Vista on the Docks

Vista on the docks

I’m sharing this review because potential clients deserve an honest picture of our experience with Vista On the Docks. We planned our wedding for eight months and had multiple meetings with the venue’s owner to discuss the setup, signage, arch, tables, chairs, and details for our ceremony and reception. During our meeting the Wednesday before our wedding, I was assured everything would be completed by Friday night. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Before our Friday rehearsal, we had to help complete the chair setup. During rehearsal, I again expressed my concerns with the owner and was assured everything would be taken care of, including rearranging the tables to allow enough room for guests to move throughout the hall. That was not done either. When my family arrived Saturday morning, very little had been completed. I called and texted the owner but received no response, even though I had been told she would be there. The tables were not fully set with plates, silverware, and glassware until about an hour before our wedding. The linens were also wrinkled, despite being told they would be steamed Friday night. The arch had not been assembled as discussed, and was put together and decorated shortly before the wedding. The tables were not properly arranged, we did not have the easels or signage we had discussed, and the space remained in disarray until shortly before the ceremony. We also learned of another wedding had been scheduled for 2 p.m. on the same day as our 4 p.m. wedding. Because of that event, our ceremony chairs could not be set up until after the other wedding. I understand venues may host multiple events, but this should have been communicated to us in advance so we could understand how it would affect our setup and timeline. There were also other issues, including shoes given to the owner to be placed on our head table that went missing, and concerns about people not part of our wedding being allowed to sit in the area we had paid for. What disappointed me most was not that everything wasn’t perfect. My biggest disappointment was the lack of communication, preparation, and follow-through. If I had been contacted ahead of time, I could have prepared differently. Instead, I found out about these issues the morning of my wedding and had to rely on family and friends. Thankfully, my SIL/coordinator, my daughter, our wedding party, family, and friends worked hard to make sure our wedding came together. I am extremely grateful for them. We paid the venue in full by the required deadline, and I expected the services we discussed to be delivered. Two weeks after our wedding, I contacted the owner to honestly express my concerns and give her an opportunity to explain what happened. She said she would look into it and follow up. To date, I still have not received a follow-up. Not a call or text. I am not leaving this review because I expected perfection. I am sharing it because this was our actual experience. After eight months of planning what should have been one of the most special days of our lives, we should not have had to spend the day before and morning of our wedding scrambling to make sure the venue was ready. Our wedding day ultimately turned out beautiful because of the people who surrounded us and stepped in to help. However, based on our experience with the preparation, communication, and follow-through, I cannot honestly recommend Vista On the Docks to other couples planning their wedding.