Alan Perl's Ultimate Caterers review: Wedding Catering Service 2

So where do you begin when reviewing a Wedding Caterer service that cannot be described on how horrible they were... Find as many blogs and complaints possible from other people who might have used them and then some.
I was deployed to Iraq when my Wife was planning our wedding. She went to Caterer after Caterer to try and find the perfect one for our reniassance themed wedding. She happened upon Alan Perl's Ultimate Caterers and decided to go with them due to the show of experience they laid out in front of her. Boy could we not have been more fooled by a bunch of ...'es. You can not describe how horrible this company is. During the whole planning service he the owner Alan Perl seemed to want to help us out as much as he can to make our day as memorable as possible... well he made it more memorable with the slue of complaints we got from EVERY SINGLE ONE of our guests in regards to their service. People remember our wedding due to the fact that it was a Rennaisance Theme and not the food.
Here is just a fraction of complaints from guests at our wedding in regards to the whol company.
Grooms immediate family -
Lets start at 2:30pm when I arrived to be there with my son. There was no staff on-site. The tent nor the grounds were ready for a wedding. You and your staff should be ashamed that family and friends were arriving to find nothing ready for my son's wedding. My son was upset that nothing was ready. I went and talked to someone who asked me well what time does this start. I told him that the photographer will be here by 3pm to take pictures and that the bridal party will be here soon. He stated well there not getting married here by the time they get here it will be ready. I told him no they are getting married here at 4pm and then the cocktail hour and then the reception. By this time my eldest son had round up some of the staff and had them setting up the chairs where the ceremony would be taking place.

I find it awful that your staff while the Bride and Groom were saying their vows where in the background making faces and setting up the cocktail hour. they should not be in the pictures of the wedding but if you would like to see your staff milling around we have plenty of pictures of people standing laughing and putting table cloths on tables.

I am the grooms mother I did not appreciate the fact that my family table was served last, if served food at all. I had to inform the one young woman who was serving bowls of potatoes she only put 2 bowls on my table which had an apx total of 25 family members sitting to include 8 children under the age of 10 this was not enough for the table. I asked the girl to bring more food to the table. I then asked her why was the grooms family table served last all night long she did not answer but showed up with some more potatoes which were cold then the vegetables arrived cold and then after about 15mins the meat showed up.

There were no wine glasses on the table no one came by and refill the water glasses. I really did not like the fact that the children had to go stand in line at the bar for a drink of soda (these are my grandchildren and I did not appreciate that) How can a bar not have a bottle opener to serve beer? My eldest sons were opening people's beers after they were given a closed bottle of beer with no way to open it. My other son and his date both from the military were drinking mead and wine that were on the table from the bottles because there again were no glasses on the table to drink out of. My mother in-law who is in a wheel chair the staff had been notified by the Bride and Groom that she would be attending never provided here with a place setting until my husband told me that my sister-in laws were going to use there plates to feed her from. I informed the staff that we needed a setting for her and they finally provided it for her. I had to keep trying to get someone to come to my table which they seemed to be avoiding. Finally a long time family friend whom my children call Uncle had to ask 3 times for water for me and then he gave up and went to where the staff was hanging out at outside in the back area smoking cigarettes and laughing and caring on. He then asked for the water which they gave him in a silver picture to bring back to the table. My husband also went to back when coffee was being prepared in the back to again ask for water for the table. He was given a silver picture of water to bring to the table for me. I was not served a salad nor was my husband and 5 other place settings didn't have a salad as well. (I was in the ladies room ). When I returned to the table I noticed everyone that did have a salad was finishing up. I went up to a staff member and asked for a salad and was told there was no more. (that seemed to be the motto of the night from the staff there is no more).

I asked one of the staff members for a bottle of Mead for the Grooms Uncle and Niece to drink and was told the favorite line of the night there is no more. I then went and asked the Bride and Groom is all the wine and mead gone. They said no there is more in the back and it was suppose to be out on the tables I told them what the staff had said.

Towards the end of the night the mater-D came to me in front of my family and friends and said I hear you have a problem and wanted to speak with me. I informed him there is no more problem and there should have never been a problem I told him I did not like the fact that my table had was served last if severed at all. I had to find staff members to get food to my table to feed my family and grandchildren. He informed me that he had told the staff to serve the bride and groom first and then both family tables next. By the time he talked to me the dinner was done. I told him whatever I will handle this with the Groom and Bride and her family.

Grooms Aunt -
In regards to the wedding of which was held on October 23, 2010.

Let's start with the cocktail hour:
There were glasses of mead and wine, which was laid out very nicely on a round table. However, there was no one there to take care of this table once all the glasses of mead/wine were gone, no one from the catering staff took the time to restock this table and when I went and asked for another glass of the berry mead I was told that there was no more.
2nd my husband went up to the young lady who was working the bar, he ordered a whiskey and soda, after she made the drink she then inform him that it was $5.00. There was no sign stating that it was a cash bar. There should have been a sign stating this or the young lady should have informed you of this when you placed the order.
3rd the Beer was not stock as well once the beer tubs were empty no one from the catering staff took the time to restock the beer tubs.

