Our Dream Beach Wedding in The Bahamas
Everyone has been asking us about our destination wedding in Abaco, and I’ve been avoiding the topic. Truth is, it’s been weighing on me so heavily. As I continue to grow and evolve as a writer, I’m doing my best to present the whole picture with less emphasis on perfection. I thought perhaps today was the perfect day to get it all off my chest… because you know how much I like writing up the negative side of travel. (See here, here, here and here for the 4 negative stories I’ve written in the past 657 posts.)
But y’all, things did not go well with our wedding at Bahama Beach Club. (And, UPDATE: things have gotten much worse. Stalking, defamation and death threats from hotel employees… I wish I was kidding.) I feel compelled to share so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.
Planning a Wedding in The Bahamas
Why did we choose to get married in The Bahamas? Easy question! It’s one of my absolute favorite countries – the beaches in The Bahamas are perfection – and I couldn’t wait to share it with my friends and family. I worked with the Ministry of Tourism as a publicist from 2006-2010, visiting several dozen times, coordinating conferences, visits for journalists, TV show tapings, brand partnership, b-roll shoots, pageants – you name it! As part of my work projects, I visited Mayaguana, Rum Cay, Cat Island, San Salvador, Inagua, Nassau, Grand Bahama, Andros, Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Crooked Island, Long Island and of course, Abaco.
Once I quit my PR job to become a full-time writer & blogger, I continued to write about The Bahamas and represent various hotel clients in Abaco and Exuma. My long-standing, positive relationship with the country was the main reason we chose to have our destination wedding on Treasure Cay, Abaco.
Related Content: Why You Need a Bahamas Vacation
All About Our Bahama Beach Club Destination Wedding
I don’t write about sad feelings very well – you guys know I’m here to tell you about all the fun stuff there is to do in the world – but I don’t know how to put a positive spin on this massive disappointment. But Bahama Beach Club took away our one opportunity for a fun, relaxing wedding week in Abaco and we can never get that week back.
Soon we’ll have all the pretty professional photos and with any luck they’ll warp my memories from the mess we ended up with to a fuzzy version of the week I wish we’d had. I just want to point out before I share the gorgeous footage and pictures of smiling faces and perfection, that our wedding week was hot gar-bage.
The reality: I was a crying ball of stress, Rick was furious as we tried to track down management for an explanation and our loved ones who scrimped and saved for months didn’t get the resort vacation they paid for.
It’s easy to get away from authenticity in the social media realm, where we often present stylized, filtered, sometimes unrealistic images of ourselves, our DIY projects, our brunches and our travels. I don’t want to be that person, and I really don’t want to perpetuate a myth that all destination weddings are picture perfect and Pinterest-ready, so I’m making a particular effort now to say:
Our destination wedding at Bahama Beach Club on Treasure Cay was a huge mess. We didn’t get what we paid for with our destination wedding package. We are extremely unhappy with the way the entire week went down and we don’t want anyone else to waste hard-earned money on an experience that isn’t worth it.
What Went Wrong at Our Bahamas Wedding Venue
So what went wrong at our Bahama Beach Club destination wedding? Literally, all of the things. 100 details slipped through the cracks and all I could’ve dealt with each and every one without batting an eyelash. Hello, I work in PR.
But for now, I’ll just focus on the biggest debacle of all – the one I couldn’t do anything about. After months of wedding planning purgatory – both hotel-related and not – we finally made it to Treasure Cay on Oct. 18 and checked into our condo. I was so ready to relax and focus on the big day ahead. We were starving so I gathered the family for a property tour en route to lunch.
Confused and bewildered – I mean, I confirmed everything was up and running the day before we arrived – we made our way to the Pool Bar & Grill on the other side of the resort. This area was set to be the site of our Thursday night rehearsal dinner.
To our horror, the area was in a much worse state than the Pavilion – unpaved, covered in tarps, dust, equipment and a dozen workers. The pool with swim-up bar and the hot tub were both bone dry and unusable and naturally, due to all the construction, the restaurant and bar were closed.
With the rehearsal dinner five days away, I realized that there was nowhere to eat or drink on the property. Since it was the last week of off-season on the island, most Treasure Cay restaurants were shuttered and not within walking distance anyhow. The closest restaurant by a long stretch was the Tipsy Seagull, a bar about 10 minutes walk down the road.
How would you feel if you promised your family and friends (some who came from as far as Italy, Australia and Afghanistan) an unforgettable beach vacation in a super classy resort only to bring them to a low-rent situation with no available food? That’s me, the professional travel expert of the family, bringing everyone to a construction site where you have to hike to eat or drink.
While all our loved ones saved for 8 months to make this once-in-a lifetime getaway happen, upon arrival they received a subpar experience that cost far more than it was worth from a vacation perspective – roughly $11,000 in room nights alone for a half-open resort with no food, bar, Wifi or amenities, that are all prominently advertised on the website.
With two weeks notice, I could’ve moved our party to a resort with the capability to feed and entertain my group. Instead, Bahama Beach Club didn’t even give a courtesy heads-up.
And I spent my Abaco wedding week frustrated because I couldn’t get a straight answer about when or if the construction would be completed. Every time I spoke with a staff member, the story changed. No one could tell me a real reason why the construction was taking place during a time when guests were scheduled to be on island. The first excuse was “due to Hurricane Joaquin damage,” but when I reminded them Joaquin didn’t hit their island, that changed to “hurricane preparation.”
I didn’t know until the actual day if our rehearsal or wedding would take place as planned.
I cried myself to sleep more than once and almost packed up and went home on Wednesday night – and I’m reasonably certain that’s not how a bride should feel during her wedding week.
Short of truly serious situations, like illness and death, I have rarely been this stressed out or overwhelmed — and I have one of the 6th most stressful job in America. (PR!) As with every event I’ve planned in the past, I expected inevitable bumps and snags, and we had plenty of minor issues to go with the big ones.
I believed that once we arrived in The Bahamas for our destination wedding, all the meticulous follow-up on my part would lead to a fun, carefree week, as promised from day one by the wedding team at the hotel. Instead we were met with lies and half-truths and a management team that never once offered an apology. Rick and I attempted to meet with the owner who was lurking around the edges of the events, schmoozing with selected guests, but he never made the time to meet with us to express his regret over ruining our week.
Never in my professional life have I encountered a more disrespectful, condescending hotel management team as I did at Bahama Beach Club. It was appalling.
From Bad to Scary: Our Destination Wedding Horror Story
The hotel refunded the cost of the rehearsal dinner since we had the privilege of hosting it next to a construction site and empty pool, and they did offer a couple complimentary meals and drinks, but we still paid thousands for what amounted to a bargain basement Bahamas destination wedding package.
Why did they lie about the construction? Why didn’t they give us the chance to decide whether or not to spend our week and our money at a barely open hotel?
For receipts and a more complete look at this never-ending saga, check out:
- TripAdvisor reviews of Bahama Beach Club
- Wedding Wire review of Bahama Beach Club
- Craig Roberts, the owner of Bahama Beach Club, has had all our negative reviews on TripAdvisor removed except for one. Scroll to the bottom for screenshots of our original reviews.
- The Florida Times-Union wrote about the disaster (and our love story) in their Sunday wedding section. Check it out here. Thanks for helping us share our story, FTU!
- Read about our ongoing saga to get our TripAdvisor reviews republished.
- 1Since my post “The Curious Case of the Disappearing TripAdvisor Reviews” went viral last week, several new reviews from our wedding guests have posted on TripAdvisor.
- Bahama Beach Club is at it again with their subpar Caribbean wedding packages. Check out this bride’s TripAdvisor review from their recently botched wedding.
Obviously, we don’t share this experience lightly or without great consideration but it only got more and more outrageous once we got home. The millionaire hotelier hired a man to harass and threaten me and my family online.
