'Unexpected' closure of Adelaide wedding venue leaves couples scrambling

Ondeen closure forces couples to find new wedding venue In short: Adelaide Hills venue Ondeen says it has been forced to close, leaving engaged couples out of pocket and scrambling to find alternative locations. The landlord said the tenants had been "served with four notices of default" but Ondeen said the rent had been paid in full last week. What's next? The business said it will work with couples and customers who have events booked to find a solution. Many Adelaide couples are scrambling to find a new venue for their weddings after a popular restaurant and cellar door announced its "unexpected" closure. Ondeen, which opened in Adelaide Hills' Verdun two years ago, posted to social media last week announcing it had been forced to close. "It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we share that Ondeen has unexpectedly received notice of the termination of its lease and has been forced to close for now," the post read. Adelaide bride Mia Anfiteatro told 891 ABC Adelaide she was now $15,000 to $20,000 out of pocket after having to change her wedding venue. "We've got two young girls who were really excited to get photos with the highland cows," she said. Ms Anfiteatro said the couple had purchased 700 golf balls for guests to use on the driving range and had selected Ondeen's culinary expertise as "the art and centrepiece" of their wedding. She said it was disappointing to have to find a new venue but the Adelaide community had rallied around her in helping to secure a spot on her original date. "We put a post up on the Adelaide wedding chitchat page and we had some outstanding responses," she said. Riverland bride Nicola Thiele said she had managed to secure another venue in nearby Hahndorf for her upcoming wedding next month — but said the change had been stressful. "I'm a busy mum — I've got three children under six, and then I'm trying to get married," she said. "It did really throw me off because I picked somewhere like Ondeen because they had everything there … they do the food, they do the drinks, they supply most of the crockery, cutlery, chairs and everything. "Leaving it this late to try to find somewhere that's got all of that — I think I was in the deep end." Ms Thiele said the venue closure had other flow-on effects, including that she was unable to get her money back from other vendors. Both brides were also disappointed that they had been notified of Ondeen's closure via email, and had struggled to get in contact with the business via other channels In the email, Ondeen co-founder Deborah Kingsbury told couples the business was "pursuing our legal options" and they would work with customers to find another suitable venue. Dispute over rent payments In a statement from its legal representative, the landlord said Ondeen had "been served with four notices of default". "The tenant remains in default under the lease and the landlord has taken steps to protect its position," the statement read. "Our client preference is to see the matter resolved promptly and appropriately and as the matter is currently the subject of ongoing communications and it would not be appropriate to comment further on the detail." In a statement, Ms Kingsbury disputed this — saying the rent had been paid in full last week. "On Tuesday we made the requested payments, covering the period right through to the end of August," she said. "After that payment was made, we were advised the termination would remain in place." Ms Kingsbury said the lease was due for a two-year renewal at the end of November. "We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in this property over the last two and a half years, and we have numerous functions, weddings and events booked in the months ahead. "Like everyone in regional hospitality, we have traded through a tough winter and faced the real pressures of rising business costs. "Through it all Ondeen has continued to grow, celebrating our first two award-winning years and achieving our strongest ever forward bookings." Ondeen staff said they had not been allowed on the property at all, including to feed the highland cows. The landlord's representative said the animals on the property were being looked after.