Woman issues desperate plea to wedding venue for refund after fiancé suddenly dies

A woman whose fiancé tragically died just months before their wedding has been left fighting for nearly $16,000 after the venue allegedly refused to refund the money they'd paid for their big day.

Zoe Vandeloo and her fiancé, Diego Hernandez, 25, were preparing to tie the knot at Posey Meadows, a wedding venue near San Marcos, Texas, on November 20, 2026.

But their plans were shattered when Hernandez died suddenly on 25 April, according to a lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE.

The couple had spent 13 months making payments towards their dream wedding, with the total amount paid reaching $15,909.28.

Now, Vandeloo has taken legal action against the venue after allegedly being unable to secure a refund for the celebration that will no longer take place.

According to the complaint, Vandeloo's sister contacted the venue’s owner and day-of coordinator on 27 April to explain what had happened.

The coordinator reportedly responded that they would be 'getting 100% refund on my part', but the venue owner allegedly said the business was not in a position to issue a refund because of the cancellation clause in the couple’s contract.

Vandeloo has taken legal action against the venue after allegedly being unable to secure a refund (Getty Stock Image)

While the owner reportedly suggested that a partial refund could be considered if the original wedding date was rebooked, the complaint described this as a 'discretionary courtesy, not a contractual obligation'.

Vandeloo also personally reached out to the owner in an emotional message on 7 May, writing: "I am not asking for the impossible — I am simply asking for humanity during the worst time of my life."

The complaint also alleges that the venue owner warned she could withdraw the potential refund offer because of what she described as the family’s 'hostile communication and personal attacks'.

After attempts to resolve the dispute failed, Vandeloo filed a lawsuit in late July seeking the money back.

The legal battle has since escalated, with Posey Meadows filing a countersuit against her on 17 August, accusing her of breaching the wedding contract.

According to the venue’s counterclaim, Vandeloo refused to provide proof of Hernandez's death and failed to pay the remaining balance owed under the agreement.

Posey Meadows is a wedding venue near San Marcos, Texas (Google Images)

However, her attorney, Manuel Pelaez-Prada, disputed the allegation about the death certificate, telling PEOPLE that he had offered to provide the document to the venue’s legal representatives but received no response.

In a statement, he said: "Losing Diego was a catastrophe for them and their journey to healing will be long and difficult. I still can’t believe that they’re having to deal with the added pain of defending Zoe against this counterclaim."

He continued: "The company and its lawyer might think that their countersuit was nothing more than a technical or procedural manoeuvre - they couldn’t be more wrong. That counterclaim is doing a lot of damage to whatever little bit of healing Zoe and Diego's parents can point to."

Pelaez-Prada also described the situation as 'completely avoidable'.

Hernandez's mother, Lucy Hernandez, has also spoken about the emotional toll the dispute has taken on the family.

Speaking to KSAT, she said: "I’ve planned other funerals. I’ve lost my mom and my dad and a brother, but planning a son’s funeral is very different. It weighs very different."

Posey Meadows has defended its handling of the situation (Google Images)

She added: "We don’t have a fight in us. We don’t. We’re emotionally drained. This is just weighing heavily."

Meanwhile, Posey Meadows has defended its handling of the situation, saying the legal proceedings complicated an ongoing refund process.

In a statement to KSAT, the venue said: "Our company was heartbroken to learn of a private and tragic situation involving a couple scheduled to be married at our wedding venue. Since opening, we have sadly walked alongside other families through shocking losses like this.

"In each unique situation, Posey Meadows worked together with grieving survivors to offer them a full refund of payments, despite any contractual agreements.

"Our company was already working through the refund process with this family when we were served with a lawsuit.

"The decision for litigation has complicated this process, but it has not changed our goal. Posey Meadows will always serve with honour the people who trust us with milestone moments, even when their plans may be tragically interrupted."

They continued: "Because this is now a pending legal matter, and out of respect for the family’s privacy, we will not comment further."

The venue's contract states that payments are forfeited if a booking is cancelled, but the agreement reportedly contains no specific clause addressing the death of one of the clients.

The case remains unresolved, and no court ruling on the refund dispute has been reported.