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Two people break a contract and people are outraged that it's not allowed because they're in the military.

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The bride simply asked if there was anyway they could avoid forfeiting the entire contract price, if she held the event there at a later date. This seems like a completely reasonable request, especially considering it is coming from a BSC woman trying to reschedule a wedding.

The venue coordinator replied as if the bride asked for it to be rescheduled for free, and to receive a discount for emotional stress.

If you learn to read better, you might understand why some people are siding with the bride.

woo?

Original post just in case:

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A college friend's wedding was going to take place on March 19th, at Paradise Cove of Lake Grapevine. The friend, a USMC Officer and her husband, a USMC officer, as of March 4th, had the untimely bad news that his deployment has been moved up and he was not permitted ANY leave to attend his own ceremony. All vendors refunded money except one: The Venue...Here is the response.

Carol,

I have worked with soldiers that got last minute notice that they were getting deployed and did not have a chance to have their weddings before deployment and ended up coming home with missing limbs, extreme burns and even blindness and it makes me sick to think that you had full knowledge of his deployment before you booked your wedding here and yet you chose to book it so close to the date of deployment when you were fully aware that he could have been deployed early or been called away for training prior to deployment.

You said you only heard of the early deployment on March 4th but if that is the case then why did you send me an email on March 4th at 11:23am stating “ his multiple requests to be able to have two days off for the wedding were denied. “ ? You and I both know he could not have sent in multiple requests and gotten multiple denials the same morning he found out.

You were blessed with 8 months notice which is something so many military couples would have given anything for and yet YOU chose to push the limit and book the wedding just before his deployment. And now you are trying to take advantage of vendors and friends by making them feel sorry for you and acting as if this is something completely unexpected. You gambled by scheduling your wedding to close to his deployment date so it is very dishonest of you to request for your vendors to be the ones to take the loss of revenue and it is even more bold to ask to move your wedding date from a less appealing outdoor wedding month of March to the most appealing outdoor wedding month of May because as you stated in your email “(so that it'll be warmer)”.

I know you are fully aware of the cancellation policy as I think it was no coincidence of the date you cancelled so the cancellation policy is in full effect!
Your actions reflect poorly on yourself, both personally and professionally, and on the United States Marine Corps. I can only wonder what your commander would think of your actions."

Tina

Carol's Original Letter to Tina, the owner of Paradise Cove:

Tina,

It feels like the speed bumps never stop coming; Bob and I are going to have to postpone the wedding. His battalion, which was set to deploy in mid April, will now be deploying early. All leave after March 14th has been cancelled; his multiple requests to be able to have two days off for the wedding were denied. That all being said, we will be having another reception next year. We would still like to use the venue. We don't have a date yet (we found all of this information out this morning), however, as soon as we do, we will let you know and see if you are available. We are thinking next year, probably in May (so that it'll be warmer). I apologize for the extremely short notice.

After reading over the contract, I understand that events are not subject to rescheduling. My question is, because we'd like to have the reception at Paradise Cove, is there a way that would not have to forfeit the entire contract price? The money that we get back from the wedding will go towards rescheduling my flights so that I can stay in California with him until he deploys (since I'm stationed in Virginia) and also help pay for his father's flight from Ohio to California, so that he can see his father before he deploys since he won't get to see him at the wedding. It is understandable if not, since we kept you from obtaining other clients that day. Once again, sorry for the incredible short notice and any inconvenience this has caused.

Carol

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how much do you want to bet there was a phone call to drum up sympathy that accompanied that email?


would you try to cancel something like this only through email?


some people will try anything to get their way, including playing the sympathy card. These same people get awfully bent out of shape and self-righteous when called on it.

Let's get ready to RUUUUUUMMMMMBLE!!!!!

It's still never a good idea to push send after writing an email like that. Pick up the phone, state your beef, follow it up with a brief to the point email and be done with it. If it continues to linger due to the other party, turn it over to your boss or the attorneys. Don't get sucked into a war of words. Emotions will get the best of you. Remember Business 101, it's nothing personal, it's just business. Tina just made it personal and she can no longer take it back.

just as tina was exposed i'm sure this chick will be too

I think if this goes to the news, the bride to be is going to look like an idiot.

