Empress Events — Attraction in San Francisco

If i could give zero stars i would!

My wife and I hired Empress Events yacht rental for our wedding that was scheduled for July 4th,2020. We booked our reservation through Deborah Birmingham in 2019 via email and a signed contract to secure our date. I signed a deposit form along with the contract for the event. The deposit amount was for $4000. Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic we were forced to cancel our wedding. We informed Empress Events of our decision on March 20,2020 to cancel the wedding and to please return our deposit. We decided at this point was the best time to do so because if we waited until 90 days within our wedding then the full amount of the wedding was due to Empress Events. In our contract it states that if given proper notice than the full refund of the deposit is in order. With the unknown forecasted in the future we had no choice but to cancel. We requested our deposit be returned as soon as possible. After a week went by of no deposit returned and no answer to when we would get it, i emailed the company again and said we would be ok with them giving it to us in another week. That didnt happen. After about a month of requesting and not so pleasant emails back n forth with Deborah, she finally said in an email that they dont have the money because they used our deposit as operating costs to run the business. We about lost our minds. That is not what a deposit is for and a deposit isnt supposed to be used until the event is fulfilled or the contract isnt upheld. We were well within our right to collect our deposit back however this company refuses to do so. I have informed Empress Events that we will plan to take legal action if necessary. I have already drafted a "demand letter" and sent them a copy via email and first class mail. No response from the company. We finally sent them a final email saying we are willing to drop all court process if they just send us our deposit back. Still no deposit returned and interest is racking up! We shouldnt have to deal with this especially when we should be getting married next weekend. This is Fraud. Months later and a week before we should be getting married during this horrible year, STILL NO DEPOSIT RETURNED! We have already contacted the state attorney office and filed complaint, Better Business Bureau filed complaint , google review, and yelp review. Court is next. Unfortunate but super necessary at this point....

We cannot thank Deborah and her team enough for making our wedding absolutely flawless. From start to finish, everything was seamless, even though we knew there was so much happening behind the scenes. Deborah’s professionalism, calm presence, and attention to detail made all the difference. She kept everything on track, handled every little hiccup with grace, and made the entire process feel effortless for us.

The yacht was beautifully organized, the timeline flowed perfectly, and all of our guests felt warmly welcomed and cared for. Special thanks also to Captain John for his fantastic hospitality and smooth sailing!

Deborah is a true pro, and we are so grateful for all her hard work in making our day unforgettable. If you’re considering working with her and her team, do it—you will...

Aboard the good ship Empress, romance, dancing, great cuisine, and personal attention create a luxurious atmosphere while cruising on one of the most famous and beautiful waterways in the world: the San Francisco Bay. At night, the bridges, the lights, and the waterfronts are magical. During the day, the sights of the Golden Gate Bridge and sailboats flying by lift the senses and make for unforgettable experiences. I love the Empress, and I'll never forget the parties, dinners, dances, weddings, and whale watching experiences I've enjoyed...