Overall Satisfaction: 0 / 5
Consultation Process: 3.5 / 5
Officiant's Appearance: 4 / 5
Officiant's Professionalism: 0 / 5
Ceremony: 4 / 5
Website: http://lindawongofficiant.com/index.html
Those of y'all who have visited this site in the past, y'all know that I do my utmost, and very best to provide a fair and objective critique of the things that I've purchased, tried, and experienced. Honestly, I wasn't going to write this on here, but I have realised that there is no where else that I can review this wedding officiant. She has a testimonials page, but that's for positive reviews only. There is feedback page, but that form is never going to see the light of day anywhere.
No words can express our disappointment with Linda. While she started off quite professionally, ultimately, she had one job on the day of the wedding. To show up. Not only did we have to call her to find out where she was when she didn't arrive on time, it wasn't until we called her that she admitted to us that she had FORGOTTEN. She ended up finally arriving over an hour late.
On a hectic day like most weddings are, having to flip schedules around for everyone and coordinating with venue staff caused confusion and undue stress on everyone involved.
An experienced officiant's job is pretty easy after a while. Scripts are already pre-written, forms are simply just filling in blanks. Which means, an officiant has ONE JOB. And that is to show up. Bare minimum. Show Up. Something that I am very sorry to say, that Linda FAILED to do.
To be fair, she did volunteer to compensate us $100 for her blunder. I'll let y'all decide if $100 was adequate. It's not the money that's the issue. It's the principle of it.
~Cheers.
Update: Linda has since provided us with a full refund and additional apologies.
Dear Mr. W,
ReplyDeleteThe fees were fully refunded within hours of receiving your feedback.
Realizing this won't compensate for the inconveniences endured, I could only again ask for your forgiveness.
My Mother had suffered a stroke, I got distracted and looked at the wrong week in my day-timer. Not your problem, I messed up.
Having spent more time than usual working with you and Bride, I was also most disappointed and upset with myself for the outcome.
Blessed with positive feedbacks from hundreds of ceremonies of happy couples, this was a valuable lesson for me.
Please do convey my thanks to your Mom for coming up to me at the end of the ceremony, to tell me how much she had enjoyed it.
Best wishes for a great journey of life with your bride.
Sincerely,
Linda Wong
We came across Linda Wong’s services while searching for officiants and initially had a decent consultation. Before proceeding, we read a public review about a couple who had a serious issue with her forgetting their wedding date. While we were concerned, Linda appeared sincere in her apology to that couple, and we chose to give her the benefit of the doubt — thinking it was a one-off situation.
ReplyDeleteBecause of that review, we specifically asked for a clause outlining what would happen if she was unable to attend or officiate last-minute. We were told our date would be held for three days pending the deposit, and we submitted our completed form within that timeframe. Once we requested that clause, Linda abruptly responded that she was no longer available — without explanation, without offering a backup officiant, and with no regard for the commitment she had just made. Unfortunately, Linda has failed yet again—confirming the concerns raised by the previous reviewer. If anyone needed a second confirmation of that experience, this is it.
We’re sharing our experience so that other couples can make informed decisions and avoid the stress and disappointment we went through.
Hi Calvin and Sophie,
ReplyDeleteI recently became aware of your online comments through a couple who completed a booking with me, and I would like to address the concerns you raised.
I am truly sorry that you were disappointed by my cancellation of your August 1 ceremony. An unforeseen family matter arose on that date which required my presence. This was the sole reason for my withdrawal. It was not related to your request for a clause regarding last-minute unavailability, nor did I accept any other booking during the three days your reservation was being held.
I also apologize for my brief reply at the time, which did not adequately convey the circumstances. My intention was to notify you as promptly as possible so that you could secure another officiant from the alternatives you already had in mind. For clarity, I have outlined the timeline of our communications below:
Timeline of Events
• April 4: You emailed inquiring about availability for an August 2 ceremony.
• April 8: We conducted a video consultation.
• April 12: You asked “As we’re still exploring our options, we were wondering if the rehearsal could be included in the service and if there’s any flexibility with the pricing?” I respectfully declined.
• April 22: You confirmed that you wished to proceed with the booking, and I sent the reservation form the same day.
• April 23: You requested a clause “outlining what would happen in the unlikely event that you’re unable to attend or officiate on the day of the wedding”.
• April 24: A family matter arose unexpectedly, and I informed you that I was no longer available. When you expressed concern about the lack of explanation, I clarified that a personal matter had come up and asked for your understanding.
It is regretful to learn of your perception of the situation, especially as we spent a considerable amount of time during our consultation discussing quite a bit of the specific details and the importance of family within Hakka culture.
Regarding the comparison to Mr. Wu’s 2019 ceremony, I would like to clarify that his situation was resolved amicably. Although I arrived one hour late due to urgent care arrangements for my mother following her stroke, the family was gracious, and the ceremony proceeded well. As you correctly noted, "it was a one-off situation", I did not forget nor was late for any other ceremonies due to my Mother's health conditions and won't in the future as she has since passed.
I have performed hundreds of ceremonies before 2019 and hundreds more in the six years since, with only one occasion where my backup officiant needed to step in.
To address another point you raised: I do maintain a network of backup partners. In your case, because you had already mentioned alternative options, and did not request a referral, I did not want to presume or overwhelm you with additional suggestions.
Calvin and Sophie, life presents all of us with moments when we must choose between professional commitments and family responsibilities. I hope that if you ever face such a situation, you will feel empowered to prioritize your family, and that others will extend you the same understanding and compassion you seek.
I trust that the short period between April 22—when you confirmed your interest—and April 24—when I became unavailable—did not significantly impact your planning process, and I sincerely hope your August 1 ceremony was beautiful and memorable.
Sending you best wishes for a great life journey together.