A Florida bride-to-be says she’s grieving her fiancé’s sudden death while also fighting to recover the deposit they paid for their wedding venue.
Tye and William had planned to marry in Lake Mary, Fla., on March 29, 2026, Fox 35 reported. William, 42, died from cardiac arrest on Nov. 19.
Tye said she contacted both the venue and the couple’s vendors to share the news. According to Fox 35, the vendors refunded their deposits — a response Tye described as “compassion over contracts.” She alleges, however, that the venue has not returned the $7,500 the couple paid to secure the date.
“I also am a professional service provider, and I also work in the bridal industry, and I also have contracts as a makeup artist,” Tye told the outlet. “I just couldn’t imagine choosing that paper over the person behind it.”
In a comment to Fox 35, the venue said it offered condolences to Tye and William’s families but was following the contract’s terms regarding a non-refundable deposit. “The initial reservation payment is expressly designated as a non-refundable administrative fee, earned at the time of booking,” the venue said.
The venue added that the fee covers work performed well ahead of the event, including reserving the date, staffing allocations, planning, administrative services, and the loss of the opportunity to book the date for another client. It also stated that all payments under the agreement are designated as non-refundable if the event is canceled, “regardless of cause.”
Fox 35 reported that the Crystal Ballroom recommended clients purchase third-party cancellation insurance, which typically can cover costs if an event is canceled or postponed due to death, illness, or other emergencies.
Tye said the couple intended to buy insurance closer to their wedding date, telling the outlet, “We were told that most people purchase insurance for damages and other circumstances just before the wedding.”
Tye and her late fiancé had been friends for more than two decades, and she remembered him as “a sweet, kind person” who “was so happy to get married.”
Their wedding planner, Patricia Aro, started a GoFundMe to help Tye manage unexpected expenses. As of Wednesday, Dec. 24, the fundraiser had collected $1,750.
“No one should have to navigate both emotional devastation and financial hardship in the wake of such a tragedy,” Aro wrote. “Her strength during this heartbreaking time is profound, and we are doing everything we can to help her move through this painful chapter with dignity and care.”
