31 North Banquets and Catering Cafe 31 North Bernice Zubrzycki Bernice Smith Jim Smith CEC Events & Catering Took money for services that were never provided McHenry Illinois

Prior to a down payment, our wedding date was set in stone with our venue - The BRIX and our cater - 31 North Banquets and Catering for July 2, 2020 - the date we were married on. Dec 2019 we created a quarterly payment schedule in which the March payment was charged early out of contract. A week after the payment was charged, COVID restrictions limited the guest count substantially from 250 people and the state of IL prevented buffet style catering at that time.

After exhausting efforts to find a solution for a reduction in guest count and catering needs - Bernice and Jim refused to accommodate our wedding date of July 2, 2020 as they verbally stated they had spent the deposit of $6K and had no ability to service us on that date and we should postpone for 2 years. At this point in time, we demanded a refund and never received as the date for catering has passed and there is no future need.

We then filed suit against 31 North and the owners - Jim and Bernice in which we are currently still in pending litigation for $6K in legal fees and the $6K deposit. We have tried to work with them to find a solution via a payment plan or settlement and they continue to drag this out. They offered a settlement in July 2021 in which they have now refused to agree to settlement. We have paid for food and catering that never took place. In our mind, that is theft by deception.

The right of remedy for this claim is our legal and catering fees to be refunded at a schedule that both parties can agree to or we intend to file with the IL State Attorney Generals Office - Consumer Fraud Division. We are sickened by the fact that Bernice and Jim had no concern for what they did to us and probably many other newly married couples during COVID. Beware!!