A woman is suing a Texas wedding venue for nearly £12,000 ($16,000) after her fiancé died suddenly months before their planned wedding, leaving her seeking the return of money they had spent on their future together. Zoe Vandeloo and Diego Hernandez had made payments towards their November 2026 ceremony for 13 months before his death turned their wedding plans into a legal dispute.
Posey Meadows, the venue near San Marcos, Texas, has countersued Vandeloo for alleged breach of contract. While she argues that retaining the money would be unjust given the circumstances, the business says it was already working through the refund process when it received notice of the lawsuit. The case remains unresolved, with both sides disputing key aspects of what happened.
Couple Paid Nearly £12,000 for Their Wedding
Vandeloo and Hernandez signed a contract with Posey Meadows in March 2025 and planned to marry on 20 November 2026. They paid a $1,000 deposit, followed by further instalments over the next 13 months, bringing their total payments to $15,909.28—approximately £12,000.
Hernandez, 25, died suddenly on 25 April 2026, almost seven months before the ceremony. According to the complaint obtained by People, his death ended the couple's wedding plans and prompted Vandeloo's family to contact the venue about recovering the money.
On 27 April, Vandeloo's sister reportedly contacted the venue's day-of coordinator and owner. According to the complaint, the coordinator indicated that a full refund would be issued on their part. The owner, however, cited the cancellation terms and said the venue was not in a position to issue a refund.
The complaint also alleges that the owner suggested a partial refund might be possible if another couple booked the original date. Other options reportedly included moving the booking to a future date or applying the balance to a different event.
'I'm Simply Asking for Humanity'
The refund discussions continued into May. According to the complaint, the venue owner warned that a courtesy offer could be withdrawn if what she described as hostile communication and personal attacks continued. On 7 May, Vandeloo sent a message appealing for compassion during her grief.
'I am not asking for the impossible—I am simply asking for humanity during the worst time of my life,' she wrote, according to the complaint. In June, Vandeloo sent a written demand seeking a full refund. She argued that retaining the payments would amount to an 'unjust and ghoulish windfall built on a young man's death'.
After the dispute remained unresolved, she filed a lawsuit in Hays County district court on 24 July. Her complaint argues that the cancellation clause should not be used to retain money paid for a wedding that could no longer take place because of Hernandez's death.
Posey Meadows Countersues Over Contract
Posey Meadows filed a countersuit on 17 August, accusing Vandeloo of breaching the wedding contract. According to the venue's filing, she sought the return of the money already paid and allegedly refused to pay the remaining balance. The venue is seeking damages over the alleged breach.
The contract reportedly states that payments are forfeited in the event of cancellation, but does not specifically address the death of one of the clients.
In a statement, Posey Meadows said it was 'heartbroken' to learn of the loss. The company added that it had previously worked with grieving families to provide full refunds despite contractual terms.
The venue maintained that it was already working through the refund process when it was served with the lawsuit, adding that litigation had complicated the process. It declined to comment further because the matter is pending.
Death Certificate Dispute Adds to Legal Battle
The countersuit also alleges that Vandeloo failed to provide proof of Hernandez's death before filing her claim. Her lawyer, Manuel Pelaez-Prada, disputed that account, telling the news media outlet that he had offered to provide Hernandez's death certificate to the venue's legal representatives but received no response.
KSAT Investigates subsequently reported that the certificate had been filed as part of the court case. Hernandez's mother, Lucy Hernandez, has also spoken about the emotional strain of the dispute. Speaking to the news media outlet, she said: 'We don't have a fight in us. We don't. We're emotionally drained.'
The legal case remains unresolved, and the court has not determined whether Posey Meadows must refund the payments or whether Vandeloo is liable for the alleged breach of contract. For now, the dispute continues as she seeks the money spent on a wedding she and Hernandez never had.
