Am I being overly picky?

[Pandora II]

I absolutely love my venue - but, it is a school most of the year and so they are some bits and pieces that can''t be avoided and you just have to deal with. The only do 6 weddings a year.

The co-ordinator is also a total PITA and I am apparently the only person anyone knows of who has not had a blazing row with the woman yet ( I was sooooo good when I saw her - my mother said she''d never seen me so tactful - it nearly killed me!)

The good thing is that I get the place for 2 days before the wedding and 2 days afterwards, so decorating is easy as we have loads of time.

I have one MAJOR whinge.

The main part where the ceremony is, is a great 13th century Great Hall and is perfect. The reception meal is in the 18th century Library off the Hall. It has an amazing carved ceiling and panelling.

The shelves are full of school books, rather than nice old books - which is a shame, but I will do a tidy up of, and drap some ivy and flowers around.

My whinge is the windows: there are beautiful floor length window looking out onto the grounds. But... so that they don''t have to move computers, filing cabinets etc out, they just have these up turned tables blocking it.

I feel it looks really ugly, but my mother says she was at a dinner there and never noticed it. I had no idea until I saw these photos from another wedding that someone just posted on the web.

Do you think it looks awful and I should go and lay down the law about them having to go, or do you think it isn''t a problem and I should just quit worrying about the small stuff?

 

[Pandora II]

From other end of room...

 

[Pandora II]

During speeches...

I could potentially buy some gold and ivory damask to cover them properly, with a stencilled design, big gold ropes with gold tassels (like curtain tie backs) on each side and a flower swag over the top, and turn them into a feature.

We are doing this to cover up the school notice board in the main Hall.

 

[surfgirl]

Well, I dont know how much that venue is costing you but if it was me, I''d sure as hell let it be known that I didn''t want the computers/office junk in there during the wedding. I think those windows are indeed lovely and it would be great to see them unobstructed.

I''d ask, and if there''s no way they can remove them, then do the damask covering...?

 

[bee*]

yeah I''d be the same as surfgirl-I would want those windows to be shown. They are beautiful and those boards just aren''t pretty. As much as I was trying to think that they''d be ok, I know they would bother me.

 

[Pandora II]

The venue is $6,600k just for the exclusive hire of buildings and grounds (which is sadly VERY reasonable here

), but they are really bugging me - and I can''t see why computers etc wouldn''t be able to be moved.

I am sure that she will be really DIFFICULT as I can''t believe I''m the first person to not like them (although they aren''t there when you look round as it''s not set up for events - so maybe people don''t realise until they turn up.)

I''m glad they bug you guys too - I was worried I was being OCD!

 

[mjso]

yeah, in the first picture I didn''t think they were so bad. But the one with the speeches? That would seriously bother me.

The windows are lovely, but even if they refuse to move the computers and stuff I''d rather have the whole section nicely blocked off with fabric or something rather than just a table. As a guest I''d be tempted to look behind the table to see what was being hidden.

The room is awesome other than that though, I love the idea of a library for dinner.

 

[surfgirl]

So are you the same Pandora that I always imagine kicks butt and takes names when the going gets rough? If not, what have you done with that other Pandora?! If so, then get cracking and starting kicking some butt missy. Seriously, that''s a heinous eyesore to have that crap laying about behind some miserable table thingy, obscuring the gorgeous period windows that you are paying so dearly for...I''d just insist they be put away elsewhere. It''s not a big deal to hook them up again and since you''re having the room for four days, it''s not like they need to use those computers on the day before/after you''re there, right?

 

[zoebartlett]

I agree with the others. I''d want them moved out of there. It''s a beautiful room and there''s no reason (that I''d see) that they can''t move the computers and tables out for a wedding. If that *can''t* be done, I''d see if there could be drapery panels or something hung from the ceiling between the bookcases so the computers and tables could be covered. I''d strongly push for having them moved though.

 

[Jas12]

Well...as someone who basically chose her venue based on chairs/windows (i just HAD to have Chivari''s and a reception room with windows!) --that would bug me too. The boards don''t look hideous, but it is a shame they are hiding windows that could add (not take away from) the charm of the venue.
Here''s what i would do: assuming you haven''t discussed this issue with her yet, ask the coordinator about this detail in a way like this: "so, i am assuming all the computers/filing cabinets will be removed from the room prior to our event?
If the answer is "no", ask if they will do so. If the answer is still "no" then ask if you are able to do it on your own (i.e. your groomsmen or something on the day of). If the answer is still "n"o tell her you''ll have to reconsider and decide for yourself if it is worth changing venues for....

