I had my wedding reception at The Sandbanks and although the wedding was amazing due to the fabulous location, two things spoilt it. Firstly our Honeymoon Suite (which had an amazing view of the beach) was directly next to my future-in-laws room!! Which as a newlywed is not exactly romantic or private, particularly when your in-laws decide to throw a mini family party in their room after the wedding had ended and with paper thin walls, listening to your husband's grandparents is a definite mood killer!
The second most important issue was that I had a wedding post box that my guests could put their cards in which was in a private function room. However, that night the staff took our wedding post box to "put in the safe" and we later found when we went checked out and went home with our presents and postbox that somebody had tampered with the post box (which prior to this I had secured tightly) and stolen not only some sentimental wedding cards but they contained money inside them. After calling the hotel very upset and distraught, the hotel was not very helpful. I later found out that the postbox hadn't even been put in a safe but left on the floor of the Front of House office!!! Didier the Front of House manager was very unsympathetic, cold and acted unprofessional. Dorset Police were very helpful and understanding. Sebastien Chene, is worth his weight in gold and is the one shining star at the hotel, he was our wedding co-ordinator and he was upset to find out this had happened after his shift had ended. However, I never got my money back or even an apology or a follow up investigation regarding the stolen money. My words of advice for anyone planning to hold a wedding/wedding reception there is to not let your guests give presents or cards unattended and to find our what rooms your wedding guests are staying in!
Apart from that the food was excellent, wedding fron start to finish was wonderful, beach is perfect backdrop. But our beautiful
day will always be slightly tarnished by this.