"On August 15th, my wife and I, after so much time of preparations, illusions, headaches and, of course, money, marked that date as our big day, the day that is supposed to be the happiest in a couple's life, our wedding day.
At 9:00 p.m. my wife and I were at the church Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in Teguise saying yes to each other and ignoring what would happen to us later. Excited about our day, we continued taking photos in a park in Arrecife, before going to the great banquet in an establishment in Costa Teguise, whose name I will not publish for the moment.
Once the photos were taken, we happily arrived at said establishment, in which we had agreed on the following before the wedding: we would listen to special music for us when entering the dining room, which was finally not heard well, and dinner was going to start at 11:00 p.m.
Well, we finished eating around 2:45 a.m., making many guests tired, because they took too long between courses. The guests got up, went to smoke, many received cold dishes and many didn't even try the cake.
After our bewilderment at how delayed the dinner was, we gave a vote of confidence to the organization, waiting for the open bar. But there came our surprise, when after going to the establishment's disco after having agreed that the open bar and the party could be extended until 6 hours, after the bride and groom's dance around 3 hours, the only waiter in the disco to serve 150 people, after a disastrous service and most of the guests complaining about not being at the bar on many occasions, turned on the disco lights around 4:30 a.m. Only an hour and a half of open bar!
Almost all the bottles were left full, he cut off the party to our closest friends and family, and especially to us, we couldn't believe it. I told the DJ, hired by us for the whole night, to leave because the waiter had already turned on the lights and was inviting us to leave. I begged him for one last drink for everyone and told him that we would leave afterwards, despite feeling bad about his attitude and the deception by the establishment, which did not comply with the schedule we had agreed on.
Even so, it didn't help us at all. Indignant and seeing my wife very sad and how all the guests were leaving, we decided to go to the management of the establishment to file a complaint. And another surprise happened. The receptionist tells me that she doesn't have a complaint book, that it is in management under lock and key.
Then I call the Local Police of Teguise, who behaved very well with us and they asked for the book. The receptionist kept saying that it was under lock and key in management. Then the police did their job and we said goodbye.
My wife and I had to leave the establishment, where we were going to spend our honeymoon night, due to the discomfort of the situation. We went to the Gran Hotel, whose workers were astonished to see a couple of newlyweds at 5 o'clock asking for a room on their honeymoon.
Thanks to the Gran Hotel, whose workers showed professionalism and dedication to us when we told them what happened.
The next day, we didn't receive any call apologizing or clarifying what happened. They simply called us two days later to pick up the invoices for what was owed from the open bar. On top of that! We refuse to pay the part we owe from the open bar, because it doesn't seem fair to us, since the agreed schedule was not met and because of the damage received. So that's the situation at the moment. They are claiming that amount of 650 euros that is owed from the open bar, and I am claiming justice.
Our honeymoon night was a disappointment and there is no right to that. If they don't know or can't prepare a wedding, don't offer it, because you can't play with the feelings of a couple, who are celebrating the most special day of their lives. The damage is done and the bitter memory will always remain there.
The Monday following our wedding we took measures in the Cabildo of Lanzarote and when all this is resolved and the name of the establishment can be made public, we will do so for the whole island to know.
The photo we show shows our ending, in the street with the suitcase on our honeymoon. Our faces say it all.
I want to apologize to all the guests who may have felt uncomfortable, annoyed or tired during our wedding banquet and I thank the staff of the Gran Hotel and the Cabildo".