When I thought it couldn’t get worse and that it was all just over, it did. When the coordinated harassment and threats started from a member of Bahama Beach Club staff, I wrote this with even more receipts and proof.
You’ve got to be really bad at customer service to solve a problem like this.
Should You Get Married in The Bahamas?
Sure. The Bahamas are still my favorite islands in the world and I still count many Bahamians as family. There are a hundred hotels, inns and resorts that would provide you a better experience. But I can’t recommend Bahama Beach Club for all the reasons outlined in this post. They ruined our wedding week, harassed me after the fact and continue to make promises they can’t keep to other brides. There are a dozen other fabulous destination wedding venues on Abaco, so please check them out first!
The good news is that, against all odds, our wedding did take place and we remain hopeful that we are legally married. We still have no marriage license or actual proof from the Bahamian government, but that’s not a concern I can entertain right now. I’ve been assured we’ll get it within 3 weeks to 6 months. (Update: we eventually got it thanks to some sneaky dealings from one of our contacts on island. WHEW.)
Many have said, “Hey, at least you’re married.” It’s not just about the fact that we are successfully married – we could’ve saved tens of thousands in flights, accommodations and travel expenses if it was just about “being married” at the end of the day. We paid for the full “destination wedding in The Bahamas” experience, and along with our guests, a luxe resort, and neither was delivered.
12/1/2015: Bahama Beach Club is using my decorations – the ones I paid for & designed – to advertise their wedding offerings on their social media channels. Given what they’ve put us through and the amount of money we all spent on a truly subpar experience, I think this is pretty despicable behavior.
- 12/8/2015: The Chat invited me on the show to talk about romantic destinations AND our disastrous destination wedding experience at Bahama Beach Club. Check it out here!
- 12/12/2015: Y’all are going to love this. After 6+ weeks have gone by without a word from Bahama Beach Club in response to our requests for refunds for a vacation experience not received and a wedding week ruined, Craig Roberts, the owner at BBC, has responded to our handful of TripAdvisor reviews… by copying and pasting his original smarmy response to my mom about the hurricane that never hit his island. He did a bit of editing though, this time revising to say we received all sorts of freebies and refunds that we most certainly did NOT receive.
I’ve been very clear in my coverage about what was received – the rehearsal dinner ($1,700) was comped because it took place next to a CONSTRUCTION SITE and EMPTY POOL, and was only offered after many days of lying on their part. We received ONE free golf cart to transport our 38 guests around Treasure Cay. We never received a personal or sincere apology, or any conversation whatsoever to this day. As to additional refunds and free condos, I know nothing of either. I certainly paid for mine as did our loved ones, save for a couple of media who had independent arrangements with the resort. And you saw the photos… I don’t think there’s any question that we didn’t get what we paid for.
- 12/13/2015: The plot thickens. Several folks who attended the wedding and paid for a week at the Bahama Beach Club wrote reviews on TripAdvisor about how their vacations were wrecked by the construction. Suddenly, after the owner responded to all the reviews yesterday, all but one review, including my 2,000 words, have disappeared. If that doesn’t scream guilt from the rooftops, I don’t know what does!
Here are screenshots of three of the reviews I managed to salvage:
Folks, this story just keeps getting more outrageous. Why a millionaire hotelier would bully a bride and groom and their family is beyond me.
- 12/14/2015: One of our wedding guests wrote about her experience at Bahama Beach Club. Sadly, it wasn’t just construction that made for a disappointing stay. Check out her post here.
- 12/15/2015: Look! We’re in Modern Luxury Brides!
- 12/20/15: The Florida Times-Union wrote about the disaster (and our love story) in their Sunday wedding section. Check it out here. Thanks for helping us share our story, FTU!
- 12/31/2015: I spoke with a friend at the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism who has been trying to connect with the hotel to speak about a resolution. Multiple emails and voicemails have gone unanswered.
- 1/5/2016: Happy New Year! Bahama Beach Club is at it again. After reporting all our reviews out TripAdvisor & having them removed, I edited mine and reposted. The owner had this to say in response:
Someone should’ve told me I wasn’t a real blogger! What have I been doing all these years?!
But in all seriousness, BBC asked me for a comprehensive PR and social media proposal back in June and said the “sky is the limit.” They wanted someone to run their communications and social platforms, so I submitted a proposal. I never asked them for money to “write nice things.” Either they don’t know the difference between blogging and social media/PR, or they are purposefully defaming me and my career now. Obviously there’s not enough money in all of this rich hotelier’s bank accounts to make me write nice things about the bully who won’t quit.
And also, how about all these nuggets… free golf cartS, free ground transportation (ALL brides get that), FREE rooms – nope, we didn’t get any. The lies just flow so easily from this man.
- 1/20/2016: Since my post “The Curious Case of the Disappearing TripAdvisor Reviews” went viral last week, several new reviews from our wedding guests have posted on TripAdvisor. The owner’s original comments above were deleted and replaced with the following:
Isn’t it telling that trying to tear down my professional reputation is his only response?
Malicious and organized campaign from friends and family? Well, if 38 people have a terrible experience at your resort, I suspect you might get 38 negative reviews from them. Pesky math!
Our wonderful staff has apologized again and again? When? Where? We haven’t received a single personal response to any of our communications.
And my favorite part… “This Professional Blogger & very unhappy bride wanted money to write “nice things” about our resort. We refused!” The hotel asked me for a proposal to do their public relations back in June – clearly they need it, with management so off the rails. I obliged with a presentation and they decided to take their communications in another direction. That’s very different from me approaching them and demanding money to write nice things. Does he really think people buy his crazy TripAdvisor responses? Well, just in case they do, here’s the first email I received from Bahama Beach Club asking me for details on my services. Guess this kinda blows his whole assertion that I’m the unscrupulous one, huh?
- 1/24/2016: Bahama Beach Club is at it again! Check out this bride’s TripAdvisor review from their recently botched wedding:
That’s two destination weddings messed up at the hands of Bahama Beach Club. Brides and grooms, beware! There are dozens of other options in Abaco for your wedding. Don’t risk it at BBC!
- 2/7/2016: It’s been a little while since the last update! It’s hard to even know what to say about Craig Roberts’ responses to our guests’ latest TripAdvisor reviews. He continues to lie and say that I’ve asked him for money to write nice things – a risky move considering I have all the emails and voicemails where his team asked me for a PR/social media proposal to help their failing business. With the amount of evidence I have, I am shocked anyone could be so shameless! It really just continues to prove the level of deceit and appalling customer service we’re dealing with here. In his latest rant against a paying hotel guest, Craig alludes to the bride’s aliases, as though I’m sitting here writing a bunch of reviews against his hotel. I don’t need aliases. There were dozens of unhappy, paying customers that week, at my wedding and at another wedding, and they’re all entitled to their opinions. I wrote one review and everyone else who was defrauded by the hotel’s false advertising has the right to share their story, too.
In a string of bizarre and irrelevant statements, he mentions how many people came to our wedding vs. how many he assumes we invited. He also says something about my Mom’s credit card charge being denied… which is A. untrue, B. has nothing to do with this guest’s experience anyhow and is C. not legal for a merchant to disclose customer transactions to anyone who is not the customer.
It’s a perplexing answer to a guest’s complaint that the pool was closed, right? Maybe next time Craig could actually address WHY no one told us that the hotel was under construction so we could move the festivities to a more prepared venue?
He’s now posting his whacko rants about how I’m extorting him to every negative review, not just the ones from our guests. I guess since he’s dug himself into such an embarrassing hole, he thinks smearing my reputation is his only way out. But all the proof I have speaks for itself – do you think his colleagues at the hotel are embarrassed about this yet?
His instability, lies and pride are driving his business into the ground, which is a shame, because Bahama Beach Club has many employees and condo owners who depend on revenue and his unhinged responses on TripAdvisor just prove that it’s not a good place to stay — not while he’s in charge. I hope and pray he gets the help he needs sooner rather than later!
