Nationwide — Tye Hinson, an African American woman from Orlando, Florida, who was preparing for her wedding, says a venue refused to refund thousands of dollars after her fiancé died unexpectedly.
Hinson and her fiancé, William Coney, planned to marry in May at the Crystal Ballroom of Lake Mary. The all-inclusive venue was chosen to accommodate a growing guest list. The couple wanted to hold the celebration in Central Florida, a place connected to the couple’s early years together.
Tragedy struck months before the wedding when Coney died of a heart attack at age 42, shortly before Thanksgiving. Hinson said she contacted the venue two days after his death to explain what happened. “This wasn’t like a cancellation. This was a person dying,” she said.
Rather than voiding the contract, Hinson said a venue employee suggested using the space for another purpose. “Her suggestion was, ‘Maybe you can do a memorial here on your wedding day,’” Hinson told News 6.
Hinson signed the contract in August and paid a $2,000 non-refundable administrative fee. She later made additional payments totaling $5,609. “The last payment that I gave them was literally two days before he died,” she said.
The contract states that all payments made to the venue are non-refundable. Crystal Ballroom owner Lukasz Rogowski said he sympathizes with Hinson but maintains that the policy applies equally to all clients. “Offering compassion and offering refunds are not the same thing, and both must exist within a framework that is fair, transparent, and consistent for all clients,” Rogowski said, adding that the venue encourages couples to purchase third-party wedding cancellation insurance.
Hinson, a cosmetologist who has worked weddings herself, said compassion matters in moments like this. She noted that all her other wedding vendors refunded her payments, even when contracts labeled them as non-refundable. Rogowski responded that full-service venues operate differently and face costs well in advance.
Hinson’s wedding planner, Patricia Aro, called the situation “extremely challenging and increasingly saddening.” She started a GoFundMe campaign to help offset the financial loss. The fundraiser raised about $4,800 so far, including a $525 personal donation from Rogowski, which he said was made privately and not tied to any business decision by the venue.