We were originally scheduled to get married in June on Long Island, but Covid forced us to cancel. We booked the Rooftop with Box House Events for August 16, hoping to fit in our big day before the second wave. The Rooftop is gorgeous, has fant...astic skyline views, fits many more people than similar NYC venues, and – a key feature – has the option to close the roof and run A/C on a rainy or hot day. We were very happy to have found it.
By mid-June, New York City still had not entered Phase 1. On June 12, Box House Events told us that we needed to cancel and reschedule (and, if we wanted to schedule anytime in the next eight months, immediately pay another ~$12,000 deposit), or forfeit the ~$24,000 deposit we had already put down.
The Box House Events acknowledged that, under our contract’s force majeure clause, “if there are any government rules or regulations that prevent us from hosting your wedding on August 16th, all money is refunded – pretty simple.” When we expressed dismay at their rescheduling terms, Box House Events began to insist that they would legally be able to hold events as early as June 22, and so could host our 150+ person wedding. While we were skeptical, we kept our wedding on the calendar for August.
Fast-forward to mid-July. The situation in New York had improved, but much of the country was a mess, and New York City (understandably) had a number of restrictions in place to prevent a resurgence here: no indoor dining, event spaces remain closed, no gatherings/events greater than 25 people, mandatory social distancing. Concerned about the obvious implications for our 150+ person wedding, we had asked Box House Events to provide documentation (such as their Site Safety Plan, which New York requires reopening businesses to have), so that we could confirm ourselves that our wedding could be safely – and legally – held, like Box House Events was telling us. Box House Events acknowledged that those questions were legitimate.
In response, Box House Events insisted that they are not a “large gathering/event venue” (which would be unable to open under New York regulations), despite advertising the Rooftop as an “event space” and a “venue” that can hold up to “350 standing guests” on their website and in promotional materials. They refused to provide their Site Safety Plan. They refused to provide information so we could confirm that, as they claim, they are considered an “outdoor space” under NY Department of Health regulations even with the roof closed and A/C on. And of course, current regulations prevent any gathering in New York City larger than 50 people, inside or outside.
Despite all of this, Box House Events continues to insist that they can “legally and safely” hold our 150+ person wedding in 24 days. Why? As Box House Events acknowledged, our contract includes a force majeure clause that says if “government rules[,] restrictions or regulations regarding travel” prevent Box House Events from holding our wedding consistent with our contract, they will have to return our ~$24,000 deposit. They are refusing to do so.
As you could expect, this process has been awful. We are lucky to be safe and healthy, but we are not lucky to have picked Box House Events. They have made what was supposed to be the best day of our life completely miserable. Maybe the venue’s beauty and views alone are worth it. But, if things go wrong, don’t expect them to honor the contract.