Also to note: a curious number of gushingly positive reviews have suddenly appeared. Whether they’re from actual guests or compensated fake reviews, I can’t say. But it certainly makes you wonder…
- 2/8/2016: I feel for the other bride whose wedding was botched by Bahama Beach Club. She posted her negative review about the experience on TripAdvisor and what do you think Craig did? He copied and pasted the same old defamatory nonsense about my wedding on her review. You’d think after they wrecked her wedding to such an extent that she CHANGED VENUES the day before, they might deign to respond to her individually. Absolutely shameful!
And here’s the message she sent to Craig afterward:
- 2/9/2016: My hunch was right. Bahama Beach Club has been sending out gifts & incentives to past guests who write positive reviews. No wonder so many over-the-top positive ones have popped up lately. This is expressly against TripAdvisor policy. I wonder if they’ll actually hold them to the rules this time?
- 2/24/2016: My husband posted a review and here is Craig’s response.
And then the harassment and threats began. For that part of the story, click here.
It’s a lot, I know. But brides thinking about this venue need to know what they’re wading into. If I can stop just one person from subjecting their family to this, then I’ll count it a success.
Maybe in a year, we can have a stress-free vow renewal somewhere peaceful? I’m not inclined to return to the same spot anytime soon and I just feel so sick about the whole thing, especially because I have had such a positive relationship with The Bahamas for the past 10 years.
Disclaimer: I received a menial discount from Bahama Beach Club on our rehearsal dinner bonfire. As you can see, we got the discount destination wedding experience, too. FTC rules require that media make it clear if they received anything free or discounted and also that they provide their honest opinion. You know I always do, hence this honest review of the Bahama Beach Club destination wedding experience. Also, I fully realize there’s nothing worse than reading a sob story about some girl’s first-world problems, and wedding complaints squarely fall into that category. Rick and I are the most blessed married couple in the world, and the most grateful. I write this post out of disgust for the way my guests were treated and taken advantage of, in the hopes that our experience will help other couples make better, more informed decisions when choosing a destination wedding location in The Bahamas.
Hugs. What a mess. The least they could do is genuinely apologize instead of perpetuating the hurricane narrative, to an absurd level, on Tripadvisor.
You will, most definitely, laugh yourself silly about this someday.
I think so, too… perhaps, in our retirement home we can put on a short play about the whole situation for our compatriots in the home. It’ll get rave reviews, I’m sure!
I’m so sorry this happened to you, Angie! You deserve so much better. How about an awesome one-year anniversary vow renewal in Miami or the Florida Keys!? xoxo
That sounds like a plan! We almost decided to get married in the Keys and I’m regretting our decision bigtime!
Hugs. I’m so sorry you had such a terrible time.
Thanks for the virtual hugs!
Oh babe!!! I am shocked at the way they handled the entire situation. Why on earth would they not have told you? On another note, I cannot wait to read the book about this. Congratulations on exchanging vows. You are blessed to find someone you want to share your life with. <3
We are definitely blessed! Aside from the wedding debacle, marriage has been wonderful =)
I personally feel terribly about your experience however it is unfortunate that The Bahamas gets the blame for this situation. The resort owners are not even Bahamians and any issues concerning your experience should be taken up with the resort. Treasure Cay is a beautiful place and should not be rated by this one resort and what they allowed to happen to you! Wish you and your husband the best!
Hi Venetta, thanks for your comment. I think the resort & its owners are clearly the ones getting the blame here. I did take it up with them, only they won’t respond and don’t care to compensate us. The Bahamas had nothing to do with the poor management of the resort and in my TripAdvisor review, I thanked all the Bahamians who did their best to make a terrible situation somewhat ok. I’ve written extensively over the past 10 years about how great The Bahamas are, and this is really my first bad incident. It’s a shame that most people only read news if it’s negative!
Hello! I saw your review on BBC and I wanted to share my horrendous story at Treasure Cay Beach Resort with you. Rest assured you are not the only ones that had a disastrous wedding week in the Abacos Islands. It has been 17 weeks and my husband and I have yet to receive our marriage license and don’t even know if we ever will. I seriously regret every getting married in the Bahamas and I would love to know- where could I put a review where the most people would see what we have been through?
All I could think of was if I was your maid of honor I’d be out there in that venue that very day moving all that crap out making sure you would be stress free and have somewhat of the best wedding you possibly could even if it took me days I would’ve walked around the island picking every flower they had anything whatever I had to do. Save up and have a small reception at home I bet it would be fantastic.
My maid of honor did all that and more. She was the best! If she were capable of pouring concrete, filling a pool and resurfacing a patio, I’m sure she would have!
V. Saunders I do agree with you that not all Businesses in Abaco and throughout the Bahamas are the same. while I do apologize for your experience. As a Bahamian I don’t think that the entire Abaco or the Bahamas should be beaten with the stick of your bad experience with Bahama Beach Club. This is one of the reason I always say to business persons you know that there is a certain time when your compact is closed during the slow time when a lot of them take this time to renovate. Please let your guest know or refer them to other businesses to avoid this embarrassment happening to you.
S. Hield, you obviously skimmed the article or put your own twist with your understanding of what she wrote. I don’t know any of these people, but I can surely tell without a doubt that the point of the article is the dishonesty of the club, as well as the failure to take responsibility for their actions. Angie clearly stated that she has had fantastic experiences with The Bahamas in regards to the location, businesses, and locals, and she merely wanted to bring to light THE TRUTH so that other people will be informed about the type of people they will be dealing with. I’m considered a very kind-hearted person who gives people the benefit of the doubt many times over, and this resort is lucky I didn’t go through this experience.
I feel for you as well…you only get married once, and it should be a wonderful experience. Like V, I encourage you not to write off the Bahamas…as you discovered the people of the Bahamas are wonderful, friendly, loving people. Treasure Cay is an ideal place, although on your week it was not the case. I have a place at the Beach Club and absolutely love it there…I wish your time was as special as ours has been…Come back, when you are ready, and replace the painful memories with some worthy of the Bahamas and wonderful Bahamian people!
V, Angie is the biggest Bahamas fan of anyone I know—she did, after all, head up their U.S. PR for years!—and I assure you she is only dissing the management and select staff here (many of whom, I realize, are indeed Americans). I was at the wedding, and there were plenty of islanders (like Chantelle and her father) who were wonderful to us. It’s just a shame that a resort like this can stay in business! I know there are plenty of other wonderful places in Abaco and beyond that would not have treated her this way.
The owners may not be Bahamian but it is managed by Bahamians. It should never have happened and the resort employees share blame with its owners for allowing construction to go on during a booked wedding.
Angie I can’t even express my shock when we arrived to such disarray. Jen and I couldn’t believe how things were going to come together in the few days before the wedding. I hope you someday day can look back and focus on all your family and friends were there to support you and Rick in what should have been the happiest time of your life. Good luck to you both and it was a pleasure to meet you.
Oh no! What a mess 🙁 You have every right to be upset! I can’t believe how unprofessional and ridiculous the whole situation turned out to be. I wouldn’t want to go back anytime soon either!
Thanks, Rachel – appreciate your sympathy!
At least you’ll get a book deal out of it… 😉 I’m so sorry your wedding week was a disaster. I HATE when people try and throw the “at least your married now” or “It’s the marriage that counts, not the wedding” at you. We dream about our dream wedding our entire lives and we only (most of us) get one. Just ONE shot. I feel your pain. I know the heartache. I didn’t get the grand engagement or the parties, the dress shopping, the first look as you walk down the isle..the morning of jitters of “this is my wedding day”. Due to circumstances we discussed getting married and did so in 4 days in my dining room while wearing jeans and flip flops. It was beautiful and quirky and my mother was there and while there is a part of me that loved it, I will always feel cheated out of “my special day”. Even having a vow renewal in a few years wont change that feeling of “I’m about to get married!!!” excitement. I’m already married. I can’t get day back. I’ve already been asked to be his wife. I don’t get romantic surprise with a photographer hiding in the bushes to capture it all. Yes, you’re married and yes, in the end that is what counts but it really SUCKS to feel like you got cheated out of something you’ve spent 30+ years thinking and dreaming about.
