Wedding Venue Finally Reverses Decision After Fiancé Dies — Grieving Bride Wins Nearly $16,000 Refund

A Texas wedding venue has agreed to return nearly $16,000 to a grieving bride-to-be after her fiancé died unexpectedly months before their wedding, ending a bitter legal dispute that saw the business countersue her for breach of contract.

Zoe Vandeloo and her fiancé, Diego Hernandez, 25, had spent more than a year preparing for their dream wedding at Posey Meadows, a picturesque venue outside San Marcos, Texas.

The couple had planned to marry on November 20, 2026, and had paid a total of $15,909.28 toward the celebration.

But their plans were shattered on April 25, when Hernandez died suddenly, just seven months before the ceremony.

Vandeloo and her family contacted the venue to explain that the wedding could no longer take place and requested their money back.

Initially, the venue’s wedding coordinator reportedly indicated that a full refund would be possible. However, owner Julie Campbell later cited the contract’s non-refundable cancellation policy and said the business was not in a position to return the money.

The venue reportedly suggested transferring the booking to another date or using the payment toward a different event. It also indicated that a partial refund might be possible if another customer booked the original wedding date.

For Hernandez’s family, those alternatives offered little comfort. They were not postponing a celebration or changing their minds about getting married. They had lost a loved one.

His mother, Lucy Hernandez, became increasingly distressed as attempts to resolve the dispute failed.

She later told KSAT that she had expected a simple conversation to settle the matter, rather than a prolonged legal confrontation.

The dispute escalated when Vandeloo filed a lawsuit in Hays County in July, seeking the return of the money. Her complaint described the venue’s decision to retain the payments as an unjust financial windfall following a young man’s death.

But the venue responded with a countersuit, accusing Vandeloo of breaching the wedding contract by seeking a refund while refusing to pay the remaining balance.

Posey Meadows also alleged that the family had failed to provide sufficient proof of Hernandez’s death.

Vandeloo’s attorney disputed that claim, saying he had offered to provide a copy of the death certificate but that the offer was not acted upon.

The legal battle attracted widespread attention after the family spoke publicly about the emotional toll of fighting for the money while mourning Hernandez.

His mother expressed frustration over the situation, questioning why the family had to endure an additional legal struggle during an already devastating period.

The venue maintained that it had been trying to resolve the matter and said it wanted official confirmation of Hernandez’s death before making an exception to its cancellation policy. In a public statement, it said it had requested a death certificate in early May but did not receive one until August, after the lawsuit had been filed.

However, the situation changed dramatically in October.

On October 21, KSAT reported that Posey Meadows had dropped its countersuit and agreed to settle the case. Vandeloo’s attorney confirmed that she would receive a full refund of the $15,909.28 paid toward the wedding.

The venue also confirmed that it would no longer pursue any claims or demand additional payments from her.

In its statement, Posey Meadows expressed condolences to Hernandez’s family and said it regretted that the litigation process had complicated what it had hoped would be a speedy resolution.

The settlement brought an end to the dispute, although the financial terms were not fully disclosed in the court reporting. The venue’s decision to withdraw its counterclaim and return the full payment marked a significant reversal from its earlier position.

For Vandeloo and Hernandez’s family, the refund cannot bring back the young man whose future they had imagined celebrating together.

Their planned wedding day is now a reminder of a life cut short and a celebration that never happened.

But after months of grief, frustration and legal proceedings, Vandeloo will at least no longer have to fight the venue over the money she and Hernandez had saved for their future together.

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