Luv with Flowers

I unfortunately caught COVID, it was not any type of personal emergency.

All monies paid were refunded.

I did my best to accommodate the couples that were affected when I took very ill.

I take COVID very seriously, having lost my Uncle and an Aunt to this terrible disease.

I apologize I could not be a part of your day, that was never my intention.

I would love to clear this up and state some facts in this matter.

So my mother being very ill last year was NOT a sob story!!
I take great offence to their obvious disregard for my families well being, but then opening their ‘review’ with a lengthy description of their families struggles & how that situation was very stressful. Any one of our family members being sick and in the unknown health wise is debilitating.

A few facts - Nina & Shawn cancelled their wedding within a few weeks before the date and I did indeed respond to you immediately. I offered my sympathy and said to keep in touch.

On a side note - when you book a wedding vendor, you are securing that particular date, you place a small deposit, these are non refundable in every case …especially if you cancel your secure date and opt for another one that I cannot accommodate.

Nina & Shawn signed a contract documenting just these policies.

Of course I was sympathetic to their situation and actually expressed this in detail in a long email to them trying to come to an resolution.

When they eventually sent along their new date, I did not get back to them as my moms health was on a decline and being her only care giver, I was her next of kin and her decision maker, her proxy. I was overwhelmed and missed the follow up email. I own that!

When I did see it, I immediately let them know that I was not free to design their date and wished them all the best.
I explained the loss of the deposit and reminded them that they signed a contract reflecting that policy.

Having thought they only paid the down payment at first $650- I at first offered them some monies back but then seeing as they paid the full amount on top of the deposit I sent that money back to them immediately minus the non refundable deposit paid. That was $1500.

I was not in any way required to give them monies back as they cancelled within the month window and having paid the balance - an order for their florals which I am responsible was already submitted for them from my greenhouses. Their original deposit DID NOT even cover those costs !

Yet I did not trouble them with that loss seeing as the difficult situation they were enduring.
I simply ate that cost.

I also turned down many clients subsequently to them taking their initial date and their deposit was a small fraction of the income I could have generated for that day.

I am just saddened that knowing they signed a contract in black and white they would demand a non refundable deposit back when they entered Into that agreement in the first place.

They also sent along a threat for court - with a template form filled out from the internet, not from a lawyers office, attempting to strong arm me when that was not necessary as I had stated they would get back the balance payment above the non refundable deposit. They were emailing and calling me everyday - several times a day to demand monies that are non refundable back to the point where I had to block them and seek legal action.

I was and am always very transparent in the deposit policy and always will be- They not only signed the contract but also it is stated clearly in the financials breakdown in their package.

I was kind and empathetic and explained how I lost my Aunt on Christmas Day and my Uncle due to COVID. My Uncle/my godfather struggled in a ventilator for 7 weeks.

After recently loosing my Father and being the only one to care for my Mom..
I received coldness and told publicly on here that I was telling them a SOB story, that’s unreal.

Seems very low and I can only imagine if I reacted that way towards them when they cancelled due to their circumstances how that would’ve been received.

But I would never, not my character.

Did I mess up and not respond right away to their postponement date email - yes … but then I feel I handled it the best fair way possible.

I don’t ever wish for a clients relationship to disintegrate nor do I want anyone unhappy with me.
I would’ve designed their date if I was available hands down and with this wedding season - dates are being booked years in advance and fought over.

I do apologize for my misunderstanding or miscommunication and I wish them and their family all the best in the future.