The Reception:
My number one complaint is that the temperature outside that day was in the low 70's it was very nice also that evening, there was no reason WHY you had to turn on the heaters! Being in a tent that is made of canvas it was like being in a greenhouse! The heat was blowing directly on us. When I asked that it be turn off I was told no, that the Bride and Groom requested that it be turned on when we know for a fact that the Bride and Groom asked for the heat to be turned off! Due to this my son ended up suffering a Migraine and had to leave the tent because of the heat!
There was no mead or wine place on the tables for the guests to drink. Also for the toast to the Bride and Groom there was no mead or wine in the wine glasses. The waiter/waitress poured water in the wine glasses instead of wine. I was standing with the Bride and Groom, when the Bride's father approached them both about the fact that the Mead was not on the tables. The bride then called the head waiter over and told him that the Mead was to be placed on the tables as per their request. He informed her that he would take care of this. After about a half hour the waiter/waitress' were placing 3 bottles of Mead at each table.
There was no place setting for the DJ, we had room at our table and I requested that the waiter/waitress please bring out a salad and bowl of soup for the DJ and that he would be sitting at our table. Just to let you know our table was right by the DJ table.
The salad was good and I have no complains about it. The soup on the other hand was cold and could have used some seasoning. I have no idea what the Bride and Groom paid for the food but the main course was just awful! There was a space of 10 minutes between each food item brought to the table...The potatoes were served 1st there was too much spice on them as if someone was heavy handed in the kitchen. 10 minutes later the vegetables came out which no one ate as they were cold, mushy and they were cut paper thin. 10 minutes later the chicken pieces came to the table. The chicken was dry, cold, it was just nasty. No one at our table ate the main course this includes the DJ.
The roast beef came out after the fact as if they forget it. It was cold and bloody it was just too rare from some people.
There was no pitcher of water at the tables I had to ask if they could bring a pitcher of water to our table.
Later when my husband and daughter went to the bar and asked for another bottle of mead they were informed that there was no more. After they question this the young lady at the bar all of a sudden discovered a bottle of mead that had about a glass poured out of it. She gave them this opened bottle of mead. My sister the groom's mother came over and took this bottle and my daughter went after her to get it back she informed her aunt that she was told that there was no more; my sister was very upset because there were 4 unopened cases of mead in the back!
In the pictures of the Bride and Groom cutting the cake the head waiter was blocking the view of the photographer who had to work around him.

Friend -
Thank you for inviting us to the wedding. In regards to the staff... They had to be some of the rudest, most unhelpful workers I have seen in a long time. It seems they were never around to help with anything unless they were dropping food in front of us then disappearing until the next course. I couldn't even get anyone to help get water for my daughter. I asked three different servers following the ceremony and they all blew me off saying the don't know where anything is and can't help me. I had to get ice from a bartender for her to chew on.

Groom -
Anyone ever play where's Waldo... Thats what it was like when trying to find the matre-d. We were informed that they would dress in theme and speak in theme to match the experience... did that happen... once again... nope. Every single time I tried to find the matre-d (who on contract states has to be with the Bride and Groom to meet OUR NEEDS) was outside on his phone. I dont know how many people from the wedding complained about their staff making out. Not only was our table served almost last everytime... THEY PLACE THINGS ON OUR TABLE THAT WE ASKED TO BE PLACE AT THE CAKE TABLE. Regards to the cake table... it was the wrong size. The cake was on the verge of falling off the table I dont know how many times. Here goes with the head Chef too. We were informed by the owner (Alan) that he would be the chef at our wedding... was he there... again nope. Our wedding site was almost two hours away from their location and he cooked and prepped the food there and sent it in a box truck that wasnt even insulated to our site. I'm sorry how long is it before cooked food stored at room temperature can no longer be eaten. I know you're thinking well they could have just cooked it at our site... well yes they could have since the site showed us where the Caterer's can cook the food for the wedding at instead he felt it ok to cook it almost two hours away and about 6 hours prior to the reception. Oh but wait what were his words in regards to his food. "I tasted everything before it left and it SEEMED ok to me." Who the hell tells newly weds and the Brides parents "it SEEMED" for that matter who is introduced as being your cook and then not even being there at your wedding. Oh and when we finally asked for them to get the wine and mead on the table whats the first thing they do. DROP A BOTTLE ON MY NEW BROTHER-IN-LAW. Did the waitress have the ability to clean it up... well yes... but heres the key thing there... SHE DIDN'T.

I can seriously go on and on about how piss poor of a company this turned out to be. So I also have a few more things for people to read if they care to do so. Complaints from other couples who decided to try out this company. Check these site's out as well. http://www.complaints.com/directory/2004/may/28/41.htm
http://www.yelp.com/biz/alan-perls-ultimate-caterers-marlboro