Crystal Events

had found the perfect place. We were wrong. The problems started during planning. Communication was inconsistent, and my questions were usually met with Diego’s assurance that everything would be fine. Our tasting wasn’t held until two weeks before the wedding. I expected decor options through the venue, but there was no real inventory, so I bought my own. Our September 25 rehearsal was rushed. Nearly our entire wedding party was there, and after two or three run-throughs I asked for one final quick practice around 5:55 p.m. Gaby, the venue manager, became visibly irritated and told us we should have already left. There was also an obvious power struggle between Gaby and my day-of coordinator that the whole wedding party noticed. Then came the issue with Bexley, my 10-pound toy poodle. Diego approved her for both the ceremony and reception well in advance, as long as she was leashed. We even had a carriage for her. At rehearsal, Gaby said Bexley could attend the ceremony but not the reception and threatened to report it to Diego. That evening, Diego called and imposed the same restriction, citing liability. Nothing in our contract restricted pets. Instead of enjoying the night before my wedding, I was arguing over something that had already been settled. The next morning, my sister, fiancé, and groomsmen arrived for our two-hour decorating window while another group was rehearsing inside. Staff also tried to reuse pink flowers from the previous day’s quinceañera and even suggested that I donate my purchased décor to their venue.  Our ceremony was set for 6:30 p.m., but guests weren’t let in until about 6:15 and were still waiting outside when we arrived. My husband’s entrance music started before he was out of the car. By the time I stepped out of mine, my bridal song had already played twice. I practiced walking to that song for seven months. It represented the first time my husband and I saw each other. I had to ask for my backup song, and I will never get that moment back and it has devasted me.  After the ceremony, our private room was hot and packed with barn doors, chairs, and backdrops. We took our photos in a storage room. At the reception, the DJ played music so slow that guests were nodding off, then switched to the explicit version of “Back That Azz Up” less than an hour in, despite the playlist we provided. Gaby stood in the middle of the room like an overseer, watching our guests and wedding party, and several guests have since told me how uncomfortable she made them. She also kept telling me I should be a “happy bride.” I didn’t need to be told everything was fine. I needed someone to make sure it was. The white runway was dirty and uneven, and my bridesmaids stumbled on it. Neither of the two daiquiri machines Diego promised was working, even with our premium liquor package. At the end of the night, the top tier of our cake was smashed into a container. I never saw Diego on our wedding day, and no one has followed up since. I wasn’t asking for perfection. I was asking for professionalism. I married a wonderful man surrounded by people who love us, and my marriage is beautiful. My experience with Crystal Events was not. I cannot recommend this venue.