Chris and I scheduled our engagement photos for this past weekend in Knoxville, Tennessee (where are photographers live). It was the last time we would be in town to make wedding plans in person, so I made sure the day was fully booked!
From Day 1, I've been surprised at the ease in which we have been able to make appointments/reservations. All we keep hearing about is how crazy busy Pigeon Forge is during the month of October. I had planned on having to work harder at finding a venue, stylist, florist, for our day, but we've truly been blessed! Everything has gone so smoothly, and has thankfully been within our budget. Everything except the restaurant.
We initially wanted to reserve a post-wedding dinner for our family at a nice restaurant in Gatlinburg. Then we attempted to drive there. With the insane traffic and construction zones, it would take 1-2 hours to make a typical 15 minute drive. So that was out. I began calling restaurants in Pigeon Forge, but they either did not offer a private room, or were booked. So our main goal of the day was to secure an eating location (otherwise, asking our guests to drive up to 7 hours for our wedding would result in a 30 minute sitting in hard, white chairs in the unpredictable weather) I'd like to think we're more considerate than that. :)
We asked for advice before heading there for the day, and were told to visit a Southern restaurant (whose name will be withheld for reputation's sake!). Arriving at the restaurant resulted in the front desk hostess showing us 2 possible rooms to hold our dinner reception at. We were even allowed to bring our own tablecloths and cake with us! The back room can sit 60 people, and we are planning for 40...so that would be perfect! We were seated for lunch, so that we could try the food before making a final decision. At that point, we asked to speak to the manager to discuss details.
Which is where this wonderful day went downhill.
When the manager arrives - as wonderful and polite as he is - he bursts our wedding bubble by informing us that October is their busiest month of the year, and allowing us to book a room for 40 people, when they could sit 60...was going to be a loss of profit for them. He would be happy to let us reserve the room! As long as we understand that 20 additional strangers would be joining us for our celebration. Umm...no thanks. But then he tells us that they have another restaurant, just down the road, with smaller rooms. If we visit there, we might be able to reserve a room that is more suitable for the number of people we are having. Yay...a ray of hope!
Arriving at the second location, we are greeted with another wonderful hostess who shows us several rooms...one of which holds 43 people. Perfect!! We'll take it!
The manager then comes up and introduces himself, and pretends to listen while we explain our wishes. Stop. His facial expression is not encouraging me to continue on. He informs us that he wants to work with us and accomodate in anyway possible. Stop. But. I hate that word. But we can't guarantee that everyone in your party will be sitting together.
Huh? I'm sorry? You did hear me say that we're having a wedding reception, right?? That in order for it to be a successful wedding reception, we have to interact with our guests?! However...now that you mention it, I'd much rather parade around the restaurant in my wedding gown, surfing the crowd for the 42 people we invited, avoiding servers balancing trays of brown gravy and creamed corn on top of their hands. What fun our photographers will have, as well!!
Sarcasm intended.
We left. I called the number on the front of the restaurant business card to the group sales office to complain and see if anything could be done to accomodate us. After the gentleman answers the phone, I explain the poor response we received from the 2 managers at the restaurant. Which is when I find out that the person on the other end of the line is the manager at the first restaurant we talked to. Oopsy-daisy!
Flowers are ordered. Chairs are reserved. Different restaurant booked. And engagement pictures successfully completed. 47 days and counting...
|
Post a Comment