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My Wedding Venue Is For Sale! What should I do? :(

posted 6 months ago in Emotional
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    1.
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    Worker bee
    carolinagirl104    May 25, 2014   North Carolina

    So I booked my wedding venue about 2 and a half months ago. It is a beautiful historic bed and breakfast that I have been admiring before I was even engaged. It is also an award winning wedding venue in my area and it has hosted lots of weddings. I was looking at pictures of it online today and saw that it is for sale for almost 2 million dollars. Apparently the current owner has moved to another state for a new job and is selling it. I looked online and saw that the current owner moved this summer so I am assuming that this venue has been for sale for about 5 months and the wedding is in a little less than a year and a half. I am so nervous that the new owners won't use it as a wedding venue. But it would be kind of strange to have a private home with a ballroom and a restaurant kitchen but I'm so worried. I feel like I can't even book other vendors since I don't even know what is going to happen to my wedding venue. This is my worst nightmare and I just don't know what to do. Should I use another venue instead?

     
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    Buzzing bee
    HeatherMM    June 15, 2013   Saratoga Springs, NY

    How could the owner have allowed you to book it if it's for sale? That just doesn't make any sense to me.

     
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    Worker bee
    carolinagirl104    May 25, 2014   North Carolina

    It doesn't make any sense to me either. I have not met the owner before. I have met the manager and the chef of the venue. They did not mention that the venue was for sale but they did mention one time that the owner had moved.

     
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    Buzzing bee
    NAvery    April 5, 2013   Indiana

    Why don't you call the venue and ask them their plans? It is VERY common for them to sell the future contracts as part of the sale of the business. My guess is your wedding will go on uninterrupted and you won't miss a beat. But the only way to know is to call them and ask about it.

     
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    Buzzing bee
    HeatherMM    June 15, 2013   Saratoga Springs, NY

    I would call whoever the contact person is for the venue and see what's going on.

     
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    Busy bee
    fzesguer    November 30, 2013   Northern California

    Wow, that's pretty shady. I know you have your heart set on this place and while it may work out somehow, I don't think it's worth the stress in the future and that you should find a different venue.

    I would definitely go back to the manager and ask what's up and get something in writing if they assure you there will be no problems with your wedding. If not, I'm sure you have every right to get your deposit back.

     
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    Busy bee
    E_Lynne615    June 15, 2013  

    I would contact the venue immediately before spending any more time stressing about it. When I went looking at venues, there was one that the owner was trying to sell, and she told me about that up front. She said that if she did end up selling it shortly before my wedding date, she would either work something out so I could still have it there or she would make arrangements with a different venue. I was too anxious to take that risk, so I didn't book there. 

    I would hope that the owner would have put some sort of stipulations into any sort of contract that if the venue sells, the currently booked weddings would still be able to take place there, otherwise they shouldn't have still been booking weddings!

    Call the manager/chef and see what they say. Better yet, try to meet with them and get something down on paper so you have some ground to stand on. Good luck!

    **ETA: Oops! I guess a lot of people had the same thoughts that I did while I was typing! Sorry for the same/similar response!**

     
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    Worker bee
    carolinagirl104    May 25, 2014   North Carolina

    I will definitely contact the venue and ask them what's going on. Thanks for your help ladies!

     
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    Bumble
    Beekeeper
    mypinkshoes    April 28, 2012   mexico/ontario

    @carolinagirl104:  this is a tough one.  most businesses are sold with all contracts in place.  the new owner would have to honour all existing contracts including pricing.

    your wedding is a long ways off.  my biggest concern would be that the new owner is not a good business person.  the quality doesn't remain or even worse, the b & b doesn't stay open long enough to host your wedding. 

    i would probably call them to find out what is going on and if you can get your deposit back and start looking for a new venue.  just to give you some other options.

     
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    Sugar bee
    TwoCityBride    April 1, 2013  

    The first step is to immediately contact the venue and find out what going on. If they are selling the business and will ask the new owner to keep old contracts ask to see it in writing.

    In the meantime you have enough time to hit the ground running. Look in area for new places.

     
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    Sugar bee
    fishbone    September 2, 2011   washington, dc

    Generally speaking, when you sell a business, the new owners assume any unfulfilled contracts and obligations, and are legally required to honor them; in fact, having contracts in place make a business more attractive to buyers, because that's basically future business already guaranteed. In most cases, the ownership is irrelevant, because your contract is with the business and not any individual person at the business. There are, of course, exceptions, but I'd imagine the risk to your wedding would be if the new owners either don't keep the business operating as a B&B (maybe they decide to convert it back to a private home--- not likely at that price point) or are so inexperienced that they fail before your wedding. Chances are, your wedding will go off under the new owners just the same as if the current owner were still around.

    It's worth contacting the current owner to confirm that your contract is being disclosed to potential buyers, but apart from that, I'd not be terribly worried, unless the business is in an area with a high rate of failure, and in that case, I would feel the same regardless of the operator being the current one or some future owner.

    Also I'd make any payments or deposits by credit card, rather than check, but that's regardless of any ownership issues. If your vendor goes bankrupt, it's much easier to get your money back if you've paid by card and not check.

     
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    Buzzing bee
    Cornflakegirl    October 2, 2011  

    @carolinagirl104:  Sorry to hear that. It is unsettling but not necessarily the end of the world. Check your contract thoroughly, and contact the new owners to iron out any uncertainties in writing. Get wedding insurance. Best wishes!

     

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