Wedding Venue Allegedly Refuses to Return $20K Deposit After Groom’s Sudden Death

A North Carolina family is seeking a refund after a wedding venue retained thousands of dollars in deposit fees following a groom’s unexpected death.

In August, Sue Perry posted a Google review for The Cotton Room, explaining that her son, Chris Perry, and his fiancée, Kristen Seidel, had booked the Durham venue for an Oct. 11, 2025, wedding.

“Tragically, my son passed away on May 12, 2025, and his fiancée has requested that the contract with The Cotton Room be canceled and their deposits refunded due to this unfortunate situation,” Perry wrote.

She added, “The Cotton Room has insisted that they ‘cannot’ refund the deposits paid, although they have done nothing to earn the nearly $20,000 that had been paid to them to date.”

According to Perry, attempts to meet with the venue to find a resolution have been unsuccessful, prompting her and her husband, Bill Perry, to contact WRAL News 5 On Your Side for help.

“How can a venue that specializes in the business of love, happiness and weddings have such a cold, cruel, and compassionless response to this tragedy that my son’s family, fiancée, and her family are facing?” Sue wrote before reaching out to the local news station.

In a joint interview with Bill, the couple shared that Chris suddenly collapsed and died on May 12, just one day before his 33rd birthday. Seidel found his body hours later.

“They were just so excited,” Sue said of Chris and Seidel’s plans for the future after he proposed during a trip to Italy in 2024.

Bill accused The Cotton Room of “profiting off the death of our son.”

Seidel did not join the emotional interview with Chris’s parents, but Bill told the news station that his son “adored” his fiancée.

“He had found his — the person to complete his trip to life,” he added.

According to the news report, the nearly $20,000 non-refundable deposit was allocated for “food, drinks and rental fees,” though Sue questions whether the venue truly deserves to keep such a substantial amount for an event that will no longer take place.