MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – Piper and Zavier have come a long way in six years. In 2019, they took their next step.
“We met at UCO. We’ve been inseparable since 2014,” said Piper Brock. “We got engaged in August, and had it planned by September.”
But now these college sweethearts are caught in a COVID-19 wedding crisis.
Their fight lies just south of the metro at the Springs Wedding Venue. The couple put $7,000 down, booking the wedding for late April.
A global pandemic though would put those plans on pause.
“Once President Trump started saying this could be real, we could have problems,” said Piper. “If we have to go to court we do, but it shouldn’t have to be this way.”
With the governor’s order closing non-essential business statewide, and Air Force fiance Zavier basically stuck on base at Tinker, the couple was forced to cancel.
They, instead, starting considering a more intimate affair.
“We could make other plans and maybe do something small,” said Piper. “Where our families could be there.”
But when requesting a refund, The Springs objected. Piper says they were only offered a chance to reschedule sometime in the fall.
“Their corporate office basically called my bluff,” she added. “Said if you really want your money, you better get a lawyer.”
All this, despite the fact Piper had an ‘Act of God’ clause in her contract, which offers a full refund if the venue is unusable.
“I would highly expect the court to determine this to be an Act of God scenario,” noted attorney Keith Magill.
As companies struggle to stay afloat, Magill believes Piper’s contractual fight may become far too common.
“These are tough times for all of us,” he said. “You may have paid them a set fund, but that money, depending on what kind of business you’re in, may have already been used to pay rent, utilities, things of that sort.”
For Piper, rescheduling is not an option.
“I tried to compromise with The Springs multiple times, they just were not having it,” she added.
KFOR did try reaching out to The Springs multiple times, through a phone call, email, and Facebook, but so far, we haven’t heard back.
Another wrinkle to this story. Governor Stitt has requested that the President declare this pandemic an ‘Act of God’, which if granted, would likely help solidify Piper’s case.
