dnelson
03-22-03, 11:37 AM
By CARA MATTHEWS
THE JOURNAL NEWS
nyjournalnews.com
March 22, 2003
Back in January, Lake Carmel native Bonnie Luft thought she had plenty of time to fine-tune the details of her May 24 wedding and reception.
But that changed Jan. 11 when her fiance, Robert Kissmann, a 24-year-old U.S. Marine Corps reservist, was called to active duty. His orders were for one year and his destination, Kuwait.
Two days later, Luft, Kissmann and about 60 friends and relatives attended Patterson Town Hall for a last-minute wedding ceremony. Luft wore her wedding dress and Kissmann his dress blues. A friend of Luft's held an informal reception at her house. Kissmann, a New Fairfield, Conn., resident, shipped out the next day.
Bonnie Kissmann, 23, then sought to get the $5,000 deposit the couple put down last year, assuming that the owner and management of the Grand Hotel and Conference Center in Poughkeepsie would understand that the cancellation was beyond the newlyweds' control. That hasn't happened.
"Everybody else was definitely working with us and said if we wanted our money returned, just to call them," said Bonnie Kissmann, who now lives in Wappingers Falls.
Joseph Bonura Jr., a manager of the Grand Hotel and son of the co-owner, said it isn't the company's policy to return deposits. Because of Robert Kissmann's situation, the hotel made an offer to hold the money for a future party, he said, but a letter stating that was returned unopened.
"We're patriotic people. We're a family business. We care," he said, adding that the offer still stands.
People cancel weddings all the time, and the nonrefundable deposit is the hotel's way of protecting itself, Bonura said. The May 24 date has not been rebooked.
"We're not trying to play unfair here," he said. "I want to do their party. I want to do a great job. I don't want them to be upset with us."
The Web site for said hotel is HERE
Here you go.
banquets@pokgrand.com
reservations@pokgrand.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
nyjournalnews.com
March 22, 2003
Back in January, Lake Carmel native Bonnie Luft thought she had plenty of time to fine-tune the details of her May 24 wedding and reception.
But that changed Jan. 11 when her fiance, Robert Kissmann, a 24-year-old U.S. Marine Corps reservist, was called to active duty. His orders were for one year and his destination, Kuwait.
Two days later, Luft, Kissmann and about 60 friends and relatives attended Patterson Town Hall for a last-minute wedding ceremony. Luft wore her wedding dress and Kissmann his dress blues. A friend of Luft's held an informal reception at her house. Kissmann, a New Fairfield, Conn., resident, shipped out the next day.
Bonnie Kissmann, 23, then sought to get the $5,000 deposit the couple put down last year, assuming that the owner and management of the Grand Hotel and Conference Center in Poughkeepsie would understand that the cancellation was beyond the newlyweds' control. That hasn't happened.
"Everybody else was definitely working with us and said if we wanted our money returned, just to call them," said Bonnie Kissmann, who now lives in Wappingers Falls.
Joseph Bonura Jr., a manager of the Grand Hotel and son of the co-owner, said it isn't the company's policy to return deposits. Because of Robert Kissmann's situation, the hotel made an offer to hold the money for a future party, he said, but a letter stating that was returned unopened.
"We're patriotic people. We're a family business. We care," he said, adding that the offer still stands.
People cancel weddings all the time, and the nonrefundable deposit is the hotel's way of protecting itself, Bonura said. The May 24 date has not been rebooked.
"We're not trying to play unfair here," he said. "I want to do their party. I want to do a great job. I don't want them to be upset with us."
The Web site for said hotel is HERE
Here you go.
banquets@pokgrand.com
reservations@pokgrand.com