Liliana Vishal
1/5
TLDR: The Events Specialist we worked with was unprofessional and disrespectful the day of the event and the food samples we were served were $100, cold and we did not get our own portions. DO NOT BOOK THEM AS A WEDDING VENUE.
I am APPALLED at the treatment we got from the Civic Center the day of the wedding. We had several meetings with the Interim Events Specialist (now Event Specialist) who we closed the contract with a year ago. We requested a specific amount of chairs and tables to be set up at the venue and being that my now husband and I are Type A we had several meetings over the course of the year to make this clear. We went the Thursday before to make sure everything was clear with the venue. The day of the wedding 150 chairs and an additional five tables were placed at our room and NO ONE ON SITE TO SUPPORT. Our decorator called us letting us know this would put her behind significantly and no one was on site to support AT ALL. I have worked with many venues before and that is a first.
I called the Event Specialist (7 times) we have been working with for a year and the attitude she responded with was just APPALLING. She answered with an attitude that she “busy” and said there was a supervisor going in site. She wanted to hang up without providing said phone numbers of this supervisor nor their contact information. It took me 3 tries before she shared their phone number. When you are in charge of our contract I expect no less than for you to be respectful and take ownership of the mistake not trying to hang up on the paying customer. And she said something along the lines of “there will be a supervisor on site you can work with” not taking into account I was the bride so I was of course not going to be on site.
I had on speaker while I was getting ready (I am the bride) and our other vendors that were at the hotel were horrified at the treatment I was getting from this so called professional. I was truly embarrassed to know that it was not me that felt disrespected but the vendors that heard the call. The call was followed by a text saying she could barely hear me. If she could not hear me such attitude would not have been shown. She heard me loud and clear. Suffice to say I will not be doing any more business with the Yuma Civic Center. I understand that mistakes occur, but I work in customer service and I know that if I will not be present, I will set up the customer with a point of contact for the day. "Being an hourly employee and having the day off" is no excuse for lack of organization and respect. This is truly unprofessional.
Later during the event, we were told that they would not provide the non-alcoholic drinks we paid because we “did not pay”. My husband had to tell them again that we in fact did pay for that service.
In addition to that, prior to the wedding, we paid $100 for food tasting ($25 per plate, total of 4 plates for my husband and I). The food was cold, the barbacoa was dry, the lasagna was disgusting and we got a tiny container of the sides for myself and now husband. If we are paying $100, the least we expect is warm food and our plates served with the main course and the sides. That definitely was not worth the $100 we paid. We of course did not cater with Yuma Civic Center. Keep in mind that the plates in the Yuma Civic Center are approximately $16 + $4 plated + $4 with china. So you are looking at $24 for a plated dinner on non styrofoam plates. Not worth it!
You should really be considering hiring another Event Specialist that is approachable, respectful and organized. We did not have a good experience with booking our venue here. We will not be recommending this venue to our network. Do better.
