Ahhh!! Capitale just added $5,000 to our charges!!!

The guy that we first dealt with at Capitale got fired. Now I know why - apparently we aren't being charged for a lot of things that we should be charged for...they were missing out on a lot of $$.

I just found out that we now have to deal with the engineers at Capitale for our 'lighting' and stage needs - now, we have to pay for the 'labor' involved in getting our DJ setup on the house sound system. Its complete BS.

I'm wondering if anybody here has dealt with something like this. There is no mention of any of this in our contract...so Capitale took off about $1500 worth of costs, but they are still charging us ridiculous labor costs for other things mentioned above.

What do I do??

nobody has any advice? looks like i'm **** out of luck.

There is NO WAY IN HELL you should agree to pay the $5K extra. Read your contract and send your coordinator over there to raise hell

And why do you need an engineer for 'lighting' help What kind of lighting Don't the florist do that

I have to agree that it is total BS to pay for the 'labor' involved in getting your DJ setup on the house sound system

Give 'em hell Alicia. it's not YOUR fault they hired someone...how can a catering facility expect you to pay...you booked them with false information and expectations provided by THEIR employee...so they found out and they fired them, great for them, but you shouldn't have to suffer.

Katrina is right...it is complete BS- I am sure they know you can't do anything like cancel on them so close to your wedding, but you shouldn't cave like that. again, it's not YOUR fault...maybe they need to keep a tighter leesh on their bm's but you shouldn't have to pay the consequence....

That is complete BS! I would be pissed as hell. I seriously doubt a place like Capitale is losing money on your wedding. I would not only tell them that legally they have to eat the $5K costs (because that charge is not in their contract) but the fact that they can't hire competent staff isn't a penalty you should take! If that doesn't work I would threatened to take legal action and report them to the BBB.

I'm sorry, but if you don't meet your minimum person guarantee (per your contract) you have to pay regardless. How they expect to edit their own contract and add charges - after you've been planning this wedding for months is outrageous.

Total BS. There are plenty of lawyers on this site, you shoudl start a thread calling for them, and ask their opinion.
Good luck!

I know....it ***** big time. Why does this kind of crap always happen?? I just don't want to get snippy with them and make this into a huge issue (legal action, etc.), but it isn't fair and 5k is no chump change. Man....I really \wish this wasn't happening!!!!

Thanks for the advice...I know it isn't fair...I'm just trying to figure out a way to handle this with Capitale before it gets out of control.

I just talked to FH about this again....he has been doing all of the talking with Capitale. Capitale's stance is that they should be charging us a lot more and they are trying to work with us by cutting some of the charges out. FH thinks that if we call attention to this that Capitale will add on even more charges.

They can't do this, right? They can't just start adding charges that aren't outlined in the contract, right?

This is so annoying.

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Posted by johnsae

I just talked to FH about this again....he has been doing all of the talking with Capitale. Capitale's stance is that they should be charging us a lot more and they are trying to work with us by cutting some of the charges out. FH thinks that if we call attention to this that Capitale will add on even more charges.

They can't do this, right? They can't just start adding charges that aren't outlined in the contract, right?

This is so annoying.

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NO, they cannot amend your contract after the fact because their employee screwed them over by charging you less than the 'normal' fee for whatever.

Capitale is not trying to 'work with you' they are trying to SCREW YOU OUT OF $5k weeks prior to your wedding They are trying to get you and FH to agree to let THEM amend your contract.

If you do not want to do it, and FH does not want to do it, send you coordinator over there to make sure they stick to the letter of the contract. Tell the coordinator to let them know that you will absolutely NOT pay any additional fees that are not outlined in the contract that you signed with the now fired BM. That includes lighting, stage help, labor charges not mentioned in the contract or anything else they try to throw at you.

