Mara Villa proved to be an ideal venue for hosting our wedding reception. We were particularly drawn to its comprehensive offerings, which included in-house vendors and a cozy space tailored for intimate gatherings of fewer than 100 guests. This all-in-one package greatly reduced the stress of coordinating multiple external services for a smaller event.

In preparation for our big day, we had informed the venue months in advance that my mother-in-law would be responsible for decorating and arranging the floral displays on the day of the reception. The venue, in collaboration with our coordinator, Sarah, exhibited commendable attention to detail. They made sure that every item we were providing or including in the event was accounted for. Multiple conversations and meetings were held to discuss timelines and event particulars, and we greatly appreciated the efficient manner in which everything was arranged.

On the day of our reception, my husband, his family, my mother-in-law, and I arrived at the venue early to set up. To our surprise, when we entered, it felt like the air conditioning had not been functioning for quite some time. The venue, and Sarah in particular, had assured us that the AC was being adjusted and that they were in the process of rectifying the issue by contacting the AC company. The fact that the AC was not working on our special day was puzzling to both our families and us, as we had been informed that the venue was typically quite cool. The heat was discomforting throughout the setup process, during my hair and makeup preparations, and while waiting in the bridal suite for our grand entrance. The warmth was particularly noticeable in the bridal suite, where we were confined for over an hour as guests began to arrive. We had hoped for more proactive measures to alleviate the situation.

Sarah, our coordinator, efficiently adhered to our timeline and ensured that everything proceeded in the correct order. However, we found her to lack a personal touch. She did not extend a warm and welcoming atmosphere to our families and treated my mother-in-law poorly. Since our reception was scheduled for a Thursday evening, we decided to conclude our celebration an hour earlier to allow guests to depart and give my mother-in-law ample time for cleanup. While our rental agreement granted us access to the venue until midnight, all our guests had vacated by 11 PM. Regrettably, at the end of the evening, all the decorative items and boxes my mother-in-law had brought were dismantled and discarded without her consent. Some vases and decor items she had rented or purchased were also on the verge of being disposed of before she intervened. She felt that Sarah was pressuring her to wrap up the cleanup process during the final hour, which we had rightfully paid for. Sarah's demeanor towards my mother-in-law remained rude and aloof, and she appeared disgruntled throughout the evening.

In summary, we acknowledge that Mara Villa is a stunning venue that ensured the smooth execution of our event. However, we couldn't shake the feeling that we were inconveniencing Sarah, despite having invested a substantial sum for our special day. We hesitate to recommend her services as a coordinator, as her energy and approach did not align with the level of care and dedication we expected for such a significant and momentous occasion in a couple's life. We believe that a coordinator should be unwaveringly dedicated to meeting the couple's needs and fostering a positive atmosphere, an experience we, unfortunately, did not encounter.