A Texas woman's fight to recover wedding payments following the death of her fiancé has taken an unexpected turn.
A Texas woman is fighting a legal battle with a wedding venue after it refused to refund nearly $16,000 she and her late fiancé had paid for their wedding. The dispute took another turn, with the venue filing a countersuit against the woman months after her partner's unexpected death.
According to KSAT Investigates, Diego Hernandez died suddenly in late April at the age of 25, months before his planned November 20 wedding at Posey Meadows.
Hernandez and his fiancée had paid $15,909.28 toward their wedding venue, located outside San Marcos, Texas, before his death. His family contacted the venue to request that the money be returned to his fiancée, but the situation quickly became more complicated.
Venue Refuses to Refund Wedding Payments
Initially, Posey Meadows owner Julie Campbell reportedly suggested alternatives, including rescheduling the wedding or applying the payment toward a different event. Emails obtained by local outlets also indicated that a partial refund might be possible if the original wedding date could be booked by another couple.
However, Hernandez's mother, Lucy Hernandez, said the venue ultimately refused to return the money after a phone conversation in early May. "I'm very surprised. I honestly felt that it wasn't going to go past a phone call," she added in an interview with KSAT.
The family later sought legal assistance. In late July, Hernandez's fiancée filed a lawsuit against Posey Meadows in Hays County district court, describing the venue's decision to retain the payment as an "unjust and ghoulish windfall built on a young man's death."
The venue subsequently countersued, accusing the woman of breaching the wedding contract. It is seeking damages, alleging that she not only requested a refund but also failed to pay the remaining balance owed under the agreement.
The contract stated that payments would be forfeited in the event of a cancellation. However, it did not specifically address what would happen if one of the clients died before the wedding.
Dispute Over Proof of Death
The legal dispute also involves Hernandez's death certificate. According to the venue's counterclaim, the family failed to provide proof of his death. The fiancée's attorney disputed that claim, stating that he had offered to provide the certificate before the lawsuit was filed but received no response from the venue's legal representatives.
In a statement to KSAT, Posey Meadows said it had been working through the refund process when it was served with the lawsuit. The venue added that the litigation had complicated the process and declined to comment further because the matter was pending in court.
Hernandez's mother told KSAT that the ongoing dispute has left her surprised, disappointed, and "very exhausted." The case remains a legal battle over the couple's contract and the nearly $16,000 payment.