You totally get it!
Angie, first congratulations to you and Rick I remembered the first time we met while I was then the manager of the Peace and Plenty Hotel in Exuma, you were that perfect PR person who who wanted to sell the Bahamas as the perfect destination .
In my opinion, you are well known through out the Bahamas , and for such a disaster to happen to you and your guests is unacceptable, I do hope you will address the Minister of Tourism (Obie Wilchcome).
If you and your guests are not compensated justly Angie, reminder that the PEN is mightier than the sword , and you are one of the best in the travel Industry in what you do.
In regards to your marriage license, I think you and your husband will have to return to the Island and to sign out by the local commissioner.
Good tidings to you and Rick on your journey in marriage, ski on the calm waters, and surf the rough waves.
Love and Blessings to you both!
Hi Neville – it’s so nice to hear from you, and thank you for the kind words. I think there are those out there who feel I’m “smearing” The Bahamas unjustly, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You know how much I love this country and have dedicated huge chunks of my time to promoting it! Perhaps I’ll send the Minister a note! For what it’s worth, we honeymooned on Exuma and had a lovely time =)
I totally agree with you, Neville! As a journalist, I first met Angie through working with her on coverage of the Bahamas. She’s responsible for me falling in love with the islands (particularly Exuma!) and making repeat visits over the past decade and has always been the Bahamas’ biggest cheerleader and ambassador.
As someone who was also at the wedding, I’m still absolutely appalled at the way she was treated and how dismissive the resort was of her concerns—they seriously acted like we (the 30 guests) were in the wrong for being upset at the state the place was in. I hope you’ll share her story around with your tourism friends in the islands in hopes that this doesn’t happen again to a future bride!
HUGS!!! Oh my gosh, my head would have spun like the exorcist there is no doubt. I hope your Trip Advisor comments put them out of business they would deserve it.
On a happy note – congrats! I hope you guys have an anniversary trip somewhere TOP notch!!
Haha, the exorcist! I only had a couple of private moments where I really lost it, otherwise I think I was pretty level-headed. At least with the staff who tried to help. My poor family and now-husband had to deal with me crying a lot!
Where do you recommend for our anniversary trip?
YOU are a superhero! 🙂
I recommend Ubud in Bali or Tulum, Mexico!! Or go opposite spectrum and see the northern lights in a cozy cabin in Fairbanks….
Eugh. Just eugh. So so sorry you had to go through this. And don’t play the first world problems card- everyone deserves a special wedding day, especially someone who works as hard as you!!! I feel for you, and am so upset that not only did you and your guests have to go through this, but the resort was atrocious in dealing with this! Let’s hope your book is a best seller 😉
I appreciate that so much, Tamara! Lots of folks “guilting” me about my reaction, but in any other situation aside from a wedding, it’s ok to write a review about not getting what you paid for. I’ll send you a copy of my best-seller when it hits newstands 😉
first of all: congratulation! 🙂 secondly: wtf?! that sounds like a nightmare of a week! you should be compensated a lot more, if you as me!
Thank you for the congrats & the fist bump of solidarity. Crappy situation, for sure!
Great portrait pictures. I love the light and contract, but the color is magnificent, natural! What lens did you use for this session? Thank you!
I am so sorry about all this and yes you will hopefully laugh in the future(especially when you cash the checks from the book) . Please run on down to city hall and get officially married just to cover yourselves –you didn’t elaborate on this aspect but you hinted. I have rebuilt a house and I can tell you that was no “prep for hurricane” that was out and out construction of a hotel–of course they didn’t want to reimburse you–that was 11 grand to pay the construction workers! You are blessed to have each other and a riot of a story and all that really matters is that you actually marry—BUT–they should be shammed all over the place for putting yout hrough that on this most important moment.
Thanks so much for your comment, Angelique! We may head to the courthouse soon just to cover our bases… it would be nice if I could get on my new hubby’s health insurance! Appreciate your support & solidarity!
I am a Bahamian and I am very sorry to learn of this most unfortunate mayhem you experienced. As you stated, your ordeal is by no means a true representation of The Bahamas or its people. The resort management dropped the ball big time and should not have been operational or making bookings in the midst of construction. I hope you do visit us again and I wish you a life filled with love, joy and breathtaking memories that will have your heart smiling for years to come.
Please tell me by now they’ve apologized officially and refunded your money! If not, you seriously need to consider a lawsuit. People have sued for much less – the emotional distress alone and taking away what was supposed to be your happiest week. I just feel so bad for you and your husband! Have been a longtime reader & I know how hard you work. This is just appalling on every level. Not sure it’s much consolation, but I’ll never ever stay at that hotel!
To date I’ve received no apology and no refund, other than the $1,700 I mentioned for the rehearsal dinner. Appreciate your comment, Maryann!
The best part is all the Bahamians saying to get over it because a wedding ain’t what a marriage is about. Doesn’t get your $50,000 back dos it? My country is full of some dumb people. If this is how we treat visitors no wonde r tourism is bus up
Thanks for your comment, Adam! I’ve seen some of those comments, too, and those are the most bothersome. They tell me A. people haven’t read the story and are just assuming I’m some rich girl who is complaining about little details going wrong, and B. Folks are assuming that I care more about my wedding than our marriage. Nothing could be further from the truth. But as you mentioned, we spent a heap of money collectively to have this once-in-a-lifetime trip… it would’ve been nice if the resort was fully open or if the management had communicated with us in advance so WE, the customers who were paying, could make a decision on how to spend our hard-earned money. Rich girl, I am not!
Angie, I am from the Bahamas and as I read your story I could not believe the treatment you have received!!! I can honestly say that I have never heard tourist being treated this horrible. I really wish I could have given you that hug!!
I can not apologize for this resort as I myself have had a bad experience with the management so I know they have a nasty attitude. I will share you story on social media and ask the Bahamian people to demand Bahama Beach club to return every Dollar you have spent with them.
Once again HUGS!!!
I’ll take your virtual hug, Meltoria – appreciate you chiming in! Honestly, I’ve been to The Bahamas dozens and dozens of times, and visited almost every inhabitable island, and I think that’s why this week came as such a surprise. I thought getting married in The Bahamas would be a no-brainer – I love the country and have always had such a strong relationship with the people. It didn’t work out how I would’ve liked, but I hope that it’ll come to a happy resolution in the very near future. Thanks again for your thoughtful comment!
I’m so sorry to hear.. And read about your horrific experience! I am a homeowner in Treasure Cay. I was on the island during your wedding week. I know because I saw the same construction at BBC and was there for what you call a “mini hurricane.” In fact I’m pretty sure I saw your group walk by my home and I could hear fits of laughter coming down the beach…it’s a small community and in the “off season” it’s pretty obvious when a big group is there, high season or not.
I understand that the construction going on would put damper on wedding plans. But please, I ask you, don’t use your experience as a smear campaign against the the Bahamas or even Treasure Cay! By all means use it as your story and tell the world YOUR story but please don’t blast us. It really is a lovely place to visit and it’s not Nassau or Freeport . We don’t have a ton of restaurants, shopping and casinos to offer, but that’s the beauty of it! We are a community, and if I had known that there was a wedding going on and the extent of the BBC construction I would have offered my home (and heated pool) to you and your guests. I’m sorry that we didn’t get to meet and that I couldn’t help make your wedding experience more pleasurable.
Sincerely,
H.H.
P.S. You might want to tell your readers that the “mini hurricane” was only a slight brushing of a tropical storm and resulted in half a days rain and no wind!
