Texas Venue Refuses Refund After Groom Dies, Then Sues Grieving Fiancée
Posey Meadows is facing backlash and a lawsuit for keeping nearly $16,000 and countersuing the bride after the groom's sudden death.
A Texas wedding venue is drawing widespread criticism for refusing to refund a grieving bride after her fiancé died unexpectedly, and then filing a lawsuit against her for breach of contract.
Posey Meadows, a venue in San Marcos, Texas, retained the full booking fee of $15,909.28 paid by the couple, Diego Hernandez and his fiancée. Hernandez, 25, died in late April, seven months before their scheduled wedding on November 20.
When Hernandez's family requested a refund, venue owners reportedly cited their non-refundable policy, stating that the contract did not include a clause for the death of a client. Internal emails obtained by KSAT indicate that venue owner Julie Campbell suggested the family reschedule or host a different type of event.
Hernandez's mother, Lucy, expressed her distress over the venue's response, questioning their moral principles. "Where are their morals? Where are their moral principles?" she told KSAT. "We don’t have a fight in us. We’re emotionally drained."
The grieving fiancée filed a lawsuit in Hays County district court in late July. Posey Meadows responded with a counterclaim, alleging breach of contract and demanding the remaining balance of the contract. The venue also claimed the family had not provided proof of Hernandez's death.
An attorney representing the bride stated that he had repeatedly offered to provide the death certificate before filing the suit, but received no response from the venue's legal team. The death certificate is reportedly included in the legal documents filed with the court.
The venue's actions have led to an influx of negative reviews on its Google listing and Facebook page. Many users have called the business greedy and "disgusting humans." While the venue previously held a 4.3-star average rating, recent reviews have been overwhelmingly negative.
Online discussions have highlighted the lack of “death clauses” in many non-refundable venue contracts, with some users sharing experiences of similar issues during the COVID-19 pandemic where venues invoked force clients to proceed with bookings or reschedule despite widespread event bans.
A court is expected to decide the contractual dispute between the family and Posey Meadows.