Lovely venue BTW

 

[gtn]

Date: 1/21/2008 12:41:33 PM
Author: Jas12
Well...as someone who basically chose her venue based on chairs/windows (i just HAD to have Chivari''s and a reception room with windows!) --that would bug me too. The boards don''t look hideous, but it is a shame they are hiding windows that could add (not take away from) the charm of the venue.

Here''s what i would do: assuming you haven''t discussed this issue with her yet, ask the coordinator about this detail in a way like this: ''so, i am assuming all the computers/filing cabinets will be removed from the room prior to our event?

If the answer is ''no'', ask if they will do so. If the answer is still ''no'' then ask if you are able to do it on your own (i.e. your groomsmen or something on the day of). If the answer is still ''n''o tell her you''ll have to reconsider and decide for yourself if it is worth changing venues for....


Lovely venue BTW

great advice.

The pictures with the speech really bugged me because it stood out. You are not being ocd.

 

[Pandora II]

I am attempting to calm down before I go anywhere near here - so I can act in a 'mature, adult' way.

What makes me really angry is that she never told me about this when I went round - I reckon she keeps quiet and when you turn up on the day, ooops too late.

I have arranged that my lawyer brother is going to come with me on the visit. My parents turn into total doormats when confronted with anything, so I'm going in armed.

We're going to do good cop, bad cop - me being good cop as I have to deal with the witch.

I have pointed out to them that not only did they pay through the nose for my sister to go to school there for 10 years, but my father was the school doctor for over 20 - so surely that can go over this woman's head.

I found another photo. Grrrr it makes me really mad. The school is also closed from beginning of July till October, so they don't need the computers for 3 freaking months.

I mean, it's not that hard to move a computer!

Don't you worry Surfgirl - I'm going in with both barrels blazing, and armed with large copies of these pictures!

 

[surfgirl]

Now THAT''S the Frito Pandito that I know! Wearing bandoliers, guns blazing! Now I get it more...the school is CLOSED and they cant move that crap? Seriously, if they refuse to move it, just take a careful look at how it''s all done, and bring a dolly with you and the day before, just unplug the mess and haul it to some dark closet until you''re done. And when you clean up, which I think you said you''re doing, just get someone to drag it all back and plug those suckers in. Viola! It''s not exactly brain surgery so I dont know why she''s got her knickers in a bunch (hey, I''m trying to be culturally sensitive and use vernacular that you can relate to...!).

 

[Pandora II]

Hmm, ''knickers in a twist'' over here.

Exactly right on the school thing.

Brother has also said if necessary he will bring a large team on the day and move those darn tables and computers even if they have to trundle them over her.

 

[LostSapphire]

Hello Pandora.

LOVELY room by the way.

How many windows/computers/library gunk are we talking here? From the 1st photo, it looks like maybe 3 windows, perhaps 4?

And, if the pc's are usually in the middle of the room, I'm making the assumption that they will all be disconnected and shoved into the windows, correct?

So, then, how hard would it be to move the stuff, really....I can understand them not wanting to disengage all of the network cabling, but this looks to me like the 'library' setup is disassembled and shoved into the window areas. Those panels in front of each window are probably used to separate work areas into study carrels or something like that.

Sooooooo my suggestion (when you go in 'armed') is to have this thought through in your mind as to how you'd suggest they move the stuff, and to where.

Perhaps if you give her a 'solution' to this teensy little problem (huge in my mind but let's let her save some face here, at least on first go...), she may be a bit easier to deal with.

If not, start shootin'!

ETA: scope the situation out really carefully, and use part of your 'advance' set up time to simply move the stuff out of the way yourselves. Then plead innocent....(of course, run some sort of scenario by lawyer-brother but I'd just clean it out of there and enjoy the venue). You're paying a lot of $$ for square footage: you should be able to "use" all of it!

 

[Gypsy]

THAT is a NO WAY for me. If I had to, I''d take bro up on his offer. Those MUST be moved. OUT OUT OUT.

 

[swimmer]

Just a thought here, and perhaps because I''m a teacher; our mantra is asking forgiveness is easier than asking permission...at least that is what we tell each other while painting murals in our classrooms and other mischief that admins don''t want us to do.
Possible plan: If you could excuse yourself to the bathroom (a girls gotta go sometime) and your lawyer relation brings up the furniture placement/movement while you are gone and inserting choice comments about your familial connections...when you return and the convo is on food or drapes, you have plausible deniability for when you have several large fellows with a couple of moving dollies show up to move the computers and tables to a "safer area." That also preserves the peace with a witch that you must remain on good terms with...it sounds a bit passive, which is not your bag, but it preserves that look of shock "what we weren''t supposed to move all that furniture blocking the windows!?!"

just my .02 (which in USD is worth nothing at all)

 

[LostSapphire]

YoU and I are on the same page Swimmer!

Great minds think alike!