Bridgerton fans calling for refunds after disappointing event in Detroit
By Whitney Burney and Kent Saunders
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DETROIT (WXYZ) — It’s been two days since the Detroit Bridgerton Ball scandal and people who were excited to go say there are still so many unanswered questions.
For Pedro Soto and his newlywed bride, the event was meant to be a celebration after the two eloped just a day before.
“She was really excited. She bought all this stuff for her outfit and it just ended up being something we didn’t expect it to be,” said Soto.
The couple, along with hundreds of other super fans of the Netflix show, say they spent hundreds of dollars on tickets, costumes, and more hoping to be transported into a fantasy scene and were instead let down.
“The ticket included food, a bar, at least a table and chair for us to sit down and enjoy. It included an orchestra. What we really got was, it’s going to sound funny, Kool-Aid from a bottle, no bar. There was not enough seats and chairs for us,” said Soto. “We had to reuse cups, not enough plates. The backdrops were just paper. It was nothing special. The photographs were actually extra.”
The event has since gone viral on social media after attendees the event planners at Uncle N Me LLC didn’t deliver.
“This is truly a horror story and I’m just completely awestruck seeing everything that happened,” said local aerialist Tink who performed at the event. “Normally it’s not like that. Normally when you go to a show, especially a circus performer, it’s an amazing experience. You get wowed, thrilled even. It’s a little dangerous and I’m sad they didn’t get to experience that.”
Tink has been a professional circus performer and a coach at Pole Fit in Shelby Township for 5 years. She says she was hired just three hours before the event and asked to pole dance. She says she has faced a lot of backlash from people online who were not happy to see her performance as a part of the Detroit Bridgerton Ball.
“When I gave them the menu, they did pick pole dancing between hair suspension, Lyra hoop, and aerial sling and pole dance is what we went with,” said Tink. “A lot of people thought it would have been better if I did hair suspension. I do know that’s a higher price for budget and I think because it was so last minute, if they had more time we probably could have had hair suspension there. Even the silks, that would have been so pretty, having the fabrics flying around. I think that would have matched the vibe.”
Tink says the company also selected and approved her costume for the occasion, a red bra and matching panty.
“I just feel very bad for all the patrons who showed up to the event just because my goal as a performer is to bring happiness and cheers to everyone. So it kind of just bummed me out knowing everyone was so unhappy with the outcome,” she said.
After posting our story Monday, our newsroom was notified by viewers that they had a similar experience at a Bridgerton-themed tea party in Taylor back in June. The event was put on by the same company.
“I’m like ‘this sounds familiar’,” Tamela Everett says she thought when she saw the Bridgerton Ball controversy online this week. “I’m like this company has to be stopped. How are they able to get away with this? Profiting off of the Bridgerton name but just giving subpar performances and experiences.”
Everett says she paid $80 per ticket when she took her mom to the event at the Taylor Conservancy and Botanical Gardens. She says while the decor was beautiful, they waited hours in line for food that was cold when finally served.
“It’s a tea party, there’s no tea at all, running out of mimosa, running out of serving glasses for the mimosas. It’s just really unfortunate for such a beautiful event,” said Everett. “I feel like something needs to be done. This company is making a lot of money off of regular hard-working people and it’s not really fair.”
After placing multiple phone calls, leaving voice mails, and sending text messages Monday, the company sent the following statement to our newsroom Tuesday afternoon:
“We understand that not everyone had the experience they hoped for at our most recent event Sunday night at The Harmonie Club, and for that, we sincerely apologize. Our intention was to provide a magical evening, but we recognize that organizational challenges affected the enjoyment of some guests. We take full responsibility and accountability for these shortcomings. Please know that we are working diligently to address all concerns to ensure that all guests have the enjoyable experience they deserve. Your feedback is invaluable, and we truly appreciate both the positive and constructive comments shared with us. We are reviewing resolution options, which will be communicated shortly. Your understanding and loyalty mean the world to us, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to make this right.”
It’s a response metro Detroiters say they have been trying to get for days now.
“Just treat all of us fairly and if there’s something, a hiccup that happens, take accountability and learn from it because we work hard for our money, especially in this economy and we deserve to get exactly what we’re paying for,” said Everett.
“Do the right thing, especially when you do such a big event and people expect so much from you. Just do the right thing. Give their money back. I don’t think hosting another event would be the smartest choice,” said Soto.
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