Wedding booked, couple says they weren't notified about Serb Hall sale

Wedding booked, couple says they weren’t notified about Serb Hall sale

Following news that a Milwaukee institution is closing its doors for good, FOX6 News is learning about the wedding woes coming on the heels of the announcement that Serb Hall is for sale.

MILWAUKEE - Following news that a Milwaukee institution is closing its doors for good, FOX6 News is learning about the wedding woes coming on the heels of the announcement that Serb Hall is for sale. 

"We thought we had everything done ahead of time," said Breanna Thompson.

Breanna Thompson and Myles Stovall

In February 2020, Thompson and Myles Stovall celebrated the month of love by booking their wedding venue. They put down $2,500 at Serb Hall, with the date of Aug. 21, 2021 locked in for their wedding.

"We love the room we were using," said Thompson.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, plans carried on. The couple said they had a walk-through in January.

"Nothing was said. 'Oh, we’re closing,' or, 'Heads up, you need to look for another venue,'" said Thompson.

When the hall was put on the market, it came as a surprise. 

"But there was no phone call or any communication with us to let us know that was happening," said Thompson.

The couple said after pressing for answers, they got the news they weren't hoping for. 

Paul Markovina

"Rather than try to have an event we can’t execute well for those wedding couples and their guests, we decided it would be better for everybody concerned if we canceled them," said Paul Markovina, volunteer spokesman for Serb Hall.

Markovina said the decision was difficult and ultimately made due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

"We’re in the process of reaching out to all the planners for those events to let them know the rationale behind that," said Markovina.

Thompson and Stovall found a new venue, but the question remains -- where is their deposit?

"It’s like we’re back to square one again and our wedding is in six months," said Thompson.

"The hall intends to refund all deposits," said Markovina. "It may take some time." 

Serb Hall

Markovina said a team is working on issuing refunds but doesn't have a set timeline.

"People work hard for their money," said Stovall. "So I don’t understand why Serb Hall doesn’t have our money available for us."

Due to the cancellation, the couple said they had to shell out more money to book a different venue.

They said they hope this comes as a warning to other couples.