'Bridgerton' ball flop in Detroit reveals more problems with event management company
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The "Detroit Bridgerton Themed Ball" on Sunday was a major flop, according to attendees. And the fall-out has gained national attention.
But some say the event management company behind the "Bridgerton" ball, Uncle & Me LLC, had problems long before this particular event.
Jeremy Scott and Chelsea Beard of Uncle & Me LLC appeared on FOX 2 back in May to promote a Cinco de Mayo event.
"I didn't go to the ball – I went to the 'Bridgerton' tea party in June," said Theresa Ghrist.
Ghrist spent $120 per ticket for her and her friend Patty to attend the tea party at the Taylor Conservatory – where they met the event organizer, Beard.
"That girl was busting her behind, trying to do all these last minute things – she's sweating and she's all by herself," Ghrist said. "Probably the first 40 minutes, I want to say, they had mimosas but no food, no tea, no nothing."
Neither event was as advertised.
"Every half hour they'd come on, they'd say the food's delayed, the food's delayed, the food's delayed," Ghrist said. "And there must have been 200 people there."
So Ghrist's friend, Patty, took matters into her own hands.
"I'm like 'I've gotta have food,' so she went across the street to get some potato chips from the gas station," she said.
Food eventually arrived but Ghrist and Patty never got any of it. And it wasn't just the lack of tea and crumpets that was problematic.
"When we got in there they had a violinist. She was very good, playing that period music," Ghrist said.
The performer was the same high school violinist who played at the "Bridgerton" ball – where the other entertainment was a pole dancer.
Ghrist says something similar happened at the "Bridgerton" tea party.
"A DJ rolled up and it turned into the club," she said. "Excuse my language, but like Patty said, 'you know you're balling when you're at a tea party and you hear back that blank up.'"
Ghrist tried to post a review on Uncle & Me LLC's Facebook page and her friend emailed requesting a refund.
"They did not post my comment nor did they respond to the email," Ghrist said.
Ghrist said she wishes she could have warned people before they spent hundreds or thousands of dollars to attend Sunday's "Bridgerton" ball.
"I would have said please do not waste your money on any event that Uncle & Me LLC has because you will not get what you're paying for," Ghrist said.
FOX 2 is still waiting for comment from Uncle & Me LLC.
Bridgerton Ball controversy: Detroit event flops with pole dancer, Kool-Aid
"This event just really lacked effort - it lacked class, and it lacked respect," said Nita Morton.