TAYLOR MILL, Ky. (WXIX) — Torrential storms that swept through the Tri-State area over the weekend left a trail of destruction in their wake, submerging roads, homes, and businesses — and upending wedding plans for several local brides.
Morning View Meadows, a popular wedding venue in northern Kentucky, was inundated with more than five feet of floodwater, causing extensive damage to the property and forcing cancellations of upcoming events.
Among the affected couples was Brittany Schwartz, whose wedding had been scheduled at the venue on Saturday. Instead of walking down the aisle at Morning View Meadows, Schwartz was left navigating freezing floodwaters alongside venue owner Amy Walker and family members to salvage what they could.
“We’ve all heard that rain on your wedding day is good luck,” Schwartz told FOX19 NOW from her honeymoon in Hawaii. “Well, we got flooding — so I guess this is the best luck you can get.”
Walker said she awoke Saturday morning to find the venue’s reception hall — fully prepared for Schwartz’s big day — under several feet of water. “Definitely could have cried a lot, but we laughed because what else can you do?” she said. “No tears are going to change anything — except add to the flood.”
Despite the setback, Schwartz and her fiancé were able to exchange vows at their childhood church.
Walker says the flood has already forced the cancellation of two additional weddings scheduled for the weekend. She estimates the venue has suffered approximately $20,000 in damage, including ruined tables, chairs, and shattered windows.
Another bride, Madison Poirier, who spent more than a year planning her wedding to her high school sweetheart, was also forced to rethink her celebration.
“I imagined this being a relaxing week leading up to the wedding,” Poirier said. “Now I have to go through that whole process again.”
Morning View Meadows had been her dream venue. “It’s heartbreaking to see the damage,” she said. “I’ve just never seen anything like this before.”
Still, Poirier is staying optimistic. “This isn’t going to define our day. I’m just excited to marry the love of my life.”
In the aftermath of the flooding, the venue has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for recovery. Walker says she is working around the clock to restore the venue and ensure no other couples have their special day disrupted.