Hi Sarah/H.H., thanks for your comment. I’m not in the business of smear campaigns – in fact, you’ll find I’ve promoted The Bahamas vigorously and professionally for almost a decade. Treasure Cay is wonderful, as are The Bahamas. There’s no question about that. Having been to almost every inhabited island – Inagua, Mayaguana, Rum Cay, San Sal, etc., I can say that with confidence. You’ll find the vast majority of my coverage surrounding The Islands of The Bahamas has been complimentary. Check out these articles:
http://bit.ly/1PBKgPw
http://bit.ly/1SHdQ3S
http://bit.ly/1HZit8W
And a link to all my recent coverage, including print stories where I’ve raved about the destination: http://bit.ly/1HZitG3
I was hoping to be able to cover my destination wedding on Treasure Cay in the same way – with beautiful photos, articles, TV segments, YouTube video, etc. My job these days is to tell my travel stories – and in this case, unfortunately, it wasn’t a good one. I hope, though, that our bad experience helps other brides make better decisions.
I am a Bahamian, and have lived in the Bahamas all of my 40+ years, the last 20 being in Abaco. I am so saddened to hear of your experience, not just that your wedding was almost ruined, but I am embarrassed as a Bahamian. That being said, I would like everyone reading of Angie’s horrible experience to understand that situations like this are not typical of Abaco, or the Bahamas in general. While, based on my own experiences, I do not find your story about Bahama Beach Club surprising, it would be a shame if all Abaconians and our local resorts and businesses were judged based on their actions. As a photographer I have been a part of many weddings, parties and special events that displayed the class and professionalism that Angie did not receive. Angie, I hope that one day you will consider visiting our island again, maybe this time try a different settlement or outer island. We are not perfect, and things will happen during your visit that will cause you to roll your eyes in disbelief. But, we have more to offer than what you experienced, and I hope one day you get to see that first hand. All the best in your marriage.
Hi Stephen, thanks so much for your comment and your sympathies! I’ve visited just about every inhabited Bahamian island, so I know that what happened to us is the exception, not the norm. Abaco will always be near and dear to me, even with the messed up wedding week added to the list of memories. Having spent so much time in the islands and having written about them so positively for 10+ years, I think this particular incident scarred me even more than it would the casual visitor. It was just so unexpected. I’m sure I’ll be back someday, though I know what hotel I’ll avoid 😉
I am so, so sorry that your wedding week went the way it did. What you found upon arrival at BBC was simply inexcusable. It’s true, your wedding was scheduled during what is usually considered “down time” in Abaco’s tourism-related industry, but if BBC accepted your reservation and event booking, then they owed it to you to provide a decent, fully-functional venue!
I do hope you’ll consider returning to Abaco for a vow renewal, so that you can replace those unpleasant memories with some happy ones. (If you do, consider the Green Turtle Club on Green Turtle Cay. Molly McIntosh, who works at the club is an amazing event planner– she did our wedding. You’ll never EVER regret working with Molly, and she will bend over backwards to give you a fantastic, memorable event.)
In the meantime, in hopes that it will bring you a tiny bit of comfort (or at least a chuckle or two of recognition) I thought I’d share some of the highlights from my cousin’s October 1996 wedding in Nassau.
– Hurricane Lily began traveling toward the Bahamas a few days before the wedding. The day before the event, as the out-of-town guests were arriving and rain was pouring down in buckets, the hotel informed my cousin that they were closing down in preparation for the storm and “cancelling” her wedding. Not only that, but she needed to come and pick up her guests, as the hotel was closing all together. Fortunately, the bride’s family lives in Nassau, and we were able to get the guests billeted out — but it made for a very stressful wedding eve.
– Later that Friday, we got word that the airport would be shutting down in anticipation of the storm. All of the wedding party members had arrived — except for the groom. After some stressful and tearful phone calls, he was ultimately able to get on the last flight into Nassau before the airport closed.
– While shuttling guests between the airport and the homes of family members who had offered to house them, my cousin and I were rear-ended in her car. After calling the police, we waited in the rain for an hour or more, only to have them not show up.
– Ultimately, Lily turned out to be a non-issue. The storm passed over the night before the wedding with little more than a bit of wind and some rain. Still, the hotel refused to hold the wedding — they said that all the necessary preparations hadn’t been made, and everything was still boarded up. So we had dozens of guests, a bride and a groom, but no wedding venue.
– My aunt and uncle offered their back yard as an alternative wedding venue, and my cousin’s friends all showed up to decorate the yard, make food and arrange a beautiful, impromptu garden wedding. The event itself was truly lovely. But afterwards, many guests returned to their cars to discovered they had all been broken into.
– The day after the wedding, two of the groom’s brothers went snorkeling. Only one came back. A search party was organized, the authorities were called and much praying ensued. A few hours later, the second brother meandered back in, completely unaware of the fuss. He had just swum out further to explore.
– Because my cousin and I did not stay at the scene of the rear-end accident, we had to go to the police station within 48 hrs to file a report. Our first chance to do this was mid-day Sunday after the wedding, at which time the police told me (as the driver) that I would have to appear at a later date for some reason — I can’t now recall why. When I said I wouldn’t be able to, as I was returning home to Canada in a week or so, they said if there was any indication I wouldn’t appear, they would have to “detain” me. I can’t remember how I eventually got out of it, but I do recall a lot of tears at the police station.
– After the wedding, my cousin (who is a Bahamian who married an American) learned that there had been some mix up with her U.S. immigration documents. As a result, she spent the first month of married life in the Bahamas away from her husband, who had to return to the U.S. two days after the wedding for work.
The good news is that my cousin and her husband have been happily married for close to 20 years and yes, over time, all the frustration and stress has faded and been replaced with nostalgia and happy memories. Hopefully the same will be the case for you.
Congratulations on your wedding, and again, I’m so sorry your experience was so disappointing.
Amanda
Thank you for sharing your cousin’s wedding stories! It sounds like I am not the only one who had some mishaps along the way to matrimony!!
Also, I agree with you about Green Turtle Club! I’ve stayed there many, many times and count Molly & her team among the best in the country. Had we known about the construction at BBC, we absolutely would’ve waited a week until GTC opened again for the season to have our big day. I still love the Abacos and nearly everyone there 😉
You should send this letter letter To The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
Ang,
Ughh what a disaster, my heart bleeds for you guys.
But as far as the resort goes, I think you were actually to soft on them, they deserve your full wrath! That should never, ever happen to anyone, never mnid a world famous blogged like you 😉 What a disgrace and poor way to run a business, unbelievable … As much as I love the Bahamas too, I for one won’t be visiting there any time soon.
All my best to the newlyweds!
Jerry
Thanks, Jerry. We had some good times on Green Turtle, didn’t we?!
Hi Angie,
As a born and raised Bahamian, I want to apologise for the fact that you had such a tremendously disappointing experience here, especially at such an important time in your life. I also want to thank you for doing your best to emphasise that you fault the resort and not the country for this experience.
I have no affiliation with the resort. I am not even in the hospitality industry, but I just feel as though I have to apoligise and hope ou can convince your family and friends, if they have the opportunity, to give The Bahamas, more specifically, we the people of The Bahamas, another chance. As you know, the best, most restful and peaceful, yet fun experiences are to be had in the Family Islands, rather than Nassau, which has become overly urbanised and touristified – if I may coin a word – even for a native like me. I often fantasise about moving to Eleuthera or Exuma myself.
Hoping your marriage goes better than your wedding. Wishing all happiness to you and your husband.
