Two days after a wedding venue abruptly closed putting Sharon Brown and David Harrison’s wedding in jeopardy the couple tied the knot thanks to an outpouring of community support.
Several North Texas couples getting married this month are now without a wedding venue.
Cappella Court Gardens in Carrollton and the Alexander Mansion in Garland have closed their doors indefinitely.
Employees said the phones were disconnected, keys did not work and the venues had been completely emptied out when they went to work Monday.
Sharon Brown got a call Monday telling her that she could not have her wedding in two days at Cappella Court Gardens.
"It's not a good way to do business at all," she said. "It's people's lives and emotions and things that are involved, and you can only have one wedding day. This day is special regardless, if it has to be in our backyard house, in our backyard it's still going to be special because I'm marrying my best friend."
Brown had made her final $1,700 payment on her $8,000 on Nov. 20.
"I just feel like it's a bad dream, and I don't want to wake up," she said. "I don't know what to do."
Ashford Dixon and his fiancee, Brittany Wills, are supposed to get married Sunday.
Dixon said the couple has already paid more than $6,000 to the owner of the Cappella Court Gardens. When he tried to call to ask a question for the DJ, he never heard back.
On Monday, he drove to the venue to talk to the owner.
"Her building is completely empty. ... [The] stove is gone -- how are we going to cook the food? Where's the food going to come from? The refrigerator is gone. Tables are gone. The decorations are gone. Logistically, I don't think it would be possible for us to have a wedding there."
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Wills said she can't believe their wedding might be jeopardized.
"I've really been taking it all in, because I have to rely on my faith, and just know that God will guide us and he'll take care of it," she said.
Employees said at least five weddings were booked at the two venues this month and several dozens more were scheduled for next year.
The closure comes days after buzz in the community that the business might be shutting down.
NBC 5 had talked with the owner last week, but she said she was not shutting down. The owner said she had been moving things out to get the floors refurbished at Cappella Court Gardens.
NBC 5 tried to reach the owner several times Monday, including going to her Garland home, but there was no response.
