Wedding venue double booking

o_t_e

Hi - I wonder if anone can offer some advise for my brother. He has received a call from his chosen wedding venue to say that another couple have booked the same weekend and paid a deposit. My brother had a verbal agreement that the weekend in question was theirs and that he didn't need to pay a deposit until he visited the venue again at the end of January.

The call came from a person my brother has never dealt with, his arrangement having been made with a person who is said to be on holiday. It seems that my brother would not even have received a call were it not for the fact that the other couple tried to give notice to the registrar only to find the registrar already had my brothers details for that venue and date.

Does anyone know where my brother stands legally? Does my brothers prior notice of intention to marry at that venue/date preclude the other couple registering? If anyone has any thoughts as to how this situation can be resolved in my brothers favour, without souring relations with the venue I'd appreciate your comments.

katecheshire

Has he got any record of when he went to visit the venue originally? If he made an appointment to meet someone they should have a diary with that information. Presume they have some idea when the person he spoke to will be back from holiday?
Logically you would assume that he made the booking with the registrar AFTER booking the venue so there will also be a record of when that was made. Of course if you can get the venue to admit their mistake and they have an acceptable alternative date he may be able to get some compensation in the form of a reduction or extras. Might be worth negotiating that before bumping the other couple or going elsewhere.

o_t_e

Thanks Kate - I think they have always had that particular date in mind as it ties in with their honeymoon (which they have also booked). Unfortunately he doesn't have anything written down so I think if they don't have any other leverage it's down whether the woman he was dealing with, who apparently is the joint owner, will accept that they have made a mistake.
I'm hoping it works out for them as they've seen and rejected just about every simmilar venue within 50 miles!

katecheshire

I hope they can sort things out - Even if he has nothing in writing he could call their bluff and say 'we came to see you on xxxx date' and ask the venue to check their diary for that date. I think it's up to the venue to justify their situation.

Does the venue have room to have a marquee? - depending on the timing perhaps they could accommodate both events. If they have c**cked up the booking they may be willing to pay for it. I have dj'ed at some events in marquees and they can look fabulous.

Good luck!

Hotspur

Hi O_T_E,

"My brother had a verbal agreement that the weekend in question was theirs and that he didn't need to pay a deposit until he visited the venue again at the end of January."

A verbal agreement is as good as a written one in law so your brother has a valid contract with the venue for the services provided. If he has a witness to what was agreed then that strengthens his case; if not it could be difficult to prove otherwise. Anyway, in the first instance, I suggest a letter to the venue clearly stating the agreement between the parties i.e. brother and venue and indicating that the registrar was booked following that agreement. Ask the venue to confirm in writing to him that the venue is booked on the date time etc. as agreed.

Of course if the other couple booked first then ask what the venue can do to rectify the situation. Compensation or marquee as in previous posts could be an option. Above all stay calm.

Mics_chick

Don't know how it stands in law but even if your brother's name was only pencilled in (ie provisionally booked) then it's accepted normal practice that they call you up to give you first refusal - that is, to confirm a booking or not.

Hope he sorts it out MC

o_t_e

Well it doesn't look promising - the venue are stating the deposit was paid on the 15th December yet when my brother visited them for the second time at the end of December the weekend in question was supposedly available for them to book and the other couple have only just contacted the registrar.

I'm left feeling that they are either incompetent or deceiptful.

MissBehaving

Mics_chick wrote:

Don't know how it stands in law but even if your brother's name was only pencilled in (ie provisionally booked) then it's accepted normal practice that they call you up to give you first refusal - that is, to confirm a booking or not.

Hope he sorts it out MC

I have worked in the hospitality industry for over 10 years. If there is a provisional booking in the diary the venue is meant to phone the person who is penciled in to ask if they intend to go ahead or not. They are normally given 24 hours to confirm and pay the deposit.
The venue is in the wrong here. Personally I would fight the matter! However, if you are able to move your dates... let the venue make it worth your while.
In the past we have offered bedrooms and welcome drinks / cocktails as an apology!

Good luck!

o_t_e

Thought I'd update this - the venue now accept they made a mistake; that said the other couple want a 'contribution' of "...a few hundred pounds" to change the date of their wedding and the venue do not feel in any way obliged to pay this sum, rather they expect it to come from my brother and his fiancee. I think he is very close to broadcasting the name of this place to anyone that will listen...

patricia1066

Your brother needs to consider whether this is a warning of the kind of pressure that will be placed upon him and his bride on the day.

Seeing them in action for the first time, it could be seen as a blessing in disguise as they recognise no contract with him. If the venue can create difficulties at this point, how many more difficulties will arise by the end of the wedding?

The venue can lift a load of work from the couple, or as here, can create uncertainty and worry.

If he goes ahead with them I would think about getting wedding insurance.

o_t_e

Thanks Patricia - I've forwarded your comments to him - very well put.