Thanks for your comment & kind words, Graham. The marriage is definitely better than the wedding 🙂
As a Bahamian it tears me up to read/hear of such a tragedy caused by my fellow Bahamians. I agree wholeheartedly with you that you should have been informed of the construction going on at the time and allow you to make the decision to get married there or change venue if you so desired. As a matter of fact I think they should have reimbursed you fully and thrown in something extra as a gift when they realized that they were not going to be completely ready on the day that you were scheduled to be there. We as a people were not brought up to do such things to others especially, particularly as Tourism is our number one industry and America being our biggest customer. On behalf of my country and particularly the people of Treasure Cay who depend on the revenue from that resort to survive I would like to extend a heartfelt apology to you and your husband and the rest of your family.
Thanks, Rosie. I agree that the sensible thing to do would be to refund our money – particularly our loved ones who saved for months for this once-in-a-lifetime luxurious trip. So far, we’ve had no response to our inquiries to the property.
Congrats on your wedding and I am sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience. The only reason persons as myself will take offense is title of your article. The word Bahamas refers to a chain of 700 islands and cays. The reason for your problems lays squarely on the resort property and therefore your article should be titled as such. I wish you all the best in your future.
I feel your pain I’m a bahamian living in another island of the Bahamas, this is unfortunate the hatel should have atleast give you an return trip free of charge, but this resort isn’t owned or ran by Bahamians, so I feel its the responsibility of the owner to correct the problem< I do hope and pray Gods blessing on your union and hope you can laugh at this in years to come, but do know all of the Bahamas isn't like this,
Angie + Rick, our heartfelt apology. It is beyond comprehension what BBC’s management was thinking when they allowed you to book your wedding ( and their actions inexcusable) but its does demonstrates why having a local professional wedding planner (independent of the resort) is so important for couples planning destination weddings in the Bahamas.
And while your experience in the Bahamas is extensive (and well documented by you) it turns out that when it mattered most (your wedding day) you didn’t have the critical information need to be the gracious host you intended to be for your family and wedding guest (information that a Bahamas wedding planner would have been able to help you with).
Unfortunately, we can’t change what happened but promise to use your experience to help others. And we look forward to having you back in the Bahamas for a “do over” with a Vow Renewal.
Hi angie, I am very deeply concerned about your disastrous wedding experience and visit at the Bahamia Beach Resort in the Abacos. However, I think you need to make it alot plainer that this resort is not owned by BAHAMIANS and you received great service from the Bahamian Concierge (if you did), because I never got the idea the Bahamian Concierge helped until I read several comments, but please, based on your story it is not plain enough that this is not the Bahamas fault or the Bahamas shouldn’t be a great Wedding or Vacation Destination, as we remain one of the best Vacation Destinations. I am a very concerned Bahamian who like thousands of others, is very concerned about our Tourists’ and our Tourism Industry! All the best to you and your marriage, your family!!!
It’s one thing for a property to be under construction, but they most definitely should have given you a heads-up. That’s super unprofessional, not to mention shady! I would have been livid and devastated, too! I’m so sorry! I’m glad you’ve written about all your wedding debacles, though – I definitely know a few providers to AVOID like the plague, should I ever consider planning a destination wedding of my own!
Oh girl, this is terrible! I’m so sorry to you, I would be an absolute mess and someone would’ve been physically attacked had it been me. Ugh! You know what I LOVE though? That you’re turning this into a book. That’s the Angie I know! Turning the negatives into the positives. And I can’t wait to read it!!! 🙂
Wow! This was really not a good representation of the Bahamas at all. Being from the Bahamas, this leaves a distasteful taste and I’m sorry you had to go through that. It all goes to show how one bad incident can respresent for all. The Bahamas consist of 700 hundred islands and cays and its situations like this that gives it a bad name, hence the headline topic of this story. Even though treasure cay is somewhat a private entity island, it’s still represents the Bahamian people and this situation was truly dealt with poor taste and a serious lack of respect and dignity. I don’t know you but I apologize to you because that’s my country and I feel ashamed that one bad apple out of 700 left you with a situation where you now view us as a whole.
Hi Carlos – I don’t view the Bahamas negatively as a whole. This article was about one incident at one hotel. The rest of my coverage is much more positive, as I’m still a fan of the country.
Angie, you were treated like crap, and I’m glad you wrote this because people need to know that this could happen to them. That’s so important that you’re giving us this information so other can make [hopefully] well-informed decisions in the future. Cheers to you and Rick. I’m rooting for both of you!
I am so sorry to hear back your horrible experience. If you write a book, I will buy it 🙂
Please. In the last 2 months, my ex of 8 years died, my home was burglarized, then I lost the house and car all together (Google “The State reporter escapes sunroof”) due to a gigantic flood … and then… and THEN!!! My longtime, live-in boyfriend’s daughter up and died with no warning at 33 years old. Cry me a river. Sorry you didn’t have the magical setting you’d expected, but really…
Nice! I bet you weren’t the most popular kid in the playground. Have some compassion for others, despite how distressing your situation has been.
Hi Angie! I feel sorry for what happened during your supposed ‘stress-free’ wedding. They should at least have the decency to inform you beforehand that construction is ongoing. did they reimburse the payment? Will wait for the book to come out!
No ma’am! They haven’t answered any of our requests for refunds. How’s that for customer service?!
Destination weddings are so scary. I’m from the Bahamas and marrying my Bermudian fiance’ next year. I am terrified of having a wedding anywhere that I’m not because even with daily contact to cover all bases people can pull a fast one (or a slow on in your case).
Don’t be bothered by folks telling you to how to handle or tell your story. If it were me I can’t promise you I wouldn’t have been arrested. Weddings are expensive and I won’t even mention the emotional value. Thanks for sharing. I will never visit this resort.
Hey Angie, just read this whole thing and your review on TripAdvisor. I’m so sorry your wedding was ruined. Although the situation sucked all around, if they had just called to tell you about the construction, you would have been pissed but as you said it would have allowed you time to come up with a Plan B. Not sure if they’d think you wouldn’t notice the construction or if the resort completely forgot to mention this to you. Things happen and it sucks, but why isn’t the resort acting maturely and professionally and taking full responsibility? A public ” my bad” with a sincere apology to you would have made a difference — not fixed the construction but would have righted at least 1 of their numerous wrongs.
Also, that guy’s reply to your mom on TA is ridiculous. Takes 0 responsibilty for any of this and makes it seem like you’re overreacting. I hope your book is a bestseller once it’s out. I’ll be sure to buy it. Sorry again, what a nightmare. ;-((
Angie, this is horrible. As a Bahamian I am completely mortified and surprisingly I shouldn’t be as this kind of things happen to locals daily. The level of customer service you receive as a tourist is twenty times better than what we receive as locals. Regardless this is still ridiculous and I am so sorry to hear that your wedding day was a disaster! Hopefully this story can go viral so it can embarrass our officials into tightening up on customer service! Again, I’m so sorry!
I love your blog and I’m sorry to hear about your wedding. I recently started a blog of my own and would love some feedback http://2rightfeet.net/
Hi Angy, just read about your bitter experience in The Bahamas. I live here and so sorry you had such a terrible experience on your special day. The hotel reps were very unprofessional in not letting you know about the under construction plans and I hope you send this information directly to Ministry of Tourism. I am sure they will want to make up for such a bad time.
I just wanted to say to you that your marriage I am sure will be one of the most amazing ones and for ever ones. I say this because the way I got married was not how I wanted it to be especially the color of the dress I was wearing but we been together for 18 years and known each other for 23. Wishing you a happy life together. Warm hug from the Bahamas and please come back some time.
Angie,
The family friendly associates of Treasure Cay Beach, Marina and Golf Resort and our Tipsy Bar/Pizza Night and Junkanoo Javas Restaurant very much enjoyed hosting your guests and are very sad and apologize for the experience your friends and family experienced at the Bahama Beach Club, a nearby resort interest not operated by us. Treasure Cay beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Bahamas, even during hurricane Season. We purposely kept two of our outlets open while all others closed to ensure some choice even during our own seasonal closure.
