01Kitty_Kat wrote:Well I flew home 2 weeks ago and did some wedding organising!
I went up to Camelot Castle where we are having our wedding in Nov 2011. Its everything i hoped for and more and now im super excited about our day!!!
Got my photographer sorted too. She is based in Redwood Park and her name is Allison Hernach. Her work looks simply beautiful and after speaking with her at length, I love her manner - I think she will be great with our guests. Very calming, gentle and thoughtful person!
I think she is putting me in touch with a hairdresser too, and also a celebrant.
In other news, a friend of mine asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding this October so coming home for that. She is having her wedding at Al-Ru farm in One Tree Hill. Very excited! Ive never been a bridesmaid before!
Time for an update, it's been a LOOOOONG time since my last post. So we booked camelot castle for our wedding. When we went to look at it, nothing was too much trouble. We were promised EVERYTHING would be taken care of, and it was smiles all round.
Since then, its descending in to wedding hell.
The venue is owned by Simone and Hans - elderly couple who have run camelot for 40 years or so. Hans is lovely, but over run by his wife simone who has pushed me to breaking point. We asked them to book out/ hold all 12 rooms at the castle (56 beds) so that our interstate and overseas guests can stay at the castle with us. This was no problem. BUT - what they failed to tell me was that I had to handle all of the room bookings (WTF?)
They didn't tell me, and my invitations went out with an info sheet recommending the castle, and all of their contact details etc on there so that our guests could book if they wanted. Our guests began to call the castle to book and that was where the problems began.
Simone refused to book our guests in. She told them it was booked out. I called her in a panic wondering how it could be booked out and she said "YOU BOOKED IT, so we cant book anyone in". After much back and forth she finally admitted that she didn't want to handle the bookings.
I explained to her that she had not told us we were required to do it and that the invites had gone out already. I said that it made sense for them to book it anyway as they understand how many beds are in each room (as they vary) and also they need to know how many people are staying to arrange breakfast and billing. After much discussion she agreed to book the rooms for me and I thought it was resolved.
Since then, 4 people have tried to book a room. She has refused to do it, lied to them and said there was no availability, been rude to them and put down the phone. Each time i have had to ring SA from NSW to talk this out with her and she is playing games with me. She put the phone on the counter and walked away while I was talking and left me hanging there, twice. She stated she would do the bookings but "can't guarantee she will get the bookings right" - threatening us. In the end, her husband took over the call because i was nearly in tears.
He told me he "had no wife" - a joke to cheer me up and promised me that if my guests ring and ask for him, he will fix it up. But when simone answers the phone, and the guest says they are wanting to book for our wedding, she now plays games.
I have emailed them twice with a copy of our "contract", and a chronology of all conversations and so on. I have sent them links of the ACCC and Dept of business and consumer affairs but this woman just doesn't care.
Im so worried about my wedding day now, but like i said, the invites have gone out, there is no changing it now.
My recommendation? Camelot Castle is a beautiful place and hans is a lovely man, but as long as his wife is involved, don't ever book it for your wedding unless you have nerves of steel, because this woman will play games, push you to your limits and be rude to your guests. Even when you are paying them a massive amount of money to rent the entire place.
BEWARE
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along with the GM's being in SYD and MELB.
if you need vendor rerccomendations or anything post here and I am sure someone will be able to help you. You are a lot braver than I would be, organizing a wedding from interstate would not be easy!
