The Orchard Event Venue & Retreat

ssary stress due to poor communication, cleanliness issues, and a booking discount that wasn't honored. ​To start with the cabins, the upkeep was a huge disappointment. With it being a cabin, we completely understand that you’re going to get outdoor insects like spiders, moths, or mosquitoes,but a live roach issue is entirely different. We found live roaches in both cabins we booked (photos attached). There was also dust on multiple surfaces, a dusty sock under the bed, and a detached remote back cover just sitting at the bottom of the coffee table. It definitely didn't feel thoroughly cleaned before our arrival. Honestly, we didn't even bother mentioning the roaches to management at checkout because by that point, we were just so glad to be over and done with the whole experience. ​We also felt like we experienced a bit of a bait-and-switch with the pricing. We were told we’d get a 10% booking discount for attending their open house, but it was never actually applied to our balance. When we asked about it, Shaina simply told us we wouldn't be getting it because our wedding date was "so close"—which made no sense to us, especially since we were asked to pay in full. ​Dealing with Shaina, made the logistics difficult. Whenever we tried to schedule venue visits around our work schedules or severe weather, she’d respond with unnecessary personal remarks—explicitly telling us that they all make plans with their families when it’s not their designated weekend to work—rather than just offering another scheduling option. She even told us we could come take photos one day but stated that while staff would be present, no one would be available to answer any questions. However, Kevin was on-site and was incredibly helpful and happy to answer everything we asked. ​Right before the wedding, Shaina left our emails unanswered for nearly two weeks. We had to escalate things to the GM, Lacey. Lacey was amazing—she apologized, agreed that Shaina had dropped the ball, and took over our plans for the final two weeks. She was even gracious enough to let us have early access to the venue just to store our drinks and desserts, which we really appreciated. ​Overall, our wedding day was beautiful, and staff members like Lacey and Kevin were great-Kevin was actually present on the day of our wedding and did a fantastic job. However, the bartender provided by the venue (and paid for by us) made some uncalled-for comments that made our guests uncomfortable. She questioned a guest about the beer he ordered and then interrogated him about whether he was staying in the cabins. There was no unruly behavior or anyone acting out to warrant this type of questioning. An onsite police officer was required and provided by the venue for security(which we paid), meaning safety measures were already fully covered and it went smoothly without incident. It felt unprofessional for a bartender to be cross-examining our guests about their sleeping arrangements when they have no idea what safety plans or designated drivers were in place. I went back and forth on whether I wanted to leave a review, but I decided to share our experience because I would have wanted to know these things beforehand. I am simply sharing our experience to make others aware. I have no interest in any responses from management.