Weddings are the number one attraction to the Bahamas next to Sun and Sand and the Bahamians of North Abaco are full of love and friendliness and as you can see many wish your family and friends a most excellent return. We would be pleased to host you and or your friends as our guests at our resort within the next 12 months in an effort of goodwill and in the interest of all of Abaco/Treasure Cay via your contact to me at GM or Avis Miller (Resort Mgr of +35 years) directly. We guarantee your satisfaction at our nearby resort and I am certain other nearby resort operators of the Abacos in the Bahamas join our team in apology for what has happened in the Bahamas if even not our resort. Please consider a romantic renewal of vows or weekend getaway or second honeymoon back to Abaco and Treasure Cay Beach on me. I guarantee it to be absolutely special and spectacular and Authentically Bahamian as you expected-110 associates back our Guarantee!!!
Your Out Island Friend,
Treasure Cay Beach, Marina and Golf Resort
Stephen Kappeler, GM
President of the Marinas of the Bahamas Assn
Hi Stephen,
I was at Angie’s wedding and just wanted to say how much we all enjoyed our meals at Tipsy and Junkanoo Javas (and the bakery in the marina area). Thanks for providing her guests with fun options, particularly in the wake of the resort not having a restaurant open!
Hi Stephen – thanks so much for your kind offer! We would’ve been lost without the Tipsy Seagull during wedding week, so we appreciate the hospitality! I’ll be in touch if we make our way back to Treasure Cay.
Angie, this is beyond belief, as a hotel owner and wedding coordinator on the island of Eleuthera I feel terrible that this could even happen to anyone. I only wish you could have come to Eleuthera where we would have created magic for you. I follow you on Instagram and always enjoy your travels. If you do venture back into the Bahamas, I would love to create a courtesy vow renewal for you as a gift from The Bahamas and Boy Meets Girl Weddings. Regards Mish
Thank you so much for your kind words, Mish. I’ve followed you on Instagram for a while and you have the most beautiful weddings! Your offer is so kind. I’ll look you up if we ever make it to Eleuthera!
Oh hun I am SO sorry this happened to you but I applaud your effort to try and be diplomatic in the way you tell the story. You have every single right to be mad. No one should have that happen for their wedding, no matter who they are.
You know how I feel about all this wedding drama, as while I was on the other side of the world I was there in spirit (and via text message!) I am heartbroken that one of the most loving, hard working and patient people I know did not get the day they worked, saved and dreamed for.
It does make my blood boil to read comments that are dismissive or seem to shame you for sharing an accurate and diplomatic account of your own experiences. It’s not your job to promote the Bahamas as a destination (not anymore, anyway!) though as so many have chimed in, your infectious love for the place is what made them visit in the first place. You are entitled to share your story and don’t let anyone guilt you for your feelings of regret and sadness over what was quite literally robbed from you.
Love you, girl.
Please allow me as a native Bahamian whose people have lived here since the 1640’s to apologize for the kind of treatment that you received at the hands of an irresponsible (and apparently dishonest) property owner.
In my opinion you deserve not only an apology but a full refund of your money. However don’t hold your breath for either.
I strongly suggest that you sue the hotel owner and if possible do so in the USA. I have no idea who they are but if they are Americans you may have some recourse there.
At the very least report this to the Ministry of Tourism as suggested by others. I am going to repost to help you get the story out and will try to copy it out the TA article to the MOT website or FB page.
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Paul, and for sharing our story. We have still not heard a word from Bahama Beach Club on our requests for refund or even apology, so no progress to report. I’ll keep you posted if that changes!
Sorry to hear it, my friend. I wish you and your handsome honey many decades of marital bliss! <3 <3
The response to the review on tripadvisor is astonishing. If the hurricane caused the issue they should have reported to you immediately that your venue was hit by a hurricane. It’s unconscionable that he would throw deaths from the hurricane in your face to make himself look better and make you feel bad. Wow. Unbelievable. Grrrr.
I wish there were a way I could respond to his comments on trip advisor because
1. The hurricane never went anywhere near Abaco and
2. The work being done has nothing to do with hurricane preparation. Those are property renovations.
I have live in The Bahamas all my life (61 years) and have seen numerous hurricanes and I simply know better.
Oh. My. God. This sounds like the most stressful experience on the planet, let alone a wedding story. I just got married and even stupid, small things that don’t matter stressed me out. I can’t possibly imagine how you handled it.
But these stories MAKE your life! Imagine telling your children, your grandchildren, your friends and web about how your love and relationship overcame such a catostrophic wedding week. Your kids will giggle, your friends will cheers you and ultimately, you’ll make money with this story. Don’t worry, you’ll end up on top.
Hi, Angie… What a tale! At least nobody robbed you (literally, that is) like the folks who got married in Nassau. What were they thinking? In Abaco you can expect better results and it’s a shame your experience did not live up at all to the experience of hundreds (probably thousands by now) of couples who have gotten married in Abaco. To whit: my wife, Cathy and I were married in September,1998 on Green Turtle Cay. What? In the middle of hurricane season!? Lucky, I guess. But it was 90+ degrees. Vernon Malone brought our wedding cake from Hope Town and the beautifully tiered centerpiece melted (after two ferries and a taxi ride) getting there. He spent half an hour or so brilliantly rebuilding it in the tiny, hot kitchen of the New Plymouth Inn. We were married in the garden and no one fainted from heatstroke, but there wasn’t enough room in the dining area for all the guests, including my dear friends Chris and Peggy Thompson, and their two beautiful young daughters, one of whom was our flower girl. I treated them to dinner at a restaurant down the street. Some of the guests also wore hand-me-down attire because their luggage didn’t arrive. There’s more. But… all in all it was great and we will never stop talking about our wedding day (we got our marriage certificate from the commissioner’s office in Marsh Harbour, by the way)…..not to mention stuff that happened on our honeymoon in Hope Town. But that’s another story. I am, in fact, preparing to do a feature on honeymooning in Abaco for Abaco Life magazine. I do wish you guys the best. I too have visited and written about almost every island in The Bahamas, and while I like them all, Abaco can’t be beat.
Jim Kerr
Editor/Publisher
Abaco Life
Oh my god, that’s awful. I remember when Laura and I got married in the Bahamas a number of years ago we felt powerless as a lot of details were organized very last minute, but it did some together for us. I feel awful for you.
What a total disaster. I’m so glad that you shared this because I certainly will never visit this resort, I will never recommend it to any of my friends, and I’ll share your blog post far and wide to make sure that no one else goes here!
You should report the TripAdvisor review take down to the FTC.
Wow, I was shocked to read this! I’ve actually stayed at a resort in Mexico after it had actually been hit by a hurricane and was still under construction and only partially re-opened. The manager and staff were phenomenal at keeping us informed of the status of the hotel before we flew down and worked tirelessly to make sure we enjoyed our time there even though they weren’t fully functioning. I can’t imagine resorts doing any less, especially when a wedding is involved. I hope you are able to get everything resolved.
Hi Angie! I found this story and your website through a link on Kristin Luna’s blog. I, too, had a disaster of a wedding, but, in my case, it wasn’t my venue’s fault.
Anyway, I am so sorry this happened to you. I am glad you posted your story here as a way to warm future brides away from Bahama Beach Club. I find the owner’s response blaming the hurricane-that-never-hit absolutely appalling. I, for one, would never want to give my money to such a person. Even if the construction is over, I would never visit BBC!
Most of all, I’m distressed by how easily the owner of Bahama Beach Club was able to get TripAdvisor to remove all these negative reviews posted by you and your guests. I have been a long-time TripAdvisor user (my account says I’ve been a member since May, 2006–so nearly ten years!!), have written many reviews on there, and have booked many vacation homes and hotels through TripAdvisor. This experience really makes me question how much I can use them in the future! If it is so easy to get truthful TripAdvisor reviews removed, that doesn’t speak well of a website that is supposed to feature real reviews from real people.
