Support St. Augustine Brides After Venue Closure

St. Augustine Brides Face Heartbreak After Chez L’Amour Closure —

Community Rallies to Help

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL — St. Augustine brides are facing heartbreak after

the sudden closure of Chez L’Amour, once considered a premier local

hotspot for rehearsal dinners and wedding receptions. What began as a

dream space for couples quickly turned into a nightmare when the building

was condemned after failing critical safety inspections.

According to a letter from the venue’s attorney, the problems were due to

“latent conditions within the structure” that existed long before the business

ever opened. The result? Chez L’Amour was shut down indefinitely, leaving

brides and grooms without their deposits, without their events, and without

answers.

The letter promised refunds but so far, no money has been returned. For

brides, that means starting over from scratch: finding new spaces, repaying

vendors, and rebuilding dreams that had already been paid for. One of the

hardest-hit is a beloved Panache colleague who lost nearly $8,000 in the

fallout. She is not alone. Multiple brides across St. Johns County are now

sharing their desperation online, begging for their deposits back so they

can move forward with new plans.

Panache Launches Fundraising Effort

In the face of this devastation, Panache is doing what St. Augustine does

best: showing up for its own. The salon has launched a fundraising

campaign to rally around the affected brides, determined to turn heartbreak

into hope.

“While it seems these brides are not getting their refunds, we are stepping

in to help them recoup something from this devastating situation,” said

Michelle of Panache. “We can’t restore their intended perfect wedding day,

but we can give them back some hope, and that our community cares.”

Matching Donations Strengthen Impact

Adding momentum to the campaign, a community leader has

pledged a matching element for every dollar donated will be matched up to

$2,500. His generosity ensures that contributions will go even further,

doubling the impact for the brides in need.

“This is devastating, but it’s also a moment for us to rise up together, We can take heartbreak and turn it into hope.”

A Call to Action

This is more than one bride’s story, it’s a reminder that while buildings can

fail and promises can be broken, the strength of this community never

wavers. Together, we can help these women move forward and ensure

their wedding days reflect love, hope, and joy… not loss.