When we first spoke to Jim Allen (owner of Hawthorn, a Bed and Breakfast) on the phone, he appeared to be very kind and helpful. He convinced us, in our multiple conversations, that his Bed and Breakfast was the idea place for our wedding and reception.
My fianc and I then made an appointment to tour the mansion. On our 2nd visit we decided to book the venue for our wedding day. The wedding package we chose was for a 6 hour event and included booking all guestrooms from Friday to Sunday.
Since Jim Allen didnt have a contract available during our visit, he informed us that he would collect a check, and send the written agreement for our review.in hindsight, this was a huge red flag, but since he and his wife seemed so genuine, we never suspected anything other than what we saw at face value.
Under what we believed was standard industry practice, we expected Jim Allen to hold our check until we reviewed the actual written documents. This is especially true if the deposit is non-refundable. The Allens instead, cashed our check then mailed the agreement - site unseen to us. This is dishonest at best, and only advantageous to Hawthorn.
Upon receipt of the agreement, we discovered that it contained the wording, "additional fees as established by Hawthorn must be paid prior to the commencement of the event." No additional fees were mentioned in the 4 phone conversations and 2 in-person meetings we held with Jim Allen, nor were these costs listed on the agreement itself.
We quickly made an appointment to clarify the hidden charges and only then were made aware that moving any piece of furniture would incur a $25.00 fee per item, decorating the venue would cost $275.00 per hour, no one except Bed and Breakfast guests are allowed on the premises until our designated "6 hour event window". If any person, including a photographer steps foot on the property, our event window begins at that moment (unless we agree to pay additional hourly charges).
This is despite a total buy-out of the entire mansion for the entire weekend.
We then asked for a fee list so we could make informed decisions and budget our money accordingly. His demeanor instantly changed. He was no longer the kind innkeeper. He became distant and cold and began accusing us of taking advantage of him.
Even though we had not signed the contract, Jim Allen made it abundantly clear that our check had already cleared. We would not get our money back under any circumstances, and it was already too late for us to change our mind.
Since my fianc and I were paying for our own wedding, we could not afford to lose over $1000.00 by walking away, so we had no choice but to sign his agreement; on his terms.
Five months later, my fianc made an appointment to reach a compromise that we hoped would be a win/win situation for both parties. He asked Jim Allen if we could apply the deposit towards the guest rooms and pay the difference in cost.in this manner, we would be spared of unforeseen charges and Hawthorn has a full house for the entire weekend.
Jim Allen refused. He told us we needed to pay $2778.60 in full, or forfeit the entire contract.
We walked away on principle. We decided it was better to lose over $1000.00, and find another way to fund a new venue, than to pay a penny more to such a greedy, deceptive business.
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