Wedding disaster

You have the right to take them to court and try to reap some of the cost if not all of it since you have a contract. I'm sorry that happened to you

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As Michelle said, you can look into legal action since they shut down three hours before your contract said. I recommend consulting a lawyer to see how strong your cases before moving forward.

View Quoted Comment But a minor get drunk at the wedding. So I unfortunately the owner can use that as the reason she shut it down. Then she would most likely be in her right. I am sorry .

View Quoted Comment We specifically told the owner (owner and bartender were husband and wife) not to serve the minor and they said they could serve who they choose. Since the minor in question is my now brother-in-law, and the relationship between the owner and mother-in-law they chose to serve him against our wishes and as a result, we pulled the wine. Since we pulled the wine, the venue decided to box the remaining food and instead of cutting the cake, boxed it and broke down the venue and pushed the guests outside. Our photographer and DJ were the ones who brought the guests back in for the bouquet and garter toss followed by the early sparkler send off with the few guests who remained after the staff started booting people.

View Quoted Comment I agree with this.

View Quoted Comment It definitely depends on how this happened. It the minor went to the bar, and was not ID checked by the bartenders, venue problem. But if mom just ordered and handed him the drinks away from staff view, they can have her arrested or thrown out. Same if the kid was presenting false ID. Arrest or throw out. But an incident of two guests not the contract holders, misbehaving, does not seem like something they should hold the contracting couple responsible for, UNLESS the MOB and BOB we're openly doing this when the couple was right there. If they clearly had knowledge of it, seeing brother drinking, knowing him to be underage, the venue contract may say the fact that couple knew it was going on and did not bring it to the venue's attention, means they were knowingly allowing the liquor they paid for to end up being consumed by a minor, and to continue. That may legally give them the right to shut down early. . . . You are right. . . . When I worked catering, and examining contracts before choosing vendors for us, most had a clear wording on facilitating underage drinking, allowing it to continue, and the couple would have to prove they had no idea Mom had had too much to drink, or that brother was getting any alcohol. Tough to do if mom was causing havok earlier, and couple did not evict her then, immediately. Host's, contract holders, not just venue's, have a responsibility to stop anyone who has consumed enough to be a problem, and alert the venue, and evict them. And to observe others, what is going on under their noses. Unless a guest's sole supply of liquor is hidden in pockets, like a flask, and consumed only in a bathroom stall, where host could not possibly see it, can they not be held responsible. And likely, security cameras or pics taken, will show brother glass in hand at least once, near the couple. Or him talking to them after drinking. And failing to notice he had been drinking. The Devil is in the details. The venue likely can say they were following the law, by stopping the event. And the only recourse Bride and groom would have, would be to sue mom for the value list, and brother. A teen not yet old enough to legally drink, past about 14, can still be charged with the underage drinking. And along with his mom the supplier, held responsible for damages. But the couple would have to truly say, until the very moment they were thrown out, they did not know what was going on. . . . Alaska sounds like a safe distance. It is a shame things were cut short by people old enough to know better, misbehaving. I would be extremely angry with my family if they did that to me.

View Quoted Comment I would look into a lawyer unfortunately companies can be really good at Making things look a certain way.

View Quoted Comment Their collusion , knowingly serving, might get you some if the damages. Because t you would not be able to sue only them. You would have to be willing to name Mom and Brother of the bride, as equally or more at fault than the venue, to the court. And suing the bride's family is a tough way to get damages. As a couple, if you could proceed against the venue without suing family, it might be different. Their willingness to serve him, illegally, is definitely a licensing violation for them. But the cause of closing was due to Mom and brother, at least 2/3, and rest to venue ( or none.) Recovering damages is a separate thing from illegal seving ( licensing.) And judge can say, the illegal serving and knowing it, will be dealt with by licensing. But mom and brother intiated it. And approached the venue owner and bartender duo. Primary responsibility, the family. Had the bartender urged someone under age to add liquor to the soda he had been drinking, without boy or mom asking for it, and convinced the mom it was okay, when she originally was opposed to it, , venue would have initiated it, more their responsibility. Greater share of damages. Short of bringing action against relatives,as well as the venue I doubt any lawyer could get money. Your only satisfaction might be in making licensing aware of the venue people's conduct. No money for you, but they might get a fine or a temporary shutdown.

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Between ending our reception 3 hours early and explicitly serving a minor, you have every right to take them to court. Ask your photographer and DJ to appears as witnesses as they're impartial to this situation. And don't let anyone know your intentions to go to court, this will give your in-laws and venue a chance to spin the narrative.

I am the bride and unfortunately, it was my brother and mother causing a scene. My brother is 20 years old. I asked my mom to ask him to bring it down a notch because people are noticing. He has a beer in every single picture. Waving it around in the air and vaping what we assume to be marijuana in the parking lot. After I approached my mother calmly while dancing with her, my eyelash fell off and I stepped out to freshen up before the cake ceremony. My mother came and cussed me out about how she will tell anybody off who has a problem with my brother. Well guests heard her cussing at me and let my husband now and when my husband tried to talk to her, she went off on him told him she doesn’t know how to talk to a woman, etc. She interrupted me during my pictures where I eventually told her to just leave. The issue is when she left she went in, caused a scene then everything got shut down. Before any of this, multiple people, including my husband told the bartenders my brother is under age and needed to be cut off the bartender said they do not care and that is not what they do. So, the main fault is with my brother and mother. They don’t have money so suing them would be pointless. I just believe the bartenders should be held accountable for serving alcohol to minors!

View Quoted Comment For this last part, serving to minors, go to police and file a report, and ask police how to contact licensing, or do it through your town or city hall, or at the county seat. There is always at least one of these three. There are also state licensing boards. I agree with you, they should have consequences. I have lots St 2 uncles, their wives, and one grandfather, in 2 separate accidents, them fine and sober and hit by drunks. My father's first wife and one of their children were killed by guys coming out of a bar, all over 2.0, at 2pm. Every time, they got drunk at a place that served and served, large amounts in a small time. For us all, do turn them in, police reports first.

You can report them serving the underage brother to the local lisencing board, they might get a fine.
As far as your mother goes good luck. You're a much more patient person than I am!