‘How do you sleep at night?’: Wedding venue charges Texas couple $16,000 deposit, but when the groom dies, the owner tells the bride ‘no refunds’

A wedding venue business in Texas has come under fire from people online after what has been deemed a rather heartless response from the owner. According to reports, Posey Meadows refused to refund $16,000 to a bride whose fiancé had died before they could get married at the venue; the owner then went a step further by countersuing the grieving bride.

The lawsuit against Posey Meadows was filed in Hays County in late July, according to KSAT. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a couple who accused the business of refusing to refund $16,000 after the groom passed away months before their wedding, which was set to take place in November.

However, despite the tragic circumstances, Posey Meadows allegedly refused to return the pricey deposit charge for the wedding, even after the bride sent her fiancé Diego Hernandez’s death certificate. The business claimed that the contract signed by the couple stated that the money paid for the deposit would be forfeited in the event of a cancelation. However, the contract did not include any provisions for what would happen should the bride or groom die before the wedding.

After the venue refused to refund the money, the bride opted for the legal route, seeking the return of the deposit money along with attorney fees.

Posey Meadows countersues

In response to the bride’s lawsuit, the owner of Posey Meadows reportedly countersued for breach of contract. A TikToker by the name of True Crime Mama recounted the story on her page and claimed that she was trying to pull the legal complaint to find more details about the case. She also criticized the owner of Posey Meadows, who was identified as Julie Campbell, asking her, “How do you sleep at night?”

Of course, it’s up to the courts to decide who is in the right legally, but from a moral standpoint, it seems like the internet has already made up its mind. Comments on TikTok claimed that Posey Meadows would likely end up paying more for the damaged reputation and negative reviews than it would have if Campbell refunded the money. “The amount of bad publicity will cost them far more than the $16k!” wrote one person.

The business’s Facebook page has also been bombarded with negative posts to the point that comments have been limited. However, some are still visible on the page. “Beautiful place, however, whoever runs it, is going to catch a cold with the ice inside their soul. Beware!” warned one Facebook commenter.

The results of the court battle have not been revealed, but the story serves as a reminder to always check cancelation policies when looking at wedding venues, and to read all contracts carefully.