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Jeremy and Laurie Lieberman paid $45,000 -- $250 per head -- for their May 30 wedding at The Estate at Florentine Gardens in River Vale, NJ.com reports.
The event was brought to a screeching halt due to the virus, and the venue is holding onto the Lieberman's investment, the outlet said.
Jeremy told the venue he’d allow them to keep $2,500 and return the remainder — they reportedly turned down the offer.
“They were completely unwilling to return our deposit,” Jeremy Lieberman told NJ.com.
Alexander H. Carver, of Hackensack, an attorney for the venue and a former judge, stated in a letter sent to the couple that their best course of action would simply be to choose another date.
While Florentine Gardens did offer the couple alternative dates, they say none of them sufficed. Plus, the 200 invitations had been sent months ago, the couple said.
“We wanted a Saturday," Jeremy added. "They offered us Thursday and other days in the middle of the week."
Carver offered the couple Saturday, April 3 for a $15,000 price increase — alternatively, they were offered three Saturday nights throughout May that came with $20,000 price increases.
The couple was also offered Memorial Day and Mother’s Day weekends but turned them down due to the increased cost, NJ.com says.
“Any litigation on the right of a client to cancel an event and receive a refund (will) take between one and two years to get to trial, and any result of a trial will be appealable,” Carver's letter reportedly said.
“So it will be a five-year journey and the cost of that process certainly will exceed the amount in controversy.”
The Liebermans ended up tying the knot on April 25 during a Zoom call restricted to immediate family members.
For now, Laurie Lieberman, 33, says she feels “stuck” without knowing when she’ll be able to truly celebrate her marriage with loved ones.
“My wedding dress is sitting in a box and I don’t know if or when I will get to wear it,” she told NJ.com. “I feel stuck in limbo unable to plan a new date when we can celebrate with our family and friends.”
Click here for more from NJ.com.
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