You have only weeks left until your wedding and you should not cave in and pay $5K or more in extra fees. That could be honeymoon money

I am so annoyed with this that I am calling the law firm coordinator to let her know since we have used Capitale as a Christmas party venue. I will make sure she knows how they treat people

FM me the wording in the contract
they should have included standard engineering
URGHHH

that's their fault that they didn't charge you for these costs - irregardless of if the charges are supposed to be there. that's their loss, not yours.

have any lawyers in your family? you and your fh can argue all you want but you are in a compromised position - since you've invested so much already. bring in a 3rd party and they will probably take you more seriously. lawyer = unwanted fees.

Right after we signed our contract Capitale added special lighting into the main ballroom....

Well, they are 'throwing' this special lighting into our package (anybody that signs a contract with them now has to pay extra $$$ for that lighting)...so FH thinks that if we try to dispute these new charges that they are going to say, 'fine then you can pay the $10,000 in lighting and sound that we usually charge for, but that we WERE going to give you'

that's the issue....FH is going to call our contact and refuse to pay these ridiculous labor costs, but he thinks we may have to 'meet them half way', because he's afraid they are going to bring up these other 'add-ons'.

ugh.

we'll figure this out....our contact at Capitale is actually very friendly....it's their in house engineers...a separate company, that is used to making big bucks out of weddings there, and is probably giving our contact a hard time because all of these things were thrown in for free without them knowing (the guy that was fired should have charged us for some other stuff but didnt).

its complicated.

if it isnt in your contract you shouldnt have to pay these extra charges. you signed for a cost that was in your contract, plain and simple.

Just like the saying 'a deals a deal'...well a contract is a contract. A rep. of their establishment signed this along with you....its valid. I would fight this tooth and nail.

A contract is a contract.

If the special lighting was included in your contract, there is no way they can add it in now if you give them hell about paying the $5k. You are only responsible for whatever you signed on the dotted line for.

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Posted by johnsae

Right after we signed our contract Capitale added special lighting into the main ballroom....

Well, they are 'throwing' this special lighting into our package (anybody that signs a contract with them now has to pay extra $$$ for that lighting)...so FH thinks that if we try to dispute these new charges that they are going to say, 'fine then you can pay the $10,000 in lighting and sound that we usually charge for, but that we WERE going to give you'

that's the issue....FH is going to call our contact and refuse to pay these ridiculous labor costs, but he thinks we may have to 'meet them half way', because he's afraid they are going to bring up these other 'add-ons'.

ugh.

we'll figure this out....our contact at Capitale is actually very friendly....it's their in house engineers...a separate company, that is used to making big bucks out of weddings there, and is probably giving our contact a hard time because all of these things were thrown in for free without them knowing (the guy that was fired should have charged us for some other stuff but didnt).

its complicated.

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No, it's not complicated. They gave you some freebie's via the now fired BM. Too bad for them that he gave you $10K in sounds/lighting as freebie's that they would normally not give.

Do not agree to meet them half way. There are no add-ons that they can charge you for unless you and FH go to THEM and ask for add on's. Those add on's wil then be negotiated and you will pay an additional fee for add on's that you pick after the fact NOT for add ons that are already in your contract as free. If it's in your contract as a freebie, then that's the end of the story.

They will just have to suck it up and eat the extra expense on this one and keep the next BM in check to make sure s/he is not giving away to much for free.

It seems to me(without looking at your contract), that Capitale added a service to their venue after your signing. It was done so they could find a way to up charge their clients every party for a one time investment. Simply refuse the lighting, tell them its not neccessary. If they tell you that you must have it, its their cost, not yours! Same for the sound system, let them know your band or dj has their own, and its not needed. You've already paid for it with them, by your music contract! Let them know you will take Capitale the way you signed for it, and are not interested in the extras.
9 times out of 10 they will just throw it in to make themselves look good. FM me if you feel that the situation is more complicated.

If they didn't outline that into the contract it is too late to try to get you to pay more. Legally they are BOUND TO THAT CONTRACT its not your fault their employee that they fired didn't include it they are still legally bound to it.

Don't let them take advantage of you because your wedding is close. That is what they are banking on!