Reid Castle Events

r experience with the coordination and execution of our wedding was extremely disappointing. When we first met Shaun, she was pleasant and reassuring. She emphasized her decades of experience, told us we were in good hands, and said she would be our day-of coordinator with five staff members assisting her. As planning continued, however, communication became inconsistent. Shaun frequently did not remember previous conversations or details we had discussed, leaving us frustrated and repeatedly explaining our plans. Two weeks before the wedding, we met with Shaun and our caterer to discuss the buffet layout. We suggested three options, but Shaun strongly pushed for the buffet to be placed in the reception area with our approximately 166 guests. We expressed concerns about space, but felt our concerns were dismissed. On the wedding day, the caterer was not prepared for the double-sided buffet, forcing it into the hallway. While we recognize the caterer was responsible for that mistake, we were frustrated that our alternative suggestions had not been seriously considered. Our rehearsal one week before the wedding was another disappointment. We were told we would have only three staff members instead of the five originally discussed. Shaun also informed us that she would leave at 3:00 p.m. because of a family emergency. We completely understand that emergencies happen; our frustration was with the lack of communication and preparation for the transition. Wedding morning was extremely frustrating. Our bridal party arrived early to help with minor tasks, but ended up doing far more than expected. The ceremony chairs were not arranged according to our detailed plan, and members of my bridal party had to rearrange them outside in the heat instead of getting ready and enjoying the morning with us. One of the most heartbreaking incidents involved my handcrafted welcome mirror, which I had owned for more than 15 years. Shaun suggested moving it and said she had a sturdier easel. She went to retrieve it but never brought it downstairs. The mirror was placed without the promised support and shattered before the wedding began. This was devastating because of its sentimental value. After Shaun left, Bella took over. Despite being assured that she could handle the wedding, our bridal party repeatedly had to step in throughout the evening to move items, assist with setup, and handle responsibilities we believed were part of the coordination service we paid for. Instead of celebrating with us, our bridal party spent much of the evening working. Cleanup was equally frustrating. Despite labeled boxes and detailed instructions, we were missing a Bose speaker and karaoke microphone, and our candles were mistakenly taken with the venue's belongings. I had to return to Reid Castle twice after the wedding to retrieve our items. Ultimately, we are deeply disappointed. Our wedding was supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives, but it was overshadowed by frustration, poor communication, and responsibilities falling on our bridal party that we believed the venue should have handled. Reid Castle itself is beautiful, but the coordination and execution did not meet the level of service we were promised or expected.

ing. After the wedding, I reached out to Shaun to discuss our concerns and never received a response. I am an extremely organized person. I created detailed timelines, labeled every item, and provided clear instructions and visual references for setup. Despite this, I ended up having to manage many aspects of the wedding day myself. From the beginning, communication was an issue. Shaun told me multiple times she would send a floor plan, but it was never provided. After repeated follow-ups, I ultimately created the entire floor plan myself. Even with that, when I arrived the morning of the wedding, the wrong table sizes had been set up. My parents and sister then spent a large portion of the day fixing setup issues and arranging reception tables instead of enjoying the wedding. This is time we'll never get back. The most upsetting issue involved the chapel seating. Approximately one hour before the ceremony, we were told that the church pews had been removed and thrown into a dumpster and replaced with black folding chairs. As someone who specifically chose this chapel for our ceremony, this was extremely distressing. While the situation was eventually corrected by using extra ballroom chairs that only fit a quarter of the room, it should never have happened. Shaun also told my bridesmaid that "I'm not going to be happy" once my bridesmaid saw the folding chairs set up, instead of coming and telling me directly. It was news my mom had to deliver to me. Several other details discussed in advance were not executed. Cocktail tables that were supposed to be moved indoors were left outside. Chairs I specifically requested not be placed on the altar were added and will now need to be edited out of our photos. Instructions for our first dance were not communicated to the band. We were also told that our guest book, card box, and welcome table items would be moved into the reception space, but they were not. As a result, very few guests signed our guest book, and guests handed cards directly to us and our parents throughout the night. The groom and groomsmen were also asked to leave their getting-ready room less than an hour after arriving, creating confusion and unnecessary stress. During the reception, I found myself coordinating the timeline, tracking down vendors, and managing key moments such as speeches and cake cutting because I could not locate anyone from the venue team. I had to rely on my own printed timeline throughout the night to ensure events stayed on track. I effectively coordinated my own wedding, which was not what we expected when Shaun told me the first day we met "Do NOT hire a day-of wedding coordinator." To make matters worse, our wedding cake was left in the bridal suite overnight without our knowledge and ultimately had to be thrown away. Communication in the months leading up to the wedding was also consistently difficult, with delayed responses requiring multiple follow-ups. Reid Castle is a beautiful venue, but the lack of communication, organization, and day-of coordination significantly impacted our experience. I hope this feedback helps future couples make an informed decision. Thank you.