Her Fiancé Died Before Their Wedding. Now, a Nearly $16,000 Refund Dispute Has Ended Up in Court

A woman grieving the sudden death of her fiancé is now facing a legal battle with the Texas wedding venue where they had planned to marry. The dispute centers on nearly $16,000 the couple paid before tragedy changed their plans.

Zoe Vandeloo and her fiancé, Diego Hernandez, 25, had been preparing for their wedding at Posey Meadows, a venue near San Marcos, Texas. The couple signed their contract in March 2025 and planned to marry on November 20, 2026. Over approximately 13 months, they paid a total of $15,909.28 toward the venue.

But on April 25, 2026, Hernandez died unexpectedly, months before the ceremony could take place.

According to a lawsuit reported by PEOPLE, Vandeloo’s family contacted the venue to explain what had happened and request a refund. The venue’s owner expressed condolences but cited the cancellation terms in the couple’s contract, saying a refund was not guaranteed. The venue reportedly offered to consider a partial refund if the date could be booked by another customer.

Vandeloo later sought a full refund. When the dispute remained unresolved, she filed a lawsuit on July 24, arguing that keeping the money after her fiancé’s death was unjust.

The venue responded with a countersuit accusing Vandeloo of breaching the contract by failing to pay the remaining balance. The agreement reportedly stated that payments could be forfeited if a booking was canceled, but it did not specifically address what would happen if one of the people getting married died.

Another point of disagreement involves Hernandez’s death certificate. The venue alleged that proof of his death had not been provided, while Vandeloo’s attorney said he had offered to supply the document before the lawsuit was filed. The death certificate was later included in court records.

Posey Meadows said it was heartbroken by the family’s loss and stated that it had been working toward a resolution before being served with the lawsuit. The company added that the litigation had complicated the process and declined to comment further because the matter was pending.

For Vandeloo and Hernandez’s family, the dispute has added a difficult financial and legal burden to an already devastating loss. The court will ultimately determine the parties’ rights under the contract.

Source: PEOPLE