Melbourne couple to receive $13,000 for ruined wedding

A wedding venue has been ordered to pay almost $13,000 to a couple who described the food served at their reception as "horrible" and "nasty".

Ben Bui and Wendy Lam spent $26,000 to have their wedding reception and Maison Melbourne, which described itself as, "The most beautiful Melbourne wedding venue and ceremony space recently renovated with landscaped garden and plenty of parking located near St Kilda."

Beautiful it may be, however the food served was not what the couple were expecting.

They had expected a wedding-quality Asian banquet to be served to their 173 guests.


In their civil claim, the couple said the night was "a complete disaster" with not enough food being served, the food that was served being cold and their guests were left to eat without cutlery.

The couple were shocked because during the tasting ahead of the event they said the food had been lovely.

Bui told the Leader, "We were told there would be individual servings but everything came out as platters, there wasn't enough and what there was was horrible."

He said his friends left the reception to go to McDonalds because they were so hungry.

The groom said it was "a nasty experience" and he and his bride were left feeling embarrassed.

"Every time we think about our wedding day now we’re reminded of this horrible experience,” he said. "We are stuck with this memory for the rest of our lives."


Lam told the tribunal she was so embarrassed by the wedding reception she tried to avoid family members during the event, but did her best to keep it together.

"I may have just bawled my eyes out and I did not want to appear like that because it would have ruined everyone’s mood even more."

To make matters even worse, the couple had paid extra to ensure their guests would be served half a lobster each however some guests missed out completely.

"Anyone who knows Asian weddings will vouch that almost the entire wedding hinges on whether there is half a lobster per person at dinner," she said.

"Without it, the couple would be considered cheap."

The hearing found Maison Melbourne had breached "some of its obligations under contract" and ordered the venue to pay the couple $12,958.50 including an additional $2,000 for distress.

The venue is currently closed for business.

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/melbourne-couple-to-receive-dollar13000-for-ruined-wedding/ar-BBIwBkw?li=AAgfLCP&ocid=ientp

eddie wrote:Let’s be honest, yes they may have hated the food but £13,000?.
I’d have told everyone to order a pizza...but then, I find big over-pompous weddings a bore, a waste of time and rather pretentious.

Why don’t people get married in their favourite t-shirt and jeans or a really way-out Cat Woman costume?

eddie wrote:Let’s be honest, yes they may have hated the food but £13,000?.
I’d have told everyone to order a pizza...but then, I find big over-pompous weddings a bore, a waste of time and rather pretentious.

Why don’t people get married in their favourite t-shirt and jeans or a really way-out Cat Woman costume?

Ben Reilly wrote:

eddie wrote:Let’s be honest, yes they may have hated the food but £13,000?.
I’d have told everyone to order a pizza...but then, I find big over-pompous weddings a bore, a waste of time and rather pretentious.

Why don’t people get married in their favourite t-shirt and jeans or a really way-out Cat Woman costume?