‘Gut wrenching’: B.C. couple blindsided by sudden wedding venue cancellation

A Tsawwassen couple says they were blindsided after booking their dream wedding a year in advance, only to be told it would be cancelled.

A B.C. couple who booked their dream wedding more than a year in advance have been left scrambling after their reservation was cancelled with less than three months’ notice.

Brianna Grayson and Kris Jantsch got engaged on the Sunshine Coast and soon after began planning to get married there as well—choosing June 6, 2026, as the wedding date.

“It’s kind of been a dream destination for us,” Grayson said.

After deciding on the Rockwater Secret Cove Resort in Half Moon Bay as the location for their nuptials, they paid a deposit of just over $1,600 on March 4, 2025.

Evergreen Hospitality Group, which oversees events at the resort, confirmed the booking and the couple have been planning for a wedding at the venue ever since.

“The last year we’ve been envisioning ourselves getting married there,” Grayson said.

But last week—just 84 days before Grayson was supposed to be walking down the aisle—the resort told the couple the venue was no longer available on their wedding date.

“I’ve never experienced this kind of anxiety. It’s just like, I don’t know what to do,” Grayson said.

“To have the carpet pulled out from under us like that, it’s gut wrenching,” Jantsch added.

The couple also noted their plans for their wedding went beyond just booking the location. The officiant, photographer and make-up artist have all been scheduled for June 6 and can’t be cancelled or rescheduled at this point without a significant cost.

“We’ve paid some of our vendors more than just the initial deposit, going up to like 75 per cent of what we will be owing them total,” Grayson said.

Evergreen Hospitality Group, in a statement to CTV News, acknowledged the cancellation.

“Unfortunately, this situation arose as a result of a scheduling error. As soon as we identified the scheduling conflict, we reached out to the couple to express our apologies and offer a variety of alternative options,” a spokesperson wrote.

“These options included offering alternative dates for their elopement, facilitating alternative arrangements on the Sunshine Coast, or providing a full refund.”

For the couple, all of the options offered fell flat—including one to have the ceremony at the resort and the reception elsewhere.

“We weren’t allowed to eat there. We weren’t allowed to dine there, have our drinks there or use any of the amenities we initially purchased in our package. That was a bit of an insult,” Grayson said.

A B.C. lawyer says the couple entered into a contract with the resort when they paid their deposit, which could open the door to legal action—if the couple chose to pursue it.

Dean Davison, with Davison North Law said he could not comment on the couple’s case but did note people who believe a contract has been breached can seek damages in a civil case.

In successful breach of contract cases, the damages awarded are generally equivalent to the amount of the financial loss suffered—potentially above and beyond a full refund.

“Let’s say they had to pay double to go somewhere else. Arguably, that would be their damages and they could pursue this resort for that amount,” Davison said.

At this point, however, Grayson and Jantsch are focused on their future.

And while their wedding may not turn out how they’ve imagined it, they’re sticking to the June 6 date.