Couples caught in COVID-19 wedding fallout

Desperate lovebirds are being forced into court battles to recoup thousands of dollars lost to weddings cancelled during lockdown.

Desperate lovebirds forced to cancel their weddings during COVID lockdown are being forced into court battles to recoup their deposits.

Cancelled weddings are set to be “the next wave of COVID claims”, as couples battle reception centres to get deposits back for events which were called off because of restrictions.

Melbourne couple Felicity and Robert Bush were forced to cancel their $27,000 April wedding reception at high-end St Kilda venue The George Ballroom last year because of health restrictions.

The fact Mr Bush’s family and groomsmen could not travel from England to attend because of international border closures played a part in their decision to delay rebooking, when restrictions lifted.

The couple – who ended up getting married by a celebrant in a simple park ceremony on April 3, with just Ms Bush’s parents present – took the function centre to VCAT to claw back their nearly $21,000 deposit.

Emerging victorious, Ms Bush, a nurse, said she had spent many nights in tears over the stressful stoush.

While they had intended to hold a large function to celebrate their marriage “down the track”, the bad blood with The George meant it would not be held there, she said.

“Getting married is meant to be the happiest time of your life but it got to a point where it was anything but that,” Ms Bush said.

Felicity and Robert Bush were forced to cancel their $27,000 wedding.

Melbourne University consumer law expert Professor Jeannie Paterson said the refunding of reception deposits was shaping as “the next wave of COVID claims” made by consumers against businesses over cancellations, following legal battles with travel companies.

“It can be really tough on businesses but it’s also really tough on consumers if they don’t get their money back … there is a lack of certainty in the area about people’s rights … I expect to see more claims,” she said.

A Consumer Affairs Victoria spokeswoman said people were entitled to refunds for events which could not proceed because of coronavirus but those who “chose” to cancel were subject to contract terms.

The VCAT hearing was told The George Ballroom was booked by the Bushs in August 2019 for a reception with 110 guests, to be held on April 18, 2020.

When the function was cancelled due to COVID, a new contract was signed, moving it to January 9, 2021.

The couple claimed they had been “misled” into signing the new contract, something The George strongly denied, VCAT deputy president Ian Lulham noted.

St Kilda's The George Ballroom.

“The George Events’ position is that on 17 August 2020 Robert and Felicity Bush cancelled the reception and that, under express cancellation provisions of the parties’ contract, it is entitled to retain $13,590.50 from the deposit and to return $6,880.52,” Mr Lulham noted.

He ruled the reception had not been cancelled by the Bushs and both parties were “relieved” from holding the reception this month.

And he ordered The George refund Mr and Mrs Bush $13,945.77, plus the outstanding $6,975.25, if the couple chose not to rebook the venue for another date by January 31.

Ms Bush said they would not be setting a new date for a celebration at The George, so expected to get all their money back.

“Neither party wants a function there anymore,” she said.

The George Ballroom’s Georgina Damm said COVID had been tough on everyone, “with the constantly changing rules”.

The Bush’s reception had been “caught in a one-off set of exceptional circumstances”, she said.