LAKE MARY, Fla. – Rachel Ohly, 24, received an email Monday, letting her know the NOAH’S Event Venue in Lake Mary has closed. This, just six days before she was scheduled to tie the knot with her fiance Sean Goelz.
“I’ve been dreaming about my wedding since I was five-years-old, and NOAH’s was the perfect venue for me and him. It’s just devastating that we have to go through this six days before our wedding,” Ohly said.
NOAH’S Event Venues abruptly closed all 32 locations due to bankruptcy.
Ohly said she already paid the venue about $9,000 and doesn’t know if she’ll get her money back.
One thing she does know is that with or without NOAH’S she’s getting hitched on Feb. 16.
“The date is very special to us, we went on our first date on Feb. 16, he proposed on Feb. 16, so changing the date is not an option for us,” She said.
Ohly and her fiance are scrambling to find a new venue in six days to host their 170 guests. NOAH’S employees wouldn’t speak with News 6 on Monday. In an email sent to their customers on Monday, it states: “Many building owners are looking for new operators that can honor [their] event contracts.”
Monday, an event coordinator from 520 on the Water venue, showed up to the Lake Mary location and spoke with an employee.
"She's upset about what happened, but really has no clue what's going on... she sounded like they were in the dark too and wanted to do what they can to help," said Rena McDonald.
Several vendors from around the Orlando area created a Facebook group called “Lake Mary Noah’s Event Center Closing - Help Group” to assist brides and grooms impacted by NOAH’S abrupt closure.
One bride posted in the group she was able to get all her money back after showing the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and her contract to her bank.
“I would encourage you all that had bank drafts to go to your bank’s and file fraud,” the bride wrote.