The Event Factory

Reviews 3

MI

MissPurpleMystic

I recently went to The Event Factory for a large event which was NOT a wedding. So my review will be geared towards people who are thinking of hosting an event for a couple hundred people or more. WARNING: If using the "Maps" app on iPhone, you MUST type in the name of the business, "The Event Factory." The app does not recognize the address on its own and it will take you to a random spot on Hillsborough Avenue near the fair grounds and drop you off in front of trees. This is not The Event Factorys fault, and I do not hold that against them. Even when typing in "The Event Factory" the GPS only gives a general area, you have to search for it. Its not what you expect, its in a strip mall next to a Big Lots. So, this place is located in a strip mall, which is a little different. The parking lot for this strip mall is not built for several hundreds of people plus all the shoppers for the other several stores around it. Luckily we arrived just as the event was beginning and were able to snag a spot. With a large event, the parking would quickly become insane, and Im sure it did while I was inside the event. Upon walking in, this place is absolutely huge. Im still not sure how it works, because it certainly doesnt look that large from the outside. The place has tons, and I mean TONS of props and decorations. Its really pretty cool. You could see that on the walls and floors and especially the bathrooms, it is needing a face lift. Im sure when the lights are turned down its not as noticeable, but still, the bathrooms, especially those in the back need help. The bathroom Im mentioning, which is by, I guess a side door, is way too small to accommodate a large event like the one I attended. There were only 2 or 3 stalls, and there was usually a line to use it, and due to the amount of use, it started to smell about half way through the day, and I assume continued that way the rest of the day. Luckily there is another bathroom on the other side of the venue that is much larger, but was annoying to have to walk that far when youre in the middle of your event trying to enjoy yourself. The side door I mention is really a convenient place to have food trucks or for your exit to your car to whisk you away on your wedding night. So if either of those things are something youre interested in, it can be easily done. The venue is really many venues all in one. There are tons of different choices for wedding ceremonies and receptions. You can really customize. But I wasnt there for a wedding, I was there for a large event. And for this, it was a very strange venue. There were many rooms, all very close together. The walls between the rooms do not go all the way up to the ceiling so there was a lot of noise pollution between the different rooms, and coming from the halls. If one person in one "ballroom" was speaking loud, you may have issues hearing the people in your "ballroom." There were vendors strewn haphazardly throughout different hallways, and it just really didnt flow well. The event I went to seemed pretty unorganized. I dont know how much of that is to blame on the Event Factory or more on the owner and employees of the event, so again, I will not hold that against The Event Factory. Overall, I WOULD have rated the venue a 3.5 for hosting large events due to it being slightly out of date, needing a face lift, parking, noise pollution, bathrooms, flow through the venue, etc. But unfortunately you cant give half points. BUT THEN I read some of the other reviews left, and saw how the owner responded to the negative reviews, and I was absolutely appalled. I am actually in the midst of planning my wedding, and I am going to tour venues this weekend. I would absolutely not want to work with the owner of this venue. If someone has a problem he will find ways to blame them without giving any remedy. The least he could do would be to PRETEND on Google Reviews that he cares, to save face, even if ignoring the guest in real life. His poor customer service skills dropped my review to a 2.

ED

Edith Gonzalez

Ive worked at The Event Factory for over 13 years and have had the privilege of photographing a countless variety of lifes milestones. I know for a fact that each and every other photographer, DJ, videographer, caterer, staff and especially the owners have ALL contributed blood, sweat and tears to put together the convenient packages, and to collaborate with each client to make each event unique. The amount of creativity bestowed upon this venue blows away ANY other in the Tampa Bay area. Im also proud to say I was given the opportunity to create and execute the design of The Celestial Swan Ballroom. Over the years I have made many long lasting friendships with many of the clients that chose to book at this facility over others. I will say it is our deepest desire to make each and every customer happy. I would ask that you take into consideration that it is no small feat to keep such any ingenious venue going STRONG for over 20 years! And it has been my pleasure to work alongside all the amazing and long lasting staff. No one outside of this creative and hardworking group of people can understand how much each of us have given and therefore I personally will not take offense to others inaccurate perceptions. All I can say, is I myself have worked very hard to do MY VERY BEST with the years of photography, special editing, graphics, designs, props and ideas Ive managed to share. And I would like to thank God for the creative talents HE bestowed on me, that I could share them with you and your family on your special occasions. Be happy! As they say, life is too short! Celebrate it!

CA

Candis Bryant

I must say, the staff of The Event Factory made my wedding a true dream. I was quite a "bridezilla" this past Saturday because I was starving (trying to make sure I could fit in my dress), but the staff remained calm and professional. The photographer (Edy) had to bare with me because I was not photo ready due to my stomach however, she made sure she took her time to insure the photos were completed. We started a little late but with an early wedding, that was to be expected. DJ Lindsey was a dream to work with. She made sure all of the songs were correct even at the rehearsal. They left no room for error. The food was pretty good. The reception was "LIVE". The staff is to be commended on a job well done. If I had it to do over again, I would go to my reception every weekend. This was the best wedding a girl could dream of. We had to leave in a flash because another wedding had to be set up, but they still did a great job. I would definitely recommend them to others. The colors of the venue matched perfectly with my color choices for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. If you want an "all-inclusive affair", this is definitely the place to go. Cant wait for the pictures and videos to come back because there are somethings as a bride you cant see until after. Thanks to all of you at The Event Factory.

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