A Durham events venue is refusing to return most of an $18,380 deposit for a wedding canceled after the groom died earlier this year.
Chris Perry, 32, was scheduled to marry Kristen Seidel at the Cotton Room at Golden Belt on Oct. 11, the New York Daily News reported. Perry died unexpectedly in May, just one day before his 33rd birthday, according to his obituary.
Vendors hired for the event, including a DJ, a photographer, and a wedding planner, refunded payments to the couple's family. The venue has not done the same.
Michelle Aldred, owner of the Cotton Room, said the company offered to reimburse $11,000 of the deposit if another client booked the date, but received no interest.
"We offered it to every client that inquired about dates in the fall of 2025 as well as advertised it online. Unfortunately, despite our good faith attempts, the date has yet to rebook," Aldred told WRAL.
The Cotton Room cited costs already spent on staffing and operations as a reason for withholding the deposit. A representative said the money supported "advance planning, staffing and operational commitments."
The contract signed with the couple required refunds only if the venue canceled an event, according to WRAL. The Cotton Room said it advises couples to purchase insurance for such situations. Seidel told the outlet she did not recall being informed of that recommendation.
Aldred also said she has received "multiple death threats" after news of the dispute spread on social media this week. The company said it was continuing preparations for weddings scheduled this weekend while also addressing the backlash.
Perry and Seidel met three years before his death.
"They were happily engaged to be married in October 2025," the obituary read. "They were committed to each other and looked forward to an incredible, full life together. The love he had for Kristen was so evident when he looked at her and talked about her."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.