It is obvious from the emails between the venue and the bride to be that the bride has been very difficult to deal with. Look at the first line in her email. I am going to guess it wasn't just the change in dates that set "Tina" off. I am going to guess that "Tina" had already accommodated several changes over the past few months, and just got sick of "Carol" and her **** and the excuse of deployment.

So when this hits the news, I would expect Carol will look like the BSC chick she is.

[This message has been edited by Big Tuna (edited 3/11/2011 9:49a).]

Will someone please tell me whose side to take so that I don't have to read all these words?

tia

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some people will try anything to get their way, including playing the sympathy card. These same people get awfully bent out of shape and self-righteous when called on it.

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No doubt. Carol may have indeed been dishonest and perhaps Tina will expose her.

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just as tina was exposed i'm sure this chick will be too

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We'll see if Tina has the goods on her. Get your popcorn ready.

Even if she does, as stated above, Business 101. Customers will try to get over more often than not and spin it like they are getting screwed. Don't get sucked into that game.

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Will someone please tell me whose side to take so that I don't have to read all these words?

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Cat fight

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Carol was not honest with me and is not being honest with anyone as she is spreading false rumors around to gain sympathy.



I am taking legal action in this matter so the truth can be told.

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dun dun dun duunnnnnnn

so is she telling the truth, or backtracking from her hate-mail to throw people off her case

Tina works in an industry where she has to deal with BSC brides everyday. She should know better that to hit send on an e-mail with that tine. It is juvenile & unprofessional. She could have communicated the exact same meaning, "We're sorry we can't refund any part of your deposit," without preaching/lecturing a (difficult) client.

I have to deal with difficult people regularly. When it's a client you just take a deep breath and remain professional.

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I am going to guess that "Tina" had already accommodated several changes over the past few months, and just got sick of "Carol" and her **** and the excuse of deployment.

So when this hits the news, I would expect Carol will look like the BSC chick she is.

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You may turn out to be right.

But what happens if Carol follows a list of "exposed" emails from Tina with orders and emails from her husband's unit that proves it was truly short notice? One thing about scheduling in military life...it is far from perfect. You are at their mercy and they own you.

It may not happen but since we're guessing...

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I am taking legal action in this matter so the truth can be told.

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I don't think Tina gets it.

Combat Wombat gets it.

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"You do not have all of the facts in this situation or the emails leading up to my response. When the truth and the facts are made public everyone including yourself will see I am not in the wrong in this situation."

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Did Tina tow the wrong car again???

Tina already looks bad. Carol is the only one who can look worse by going to media.

Presenting the orders of deployment show me nothing. I am sure he did get his orders on short notice. What I am also sure of is the BSC bride to be was not nearly as innocent as she would like us to believe. So the orders themselves don't in any way prove "Carol" is innocent.

oh snap ****'s fixin to get real up in huuur

I know the feeling. The Stars game was scheduled to start at 3pm this Sunday. I just checked and they've changed the start time to 2pm. I already had plans to meet up for lunch with my parents and everything. Now we're going to have to change our plans by at least an hour. Sometimes I ask myself if life is even worth living.

StupidisMe send her the link to this thread and tell her to sign up and post.

Tina's communication was out of line, keeping their policy wasn't. Sounds like she did something many folks regret - which was to get into a pissing match with a BSC and end up getting some dirt on your own hands when the crazy rubs off. I'm sure she probably has some BSC of her own going on too.

But big picture is both sides would be better off if they just go their separate ways, and Carol learned a lesson in planning as well as that the military force-field doesn't always invalidate your commitments.

[This message has been edited by Danny Duberstein (edited 3/11/2011 11:07a).]

I'm so tired of entitled little girls acting like it's in everyone else's best interests to give them what they want.

Kramer,

I think someone has already contacted the media in the DFW area. Heck, some people were writing their representatives. I don't have a dog in the fight, but figured Texags usually loves stuff like this. Maybe the venue will chime in on this thread and give the full story.

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Maybe the venue will chime in on this thread and give the full story.

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Seems like they shouldn't have to.

They had a contract and executed on their rights. Life's pretty simple.

It's annoying watching people try to use military service to wiggle out of their obligations.

Yep, it will be a shame if a business gets drug through the media mud for simply following a very clear contract. The email wasn't in good taste, but I've been fed up with entitled idiots before and my response was not always pretty either.

[This message has been edited by Danny Duberstein (edited 3/11/2011 11:35a).]

