7 On Your Side Recovers $19,700 Wedding Refund for Couple Post-COVID

Pandemic Wedding Woes

• 💔 A Staten Island couple, Desiree Hardy and Amanda Barlo, had their dream wedding celebration canceled five years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 💰 They had paid in full, nearly $20,000, for a reception on a Hudson River party boat, including an open bar and dinner for 150 guests.
• 😔 While they still got married on their original date, the celebration was limited to a Zoom call with family and friends, not the special day they had envisioned.

Venue's Unresponsiveness

• 🚢 The wedding venue company offered to reschedule the reception for one year later, but by 2021, uncertainty about pandemic restrictions persisted.
• ❓ The couple sought answers regarding mask mandates, vaccinations, or capacity limits, but the venue owner became unresponsive.
• 💸 Their $19,700 payment was effectively lost as they could not get a refund or clear information from the venue.

Seven On Your Side Intervention

• 🆘 Facing a dead end, the couple reached out to Nina Pineda with 7 On Your Side for assistance, encouraged by a family member who was a regular viewer.
• 🤝 Following contact from 7 On Your Side, the company owner agreed to issue the refund.
• ✅ Just in time for their fifth wedding anniversary, Mrs. and Mrs. Hardy received their full $19,700 wedding reception refund.
• 🙏 The couple expressed immense gratitude for the successful recovery of their funds, allowing them to plan a proper anniversary celebration.