Wedding venue cancelled - 14 weeks to go :-(

seb76

Booked a venue February 2012 and paid £1400 deposit - the venue is on a science/research park and holds a lot of events and conferences.

We were due to visit last Saturday (9th February) to go through some bits and pieces. I emailed our wedding coordinator last Monday (4th) checking time of meeting - no reply so sent a follow up message on the Thursday to which I received a reply asking me to call them. After the niceties on the phone, the coordinator then said " I have some bad news". I was expecting a minor issue ! She then said "we have to cancel your wedding". I said "Erm we are getting married in 14 weeks, all the invitations have been sent and everything is booked!" She told me that the research people had applied for a grant for a new building that they expected to get at a later date, but it had arrived earlier than expected, therefore having to cancel, as they would be demolishing the conference centre all together.

I spoke to a solicitor on Monday morning for a free 15 minute session who read through the letter I had drafted over the weekend, detailing the expenses we have incurred directly relating to this and said to send it stating that it was a preliminary letter stating costs but a follow up letter would be sent once a new venue had been found.

The original venue had 39 bedrooms on site, plus was at a major road junction so everyone could get to it easily, on a major bus route and catered for up to 300 in the evening. We have a large number of guests wanting to stay at the venue and 180 guests for the evening.

We have struggled to find anywhere available, that has these two important things and that we can afford. We have found a pub in a village which is available, has 7 rooms available - we will also get some rooms at another B & B for the extra people- the restaurant holds 54 comfortably for the day - we have 64 confirmed guests, therefore we need to book a marquee which will also be used for the evening reception - the pub itself is fine - cheaper than the previous venue, but the marquee is £3500 so about £2500 extra we have to find.

We also had to let 150 families know last weekend in case they had booked accomodation somewhere else and now have to book table linen, chair covers and the marquee ourselves when at the previous venue everything was being done for us.

My question is ..... where do we stand with my second letter to the first venue regarding asking them to pay the difference as compensation / goodwill gesture ? They plan on starting weddings again soon but have caused us major stress and so much additional running around and panic.

The solicitor I saw seemed to think we would be entitled to some form of compensation but I really don't know how it works :-( Any help gratefully received!

madvixen

I don't know where you stand legally hun although, if it were me, I would be expecting them to pay any additional costs I incurred as well as some form of monetary compensation. We'll be better placed to advise when you receive a reply from them.

In terms of a new venue, where in the country are you? We may be able to help with some new venue suggestions

I hope this all works out for you - what a nightmare.

floss2

I take it you don't have insurance? We didn't bother, but I know a lot of people on here advise it.

I think the first thing to do is to try & find a venue for your date, that can accomodate your numbers for the event. Most people who've booked hotels etc will be able to stay where they are booked, it just may not be as convenient as staying in the same building. Can your cancelled venue still take hotel guests?

Most importantly, you need to start a list of what you will have to pay for if you have to book elsewhere - marquee, linen, tables & chairs - and the costs.

themull1

The venue dont have to reimburse you for anything other than the deposit and any other payments you made towards the venue, thats why there is wedding insurance. Ive been married twice and thats the first thing i bought after the venue was picked.