacceptable and that we pay her IN CASH before the wedding.

We explained to her the reasoning and that this was common practice and she said she was no longer our caterer and that we needed to find another one. I, of course, am instantly in tears! A week to go and no caterer...we call my husband's mother and she calls in a favor to a caterer friend of hers. GET THIS! Caterer friend served the same menu and made a profit and she charged us $750!

Criss has called a few times saying that she is suing US for breaking a contract with her!!!! Stay away from at all costs!!!

Crystal
Terre Haute, Indiana
U.S.A.