10/02/2025
Everyone can make their own choices, of course, but I will call out every despicable venue and vendor in cases like this. They do not deserve support nor future business.
A Durham, North Carolina, wedding venue is facing widespread criticism and a flood of negative reviews after allegedly refusing to return nearly $20,000 in deposits to a grieving family following the unexpected death of the groom just months before the scheduled ceremony.
Christopher William Perry, 32, collapsed and died on May 12, 2025âthe day before his 33rd birthdayâleaving behind his fiancĂ©e, Kristen Seidel, and a heartbroken family. The couple had been eagerly planning their October wedding at The Cotton Room, a popular venue in Durham specializing in weddings and events. The couple had paid $18,382.50 in deposits for food, beverages, and venue rental fees.
Within days of Perryâs death, Seidel and the family contacted The Cotton Room to cancel the contract and request a full refund. However, the venue reportedly insisted on adhering to its non-refundable deposit policy, stating it âcannotâ return the funds despite the tragic circumstances. The Cotton Room did offer a partial refund of about $11,000 if another party booked the same date, but no replacement booking materialized, leaving the family out the full amount.
Sue Perry, the groomâs mother, expressed her devastation in a Google review and in interviews, questioning how a business centered on âlove, happiness, and weddingsâ could respond with such a lack of compassion. âThe Cotton Room has insisted that they âcannotâ refund the deposits paid, although they have done nothing to earn the nearly $20,000 that had been paid to them to date,â she wrote. Sue and her husband, Bill Perry, turned to local news outlet WRALâs 5 On Your Side consumer advocacy team after unsuccessful attempts to negotiate with the venue.
As of September 29, 2025, no resolution has been publicly announced, and attempts to reach The Cotton Room for comment have gone unanswered in multiple reports.