Well, Kim Fischer asked me if they would be willing to go on camera. So if they call her, she would probably listen.

This guy was my roommate in the Corps. He called me on Sunday to tell me about the cancellation.

It sucks.

He's not upset about losing some cash so much as the wedding lady's response to his wife.

I have read all the e-mails back and forth. As far as I know and from the e-mails I have (which I assume is most of them) the bride was respectful throughout.

Withholding the money is one thing, and she's fully justified in doing so, but to be a ***** about it? I dunno. Seems like she shot herself in the foot.

We don't know how the BSC bride was over the telephone or in person, before taking things to email. What we do know is there seems to have been a clear contract, so there should be no complaining, whining, or asking twice (even trying to show deployment orders, what bad form) on the part of the marrying parties. A contract is a contract, and someone going overseas to fight for everyone is actually fighting for the system that upholds that contract, and recognizes that the site did not accept other business while it was reserved for theirs. I deal in options routinely and appreciate the commercial terms outlined in this thread. It is a shame for all concerned the bride did not show the same maturity - and trying to show deployment orders proves she did not.

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It's annoying watching people try to use military service to wiggle out of their obligations.

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I honestly do not believe that to be the case. Military plans change, and when they do, the people affected by the changes have pretty no say in the matter. I thought it was pretty obvious that the bride understood they may not be able to get their money back, but the answer is always NO unless you ask.

That being said, even if she is a complete BSC bride, I would say a smart business person would refrain from making it personal, or at least doing so in writing. I hope that is just a case of poor judgment caused by poor communication. Heck, even the responses to the OP show that not everyone gets the same take.

But you are right the business has every right to execute the contract according to its term. But is not fair to judge how they handle it?



"First in Sight, Ready to Fight"

I don't think this thread says that the bride tried to show the deployment orders. That was a suggestion from another poster on this thread. I don't think it's immature to inquire if they could somehow use the money they put down to schedule the venue at another date. It was immature of Tina to respond the way that she did.

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After reading over the contract, I understand that events are not subject to rescheduling. My question is, because we'd like to have the reception at Paradise Cove, is there a way that would not have to forfeit the entire contract price?

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This is where I would have stopped. It doesn't hurt to ask.

This is where Carol starts to lay the sympathy on pretty thick.

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The money that we get back from the wedding will go towards rescheduling my flights so that I can stay in California with him until he deploys (since I'm stationed in Virginia) and also help pay for his father's flight from Ohio to California, so that he can see his father before he deploys since he won't get to see him at the wedding.

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Then again, she follows it with this:

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It is understandable if not, since we kept you from obtaining other clients that day.

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She seems to understand the contract and while she laid in on kind of thick, she has taken the "all they can do is say no, so it can't hurt to ask" approach.

There may indeed be a lot more to this story but this is what we know for now.

Hell, they're probably both BSC.

Material Ag,

I may be wrong, but from her original email, it seemed like she was still trying to use the venue for a later date and was trying to work out a deal.

And a contract is a contract, but there is always room for compromise. Suggesting that someone is immature for attempting to do so is little bit of a stretch. All the other stuff, well, that is fair game since it was brought into the public eye.

"First in Sight, Ready to Fight"

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Yep, it will be a shame if a business gets drug through the media mud for simply following a very clear contract.

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Or maybe that business found out it had an idiot working on its behalf and will be able to remedy the situation by getting rid of said idiot.

I'm not a fan of idiots in general (entitled or not) and Tina is an idiot for putting her response in writing. Trying to justify her response (her - not you) by saying we don't have the whole story doesn't make it any better.

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If you learn to read better, you might understand why some people are siding with the bride.

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was trying to work out a deal

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And she was told no. And kept pushing.

OK Ags, just talked to my boy.

Basically it goes like this, The contract states that they are able to cancel before a specified date (i'm guessing two weeks before). If they cancel by then, they are entitled to a percentage based refund. Somewhere close to 25% I think.

He said they just wanted to use that money to either:
A) put towards the ceremony for next year (and if possible, have it in May)
or
B) use it to pay for flights around the country (to see Dad, to get her to Cali, etc.)

She has said no to that.

She said she wants to pursue legal action against their "slander".

btw, their Facebook page is getting blown up.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Cove-at-Lake-Grapevine/252226616552