Pine Forest Camp

be getting into when considering any of their properties as a venue. Sadly, poor facility conditions, inadequate staffing and an overall lack of care made us regret trusting them with one of the biggest days of our lives. I’m sharing this in hopes that other couples won’t make the same mistake we did. • The condition of the facility was unacceptable. The dining hall reached 86°F because the AC was not functioning. There were dead and living flies throughout the space and ants on tables, decorations and even the plates. One bathroom had a septic issue, while another area had an extremely strong odor consistent with a dead animal somewhere in the walls or floors. The facility simply did not feel clean or properly prepared to host a wedding. • We paid a staffing fee but when we needed staff, they were nowhere to be found. At multiple points during our reception I was walking circles around the dining hall & through the kitchen trying to find a single staff member but there was no one there. We weren't expecting to be waited on hand and foot; we simply expected someone to be available when an issue arose. We paid a staffing fee for that exact reason. • Both bathrooms ran out of toilet paper by 7pm. When finally got help, we were told there "should be enough." My husband and I spent a significant portion of our reception trying to find toilet paper for our guests and it took more than an hour for it to arrive. The complete lack of concern or urgency surrounding such a basic human necessity was extremely concerning and unacceptable. • As our wedding approached, our interactions with staff became increasingly uncomfortable. Our meetings with the Food/Beverage Director often left us feeling talked down to and as though we were asking for too much - even when discussing things we believed were included or permitted when we booked. Flexibility promised during our tours disappeared and new restrictions were imposed weeks before the wedding. 2 weeks before our reception we were even asked to end our DJ earlier than our contracted time so our guests would be encouraged to leave sooner. By our wedding day, we genuinely felt like our event was an inconvenience to them. • That lack of care continued on our wedding day. There was virtually no sense of welcome or hospitality toward us or our guests. When staff were present, we largely felt ignored; when we needed help, we often couldn't find anyone at all. We reached the point where asking for anything felt impossible. Sadly, these aren't even all of the issues we experienced. Individually, some may sound minor. Experiencing them together on your wedding day is very different. Instead of enjoying our time, we were worrying about our guests, searching for staff, solving problems, and feeling guilty for asking for help. Based on our experience it became painfully clear to us that the staff responsible for these properties (Pine Forest, Timber Tops and Lake Owego) did not have the experience, organization or preparedness necessary to properly manage a wedding. A wedding is not a summer camp event and it cannot be treated like one. We learned that the hard way, and I strongly caution other couples to consider our experience before trusting any of these properties with theirs.