We all like to read stories about other people's wedding disasters. Well, here's a one for the records. On July 8th/2017, one hundred guests were invite to my son's wedding reception held at this Ranch Resort. From 4:30 pm until 8:00 pm. it was one calamity after another. Cocktail hour consisted of 2x trays of snacks and 2x trays of celery, carrots, red pepper, slices in mini plastic wine cups, for 100 guests. One person behind the bar mixing drinks, who insisted I could not have the half can of ginger ale I paid $1.00 for the grooms 3 yr. old son, my grandson! It was downhill from there. We were seated at 6:00 for dinner. Speeches lasted 15 minutes. The guests sat for 35 mins. waiting for dinner. My husband went to the kitchen to ask for food for our 7 yr.old and 3 yr. old grandsons, which consisted of 2x small, dried chicken strips, huge lump of semi-warm mashed potato, and cold, hard green beans. Mean while the guests were eating every dinner bun in sight, washing it down with wine or glasses of warm water at each place setting. We were so hungry, that when the wedding cake was escorted to the kitchen, I assumed to be cut, even though NO ONE got to see the cake, my table would gladly of settled for the top layer of the cake over the plate of food we were served.'
Dinner consisted of: under cooked chicken breast or a paper thin, dried, slice of roast beef. A huge lump of imitation mashed potatoes, hard cold green beans and carrots. Lets just say, I have had better McCain frozen dinners. I'am sure our dinners were pre-frozen and pre-heated, as in micro-waved! The bride had to take a guests plate to the kitchen and ask to have the chicken cooked. The food the bride & groom pre-tasted months in advance, was NOT the food the guests received at the reception. It should not take 45 minutes to serve 100 guests! Mind you, I guess when there were only 5 or 6 servers, because the trained servers were with the owners at another event they were catering, we should not of expected any sort of professionalism. If we wanted tea or coffee, "help yourself" the guests were told to the table set-up in the corner. When a guest asked a server for more water for the table, she was told, "it's not my job, go to the kitchen and ask." The best part of the evening, when an older woman, I assumed in charge of the kitchen, came out with a HUGE wicker basket full of dinner buns, proceeded to go table to table asking if anyone wanted a bun, merrily handing you a bun with her hands (no tongs, no gloves) The guests were bewildered, they thought they had eaten ALL the buns 2 hours ago. As I scanned the tables, plate after plate of food left on plates. Everyone felt terrible for the bride and groom who were paying for the lousy meal out of their own pocket. I have served 350 wedding guests at another venue under 17 minutes. What I witnessed was irresponsible, inconsiderate, unprofessional, and ruinous for a bride and groom on their one special day. Peterborough is a small town, believe you me, word does get around.
Sincerely,
Mother of the Groom