Florida brides may be out $6,000-plus after wedding venue suddenly shuts down. Here's the 1 thing most couples don't do that could save their deposit

Now, Houston is out thousands of dollars and scrambling to find another venue.

“Our deposit was $6,300 and some change,” Houston told Tampa Bay 28. “At this point, we don’t know if we’re going to be getting that money back.”

Can you protect your wedding deposit from bankruptcy?

The closure came after Red Mesa Cantina’s parent company filed for bankruptcy, citing a combination of economic pressures, including lingering post-pandemic challenges, hurricane-related disruptions and a slowdown in traffic in downtown St. Petersburg.

Affected couples told Tampa Bay 28 they received an email that says in part, “Our team is currently working directly with all affected guests and is prioritizing communication based on event date order, with the most immediate events being addressed first.”

However, bankruptcy cases can leave customers who paid deposits left on the hook waiting months or even years for answers, and getting the money back isn’t a guarantee.

But there’s one simple step many couples overlook that could make the difference between recovering their money and losing it altogether.

Wedding insurance can provide an important financial safety net when the unexpected happens. Similar to home, auto or health insurance, couples pay an upfront premium in exchange for protection against what could be costly losses.

Depending on the policy, wedding insurance can help reimburse expenses if a wedding is canceled, postponed or disrupted by circumstances that are beyond a couple’s control — including vendor bankruptcy.

With the average wedding often carrying a hefty price tag, insurance can offer peace of mind, and help cover you so that a surprise setback doesn’t have to turn your dream celebration into a money mess.

Couples should make sure to carefully review policy language before purchasing wedding insurance, since coverage varies.

How to protect yourself when booking wedding vendors

According to the Knot data covered by CNN, wedding costs have shot up due to tariffs, with roughly one in five wedding vendors raising their costs. A wedding venue is often the largest single expense in a wedding budget, which means protecting your bookings financially is just as important as touring the space or tasting the food.

Here are some practical tips to protect yourself when signing with wedding vendors:

Pay with a credit card if you can. Even if a vendor charges a small processing fee, the consumer protections may be worth the extra cost.

Many couples pay wedding deposits by check, bank transfer or debit card without giving it much thought, but credit cards may actually be the way to go. Under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, consumers generally have the right to dispute charges for goods or services that were not delivered as promised.