A newlywed couple and at least 30 of their wedding guests became ill with norovirus after consuming food at their reception in Brooklyn, according to a lawsuit filed by the groom, Michael Ahern.
The couple reportedly spent $30,000 on their reception at The Box House venue in Greenpoint. Following the event, both the bride and groom experienced "repeated episodes of vomiting and diarrhea," the lawsuit states. Ahern and his wife later tested positive for the virus after submitting stool samples.
According to court papers, approximately 30 of the 112 guests who attended the reception also reported similar symptoms. The lawsuit specifically points to prosciutto, macaroni-and-cheese croquettes, and a seasonal crumble dessert as potential sources of contamination.
A spokesperson for The Box House expressed regret that guests became sick and stated that staff underwent retraining on cleanliness standards. The spokesperson also noted that norovirus was circulating in the city at the time and suggested that some food may have been brought in from outside the venue.
A report from the city's Department of Health indicated that an employee at The Box House's on-site restaurant, Brooklyn Lantern, had tested positive for norovirus around the time of the wedding. However, the report concluded that the specific food items responsible for the outbreak could not be determined, and the employee in question had not prepared the dishes implicated in the lawsuit.
Representatives for The Lantern claimed there have been no prior or subsequent norovirus incidents at the restaurant. While the lawsuit alleges the wedding reception was the source of the illness, the Department of Health report could not definitively identify the food vehicles for transmission.