Wedding ceremony desires beaten as Kelowna vineyard is going into receivership


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A Kelowna, B.C., vineyard has left quite a lot of {couples} jilted on the altar after going into receivership.

Court docket paperwork display that Colourful Vine owes lenders just about $7 million — and took wedding ceremony bookings regardless of being in monetary bother for years.

A marriage planner and two {couples}, whose occasions had been scheduled for later this summer time, say the vineyard’s house owners supplied no caution in their monetary problems, and shoppers are actually out 1000’s of bucks.

Molly Clayton, a marriage planner whose shoppers’ special occasion used to be set for June 6, mentioned she started looking to nail down main points with Colourful Vine two months in the past after her shoppers paid their deposits — however gained no answer.

LISTEN | Molly Clayton describes her shoppers’ state of affairs:

First light South7:12Left on the altar: A vineyard is going abdominal up in Kelowna, leaving betrothed {couples} scrambling

Molly Clayton is a marriage planner in Kelowna. She spoke to the CBC’s Chris Walker in regards to the Colourful Vine vineyard.

“I began emailing them each day, calling them each day, hounding them in reality,” she mentioned.

“I even attempted to visit the venue, but it surely used to be closed — which is abnormal, as a result of they’ve a wine store that is normally open year-round for tastings,” Clayton added.

It used to be best when Clayton were given a decision from a court-appointed receiver — who used to be reviewing Colourful Vine’s contracts — that she learned the vineyard had long past into receivership.

A large villa property with a pool in the foreground.
The valuables has been indexed on the market for just below $7 million. It used to be final assessed as being value just below $5.8 million. (Realtor.ca)

Kenna Haacke, whose wedding ceremony used to be scheduled for June 28, had a equivalent revel in.

After paying greater than $6,700 to protected the venue, she by no means heard again from the vineyard’s house owners for months, and best came upon in regards to the vineyard going bust when the receiver contacted her.


In spite of being together with her fiancé for 15 years, Haacke says she will have to cancel her wedding ceremony outright.

“What hurts probably the most is that we are totally left at midnight,” she mentioned.

“It is my working out that they knew this after they took our cash … they have not apologized,” Haacke added.

CBC Information reached out to Colourful Vine’s house owners Wyn and Marion Lewis, however didn’t pay attention again earlier than e-newsletter.

LISTEN | {Couples} say they really feel jilted:

First light South6:33Extra {couples} are coming ahead with tales of being jilted through a Kelowna vineyard that went into chapter 11

The unexpected closure of Colourful Vine has left a lot of {couples} out 1000’s of bucks and scrambling to discover a wedding ceremony venue.

Years of economic bother

Court docket paperwork display that Colourful Vine first defaulted on its loan 3 years in the past, and struck a care for the financial institution to proceed running whilst they attempted to promote the valuables.

The ones efforts collapsed this previous February, regardless of two makes an attempt to promote the web page.

“In mid-March, the [debtors] knowledgeable the [bank] that, because of non-public problems, inadequate money go with the flow, and the collapsed sale of the [winery], they had been not able to proceed running the [winery] and consent to the appointment of a receiver,” one of the most paperwork reads.

The valuables used to be maximum not too long ago assessed at just below $5.8 million, and is these days indexed on the market at just below $7 million.

A petition from its lenders says that the vineyard will owe greater than $120,000 in remarkable assets taxes through July.

A large winery with wedding seating visible.
The vineyard first began going through monetary troubles in February 2023, in keeping with court docket paperwork. (Colourful Vine)

Mayling Krueger, whose sister Rebecca Flores used to be set to get married at Colourful Vine on July 18, mentioned a consultant of the court-appointed receiver within the case defined that chapter court cases steadily entail cash being dosed out so as of precedence.

“The banks get precedence, after which they cross down the road,” she mentioned.

“And sadly, brides like my sister are at the very backside of the record. And usually there is no cash left on the finish to pay those folks again.”

A table set up with wine glasses and an elaborate wine bottle in the centre.
A desk association is observed on Colourful Vine’s web site. (Colourful Vine)

Clayton mentioned she had no less than 3 backup venues deliberate for her shoppers, and urged {couples} to rent a marriage planner who would cross to bat for them.

She additionally mentioned that {couples} must evaluation their venue’s contracts and deposit construction sparsely — regardless that she said she’s by no means had a venue cross into receivership simply weeks earlier than an match.

“After which there is all the time match insurance coverage that you’ll be able to get forward of time … simply be in reality assured within the insurance coverage supplier you might be operating with,” Clayton mentioned.

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