Heavenly Sweets by LA

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Following is our final letter to Allison and Luana (no response was received; though the check was cashed):

Dear Alison and Luana,

Enclosed is $246.49, your finder’s fees for our wedding vendors. The $383.00 sent home with the “candy buffet attendant” covered the remaining 50% of the cost of the C&D buffet bar as well as $60 to cover the additional 3 hours of “attending” at $20.00 per hour. The enclosed invoice was found blowing across the property by a guest. My sister was unable to locate the hand-written copy you gave her, though that would have been unacceptable. All other vendors were able to provide invoices prior to the wedding day and, as a result, we were able to work out day-of details and have checks pre-written for all of them. We tried to reach you, and also requested an invoice from you on at least two occasions prior to that day. It was inconvenient and inconsiderate to expect a bride and groom, or their guests, to handle a first glance of an invoice on the day of the wedding.

We did not pay the $250.00 “coordination fee” as that was not the agreement. You requested we pay you 10% of the totals of vendors you located. As no invoice or contract was ever received regarding coordination services, we only have quotes copied from your emails on January 29th which state: “As for all the coordination, we would like to suggest a 10% commission to the total cost of all items coordinated as our fee to you. Please let me know if you will be ok with this. I'm certain that we can coordinate a timeline and help with coordination on your wedding day.” In another email that day you repeat, “We would like to propose a 10% commission based on all vendors totals as our fee. Please offer suggestions if this does not seem appropriate. We will be glad to assist in timeline and wedding day coordination at Loulu Estates. Please offer input.” On February 10th you mention us paying a deposit of $250.00: “I would also like to request a deposit fee for our services. I know that we discussed a 10% commission, which will be determined at the end, yet a deposit of 250.00 will be due upon receipt.” Had an invoice been received, a deposit could have been discussed, agreed upon, and paid. So, according to this email agreement: rentals cost us $2164.00, cake cost $251.00 (which you failed to include on the invoice). That total is $2414.00. We will subtract the $60.00 for the “candy buffet attendant” because we just can’t justify paying him for his attendance at our wedding reception, and this total is $2354.00. Ten percent of that is $235.40 + 4.712 tax ($11.09) = $246.49. We did not include $75 for the conch blower as he was unable to properly perform the job.

As far as the attendant/conch blower was concerned, we have included pictures of what we paid him the additional $20 an hour to do: text message (notice he is sitting at the head table, in the bride’s seat), dancing, drinking. Other guests tell us he joined them for cigarettes. When it rained, the candy got wet; and when the kids were at the candy bar, he was eating dinner in the bride’s seat, talking to the best man. Maybe you should schedule the attendant to provide the two hours of “attending” when it is needed – after dinner and nearer to dessert, as opposed to when it probably won’t be needed, and then charging $20 an hour until it is. He did not attend to the buffet for any two hour period, intermittently or otherwise. We’re sure you will agree that paying the $60.00 for that “service” is unnecessary. Also missing at the C&D buffet bar were the un-iced cupcakes for the kids to ice and eat.

Additionally, you did not inform us that you needed a 6’ banquet table for your buffet presentation – we would have provided one if that information was conveyed. Since it was not requested, it was considered to be included in the cost of your set-up and design scape. In the future, it may be helpful to inform your customers of things they will need to provide for you.

Finally, in regards to professionalism and customer service, when a $200 error on an invoice is discovered by your paying customers, it should be handled promptly and without blame. We are referring to your “coordination” of our musical duo for the ceremony and cocktail hour. Your defensive response that “we are all human” and “we all make mistakes” and then your complete failure to rectify or even address the issue was unprofessional, unacceptable, and utterly perplexing.

We are honorable, and have paid for our agreed upon services, but we will openly share our experiences in working with you. Please consider our input for future events and instead of trying to make money at every turn, try to provide decent, honest service.