Monte Event Space

e manager/owner. On the surface, everything seemed to be going well—until the days leading up to our wedding. Our rehearsal was scheduled for Thursday and the wedding on Saturday. Unfortunately, they no-showed our rehearsal, leaving my party standing outside for two hours trying to get ahold of someone, with no response. The following day, I received a call stating that they had fired my coordinator for theft and that our rehearsal had “slipped through the cracks.” This made us feel like an afterthought and that we were not a priority. On the day of our wedding, none of the décor was what I had previously selected. I was told, “Lily didn’t leave good notes.” However, I had met with Eric a couple of weeks prior to confirm the décor choices, the rehearsal time (which he changed), and, of course, to make the final payment. My husband and I requested a refund for at least the rehearsal, since it is part of the package. Eric agreed to compensate us, but after reaching out multiple times, I was eventually told, “We can offer you a $50 Starbucks gift card.” This venue itself is nice but very poorly managed. There were promises made outside of the contract that were said to be “done in good faith,” but we were later charged for them. Please be cautious. During our event, the décor was still incorrect. I specifically requested “no pork” due to religious reasons for family members, yet pork was served to them in the rice from the taco bar. Staff members dropped numerous plates and cups throughout the event. Additionally, someone I was told was a coordinator was arguing and speaking poorly about another staff member to my mom and other guests. It was embarrassing and incredibly disappointing. I can’t get my wedding day back, but I hope my experience helps others make a more informed decision.

pointing. What should have been our happiest day became stressful and embarrassing due to unprofessionalism and mismanagement. From the start, communication was inconsistent. Their materials said our final count was due 10 days prior, but weeks later, they abruptly demanded it 30 days out. This forced us to reorder invitations and move up our RSVP date, adding stress and cost. During our February tasting with the owner, Eric, the food was excellent. We finalized a menu of London Broil, Honey-Glazed Salmon, Pasta Primavera, and Rice Pilaf. What was served on our wedding day was nothing like what we agreed to. In the final weeks, communication worsened. We had confirmed batch cocktails would be included to avoid long bar lines. Just days before payment, Eric and the coordinator, Lilly, said cocktails would be twelve dollars each. After arguing, they offered to batch a small amount for free. It felt manipulative, especially since this was already finalized. The problems escalated on the wedding day. Dinner began over 30 minutes late because the venue ran out of salad before service even started. Staff reportedly went to the grocery store mid-event to buy more food. The entrees were completely different from our tasting. The “London Broil” was a tough pot roast, the “Honey-Glazed Salmon” was dry and full of bones, and the “Pasta Primavera” was cold and missing its sauce. The “Rice Pilaf” contained nuts, even though we had disclosed two severe nut allergies. The lack of care was shocking. Service was equally disastrous. Guests waited over an hour for food. One server told family they didn't have enough plates and needed guests to hurry so others could be served. Our contract stated dinner service would take 30 minutes; it lasted over an hour and a half. Because of the delays, we had to cancel our plated cake course. The cake was placed on tables during dancing, and hundreds of dollars of it went uneaten. We ended up ordering late-night pizza so our guests had something to eat. Our day-of coordinator described The Monte as the worst she had seen in years, citing poor leadership and rude staff. Lilly, the on-site coordinator, was dismissive toward vendors and avoided responsibility. Eric later admitted he had not supervised the kitchen and had hired a new, unvetted chef. These failures disrupted our timeline and cast a shadow over our celebration. Despite attempts to resolve this, including a demand letter from our attorney and a complaint to the Attorney General, The Monte has refused to respond or offer any refund. While the venue is stunning, it is run with alarming disorganization. The catering is unreliable, management is unresponsive, and the owner avoids accountability. We have documentation—contracts, emails, and photos—verifying every issue. We strongly advise couples to avoid The Monte to prevent the same stress, embarrassment, and financial loss we experienced.