I hope that you and your guests can get all of your reviews re-posted onto the TripAdvisor site. I also wish that TripAdvisor had a way for you to respond to the owner’s false replies on your truthful review!
I am so sorry Bahama Beach Club stole away your special wedding vacation week.
Thank you, Camella. You’re so sweet to reply & I appreciate your encouragement! So far, the lie-filled response from the owner is up despite it being reported by dozens of people as inappropriate. I think it’s time for me to call it a day on TripAdvisor!
Completely disgusting. I love how this man’s lies get more and more out of control in each successive “response.” He even tried to guilt trip you by mentioning hurricane-related deaths. What kind of a response is that? The ass is clearly trying to displace guilt and blame from himself and place it on you. I’m glad your story is receiving so much media attention. Hopefully it’s enough to shut this awful business down and teach its owner a lesson or two.
Hey Beth – thank you for your sweet comment! I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so out of touch with reality. Either he doesn’t understand the impact of media coverage or he doesn’t care. Either way, he just keeps making himself look more and more foolish. Does he think people can’t easily fact check when & where a hurricane did damage? Oy. Thanks for reading!
Wow, that is awful! I’m so sorry that you went through all of that. Disgusting that they didn’t warn you about any of it! Well hopefully this gets him enough bad press to close that place down.
From one destination wedding bride to another….I cannot imagine your disappointment. Destination weddings are usual chosen because they are fun, exciting and less stressful than a traditional wedding. I cannot fathom how bad you felt that your guests trip was ruined and your wedding too. Maybe a renewal is in order. 😉
A renewal is definitely in order! We want a redo!
Thank you for reading & for your kind words. Didn’t get what we expected, but here we are.
I wish I would have read your blog a few months ago!! I got married on abaco 2 weeks ago. We were supposed to be married at bbc but changed venues the day before! We went to treasure sands instead. Bbc was not what we expected. Bad service. Lots wrong. I’ll be posting my trip advisor review too soon. Just waiting for the marriage license before I blow it up.
Oh Laura. This breaks my heart. I hoped BBC would get their act together after our horrid week and I’m sorry to hear they haven’t. Thank goodness you were able to move to Treasure Sands! Would you mind if I emailed you privately?
Please do! [email protected]
If anyone is planning a trip to treasure cay ….treasure sands is amazing!!!! They saved the day and ninnion (manager) and staff were fantastic!!! They made the day perfect and every dis he guest of ours told us that it was the BEST wedding they ever went to.
Holy me! What happened to you is AWFUL! I really hope you manage to get things solved, though I wouldn’t hold my breath on it. I have noticed that some of my trip advisor reviews have been removed throughout the years too. I never thought about it too much since in my case the situation was not as complicated. By all means, let us all know what happens next!
Wow! There are always a few hiccups before any wedding that later become a funny part of the story but yours is a tale of disaster. It speaks to your skills and professionalism that you were able to salvage the wedding day itself.
I read the glowing review of the BBC that you wrote on tripadvisor in March of last year. Quite the contrast to the experience you related in your recent review. While sometimes reality doesn’t quite add up to our expectations, this scenario is extreme.
And speaking of things not adding up, I reported the management response to your bad review. My explanation:
Dubious veracity. The “math” in the first statement does not add up: Hurricane Joaquin dissipated on October 7, 2015.The wedding party and guests did not arrive until 11 days later.
I’ve reported every one of his copy-and-pasted responses and, funny enough, Trip Advisor continues to allow them on every new review that is written… =/
I have, too. TripAdvisor’s rules are only applied to consumers. Hoteliers can lie, cheat, steal, slander, defame and invade privacy…
And this isn’t the first negative thing that I’ve heard about TripAdvisor. It’s why I try to avoid it myself!
Do you have any legal recourse against him for defamation?
I absolutely do =)
Be very careful.
His attorney has the same name (Craig Roberts). He is very influential and has connections throughout the Bahamas, not just Abaco.
Horrific! I was looking for some information and stories about weddings in the Bahamas..now I know which place to avoid at all costs!
This is so bad I almost can’t believe it! They’ve lied, taken your money, and now the hotel is trying to make you look bad – what are they thinking? How could they possibly think they’re making it better by lying even more? Sucks they’ll probably go our of business but that owner guy is doing it to himself. Obviously only cares about his pride and not his employees!
We’re so sorry to read about this saga… Truly unbelievable!! We do hope you are able to be vindicated and receive compensation and a serious apology!
We are glad you made it to Exuma and enjoyed your stay there. And to swim with the Swimming Pigs!!
If you ever plan a return trip to Exuma please do not hesitate to contact us !
Happy Travels & Building great Memories !
When Pigs Swim™ team.
We’re so sorry to read about this saga… Truly unbelievable!! We do hope you are able to be vindicated and receive compensation and a serious apology!
We are glad you made it to Exuma and enjoyed your stay there. And to swim with the Swimming Pigs!!
If you ever plan a return trip to Exuma please do not hesitate to contact us !
Happy Travels & Building great Memories !
When Pigs Swim™ team.
What a delusional owner! I don’t know how contract laws work there but it’s a good thing that you have legal recourse – hopefully it’s not too expensive.
It truly completely boggles my mind how owners can post such drivel and expect it to look good for their business. What must be going through his mind? If he has absolutely no couth (as he obviously does), how does that place even stay in business? If I ever see an owner post ANYTHING even remotely toned like just one of this owner’s posts were, I absolutely never, ever give that establishment my business as it is so off-putting. I am so sorry that you went through all of that.
My wife (I think, it was two months and 10 days ago, still no marriage certificate) and I made the same mistake you did- Bahama Beach Club. I have been waiting to receive said certificate before I post my review of them on Trip Advisor because I am actually afraid they will sabotage use even longer. While we did not go through half of what you did, I can attest to the fact that the people in charge of this establishment are unorganized, dishonest, and truly apathetic to any problems their mistakes end up causing. To anyone reading Angie’s account, she is not exaggerating, this place has a big smile and a dark soul. You don’t see that second part until the credit card has been swiped. Angie, how long did you have to wait before you received your marriage certificate? They told us two weeks, then 4-6 weeks, then 6-8, now it’s 10-12 months. No tracking number, even though we have paid for fed ex. If there is anything I can do or offer to help you and your story, happy to do so. I wouldn’t recommend this place to my worst enemy.
Oh, Mark. This absolutely breaks my heart! Sounds like Bahama Beach Club hasn’t learned a thing, and doesn’t care to.
I’ve had several other couples reach out to say the same since our hot mess last year. It took a bit more than 2 months to get our marriage certificate, but that’s only because a former employee felt so bad for us that she rushed to get it done before quitting, knowing they’d hold it hostage. Another couple waited at least 4 or 5 months to get theirs, but that was with the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism. I am happy to connect you with the wedding director there if you like! Please shoot me a note – angieawaymedia at gmail.
I’m so sorry this has happened to you!
Craig Roberts is the problem! He is a theif and a scammer. He unfortunately is very wealthy and well connected. He has the law and the Bahamian courts under his control. What a shame.
To those whom have a bad experience,
I am very saddened here of your hardship and the subsequent reply from Craig Roberts. We have been traveling to the Bahama Beach Club for over 10 years with nothing but great experiences. Unfortunately, Mr. Roberts feels free to misrepresent himself as the owner of the Beach Club which is far from the truth. He owns a couple of the condo’s and was the developer for the phase 5. He does manage the rental pool for those owners who which to rent their units through his company and therefore feels entitled to treat people very poorly. I can also tell you there are many home owners not renting through the beach club management and are available through Abaco Estate Services and VRBO/home away. There are many great people at the beach club and in Treasure Cay which is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
P.S. Any of the independent owners would have told you that most of Treasure cay and restaurants are closed from Sept to Nov. 1