Rotten Laramie Caterer Musing

Avoid French Creek. It's all I can say.

Actually, it's not all I can say.

Perhaps my idea of a catering business is skewed or wrong, because I thought that presentation was 90% of a caterer's appeal and that decent customer service was required. I suppose I could be greatlly misled.

It could be industry standard to set up a poor excuse of a wedding cake -- AKA the Leaning Tower of Buttercream -- and to "fire" the customer when they have the audacity to call and complain about the second-rate work that's been left to collapse on itself at the reception hall. If that's the industry standard, however, I'll take my chances with an amateur in the future.

At least the amateur wouldn't expect to be paid for sub-par work and might even show up to re-do some of the frosting that's sliding/has been smudged off of the cake. An amateur wouldn't tell a bride's family that their daughter's/niece's reception is no longer her obligation and that there is no need to fix the disaster that's melting on a table. An amateur wouldn't decide that they don't like the "tone of voice" that the bride's aunt has taken and decide to cancel the next morning's breakfast .... And an amateur wouldn't have to be afraid of the maid of honor who's been left to deliver a check for some of the worst work and behavior she's ever witnessed.

It was embarrassing, on the day that my best friend has waited for and dreamed of for the better part of 30 years, to see her wedding cake exposed through the frosting and collapsing on itself, to hear how her family was treated by the cake's caterer, and to see her wedding cake photos have to be taken with the groom's cake instead of her actual wedding cake. "Embarrassing" is an inadequate word.

It was refreshing, however, to experience Dwight and the rest of the staff at The Library, where the reception actually took place (thank goodness) ... their behavior, cooperation and performance were already commendable before any of this took place; they shone even brighter afterward, and their willingness to work with the family, allowing them to have the gift-opening breakfast in the same room the next morning without having to tear down the night of the wedding ... all of it just made us that much more grateful for them. Where French Creek dropped the ball, popped it and stomped it into the ground, The Library was phenomenal in their service, their food, their presentation and their attitude toward everyone involved in the wedding.

Cheers to the Library.
Jeers to French Creek Catering.