Winnipeg couple loses deposit after wedding caterer shuts down
Wedding season is a few months away and some Winnipeg couples could be out of a caterer and their deposit.
Caitlin Turcotte and Mark Ribeiro are one of those couples.
“It’s obviously stressful, it’s frustrating,” said Ribeiro.
Their big day is in May – and while Turcotte says she is 'jumping for joy' in anticipation, her joy has been tempered by the fact their wedding is fast approaching and they no longer have a caterer and they’re out their $1,000 deposit.
Turcotte said they hired Modern Plate Catering in November. Two months later, she said she received an email from the business informing the couple they have shut down because of financial hardships caused by the pandemic.
The company apologized along with a list of other catering referrals.
“It’s understandable that a business could close during the pandemic, a lot of things are closing and a lot of things are happening,” said Turcotte, adding she asked for a refund.
Another email from the businesses indicated there is no money to give back because of the severe effects of the pandemic.
"There are no funds available to return deposits as the company is insolvent,” the email reads.
“It really does suck a lot, we’re pretty stressed out now. We still have to put another deposit down for another caterer and our wedding is about four months away,” said Turcotte.
If the catering company is insolvent, it could be tough for the couple and others to get their money back.
Rick Schwartz, from the law firm Tapper Cuddy, said in typical insolvency cases involving a business, there are several creditors, such as banks and government agencies, who would be paid first, leaving customers empty-handed.
“All sorts of other creditors that really have a much higher priority over somebody who has no security, and that’s what a customer of any business would typically be, is an unsecured creditor,” said Schwartz.
Turcotte said they have found another caterer and are hoping to finalize details, but they’re not as confident about getting their $1,000 down payment back.
“We’re going to try,” said Turcotte.
CTV News was unable to reach someone from Modern Plate Catering.
An email response to CTV News said it has closed its doors and appreciates all the love and support it received over the years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.