A group of super fans of Netflix’s hit show "Bridgerton" say they were left with a bad taste in their mouth after a themed event in Detroit turned out much different than what was advertised.
The event was originally set to take place last month on Aug. 25 but was canceled just a few days before because of a venue issue. It was rescheduled for Sunday night.
Dozens of people showed up to the historic Harmonie club dressed in ballgowns expecting to be transported into a fantasy world similar to the show but say they instead were served undercooked food, presented with little themed decor and an exotic dancer and a stripper pole as entertainment.
"The way that it was described was this was going to be a Bridgerton evening. We were gonna have classical music, good dinner. There was gonna be a play and they were gonna pick Diamond of the season. They were gonna give away all of these prizes and we went in and it was completely empty in there," Amanda Sue Mathis told Scripps News Detroit as she stood outside of the Harmonie Club. "There is nothing going on. They have a pole in the middle of the dance floor. A stripper pole in the middle of the dance floor."
Mathis says she drove in from Shelby Township and was really excited to get dressed up like the characters in one of her favorite shows.
"I mean all of these dresses that you see on these beautiful women, we've all been getting them tailored to fit us. So we spent extra money on costumes, all of this beautiful beading, getting our hair done, our nails done for this to be the way that it is," said Mathis. "It's heartbreaking. We were supposed to have this last month. They canceled it and we were like okay. We waited, they rescheduled it to today. We got a limo for this, did all these things, and, basically, got an empty building.
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 said 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 the initial story Monday, the Scripps News Detroit 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 Scripps News Detroit 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."
UME event group / UncleNMeLLC
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.
This story was originally published by Whitney Burney and Kent Saunders at Scripps News Detroit.
