Andrew Chan – Harpist

We booked Andrew for 3 hours for our wedding earlier this year. Because our ceremony was to start at 4:00 pm, we had booked him for 3:30 pm. He had mentioned arriving 30 minutes prior to set up and ensure he was ready to go for 3:30 sharp.
However, on the day of, he didn’t show up until past 4:00 pm (which I witnessed as I was waiting in the limo right outside the entrance) and didn’t start playing until 4:10 pm, yet he still left promptly at 6:30 pm!
After the wedding, I emailed him to inquire about a refund on the time missed as we had paid for 3 hours and had only gotten 2 hours and 20 minutes instead.
However, he sent me lengthy replies stating that because the highway had been closed, it wasn’t his fault he was late and that it was LUCKY that he showed up at all! He even sent me a link to a
to «prove» that it wasn’t his fault.
I replied stating that while I understood his point of view, I didn’t agree that it constituted a fulfillment of our contract. He merely restated that even my guests were late (which was true — some of them had been late, but not so many that I would’ve walked into an empty room had it started at 4:00 pm) and that he had «made up» for lost time since he provided pre-​ceremony music (which doesn’t make sense, since we had booked him 30 minutes prior to the scheduled ceremony start TO play pre-​ceremony music).
He refused to refund me for the time I paid for but for which he did not deliver (and not because some of my guests were late, but because he hadn’t even arrived yet!) but tried to offer a 15% discount on future bookings instead! If I couldn’t trust him to fulfill my contract on my wedding day, why would I trust him to deliver on a contract for another event?
He even mentions that our contract states that if the wedding is «delayed to start 20 or more minutes» that there would be a charge of $ 100, which is absolutely false, since our contract states that the OVERTIME rate is $ 100 if the engagement exceeds 20 minutes. I paid him for 3 hours, he gave me 2:20 and he still left at 6:30 pm — why would I owe him for overtime?!
He even tried to ask me for my videographer’s information, because «I’d like to request him not to use any part of the recording that I specially did for him to enhance your wedding video».
If you’re looking for a professional musician who you can deal with on a professional level and who you can trust to fulfill his end of the signed contract, stay away from Andrew Chan.
Some quotes from his emails:
«The gardener express was closed on the weekend, all the way from east to west; all ramps were closed and there was construction on Lakeshore as well. It took me more than an hour and a half to arrive from downtown, as opposed to the normal 30 min. I am sure you can understand that, as many of your guests were late too so that your ceremony didn’t actually start until after 4:30 instead of 4pm originally scheduled. I did arrive just before 4pm, spent less than 2 minutes to set up, and I started playing right away. Not at 4:10 as you or your planner said. She called me at 3:50 as I was just frantically pulling in the parking lot. Many of your guest didn’t arrive until almost 4:30, as you most likely know.»
«Because of wedding didn’t start until after 4:30, I actually provided additional Pre-​ceremony music. I started before 4 and entertained your guests until processional began after 4:30. That already balanced out and exceeded the 10 minutes of music that I missed from 3:40 — 3:55pm.»
«It was a fact that your ceremony started well over 30 minutes later than you originally planned at 4:35pm.
It was a fact that many of your guests were late, and your wedding wasn’t ready to start at 4pm at all, nor even quite a bit after I arrived.
It was a fact that there was an abnormal road condition that happened on your wedding day.
It was, most importantly, a fact, that all your guests were overjoyed with the quality of the music I provided. I have received many feedback directly from your guests, and you yourself have written about this to me, which I have a record.
It was a fact that though I can’t issue a refund, I have offered a compensation.»
«We all want the wedding day to be as perfect as possible. However, in reality, there are always unpredictable things that throw us a curve, and we try our best we can, and find the balance.»
«When I saw the road condition in Toronto, I thought to myself that I had a choice. I could either turn back, and just call your planner to cancel and give you a full refund. So that there wouldn’t be any music at your ceremony at all during your professional, signing and recessional. Or, I tried my best to fight through the horrific road condition, and get there the fastest I can, knowing that I might be late but at least you would have beautiful music at your wedding, which you did.»