Wedding NIGHTMARE: Minnesota Wedding Venue Shuts Down, Owners Sued!
😱 Get the shocking details on the lawsuits and shattered dreams behind this Minnesota wedding venue’s scandalous closure! 💍💸 #MinnesotaNews #MinnesotaLegalNews #MinnesotaCrimes
🚨 Sudden Closure of Wedding Venue Sparks Legal Action
ISANTI, MN – Five couples have initiated legal proceedings against the previous proprietors of Circle B Weddings and Events, following the unexpected shutdown of the business and the alleged failure to return clients’ deposits. Additional lawsuits may emerge.
⚖️ The Legal Proceedings
As of Wednesday, five individual lawsuits have been lodged against Angela and Wayne Butt, the former operators of the Isanti wedding venue. These lawsuits, filed in Washington County District Court starting April 25, seek refunds ranging from $5,000 to nearly $9,000, with the total amount being $38,610.54.
📧 Sudden Closure Announcement and Immediate Repercussions
On April 21, Circle B Weddings and Events informed its clients via email of its immediate closure:
“It is no longer possible to maintain the business in the current economic environment, the change in the economy, proliferation of new wedding venues in the market and most importantly increased costs have forced the management to make the difficult decision to close this historic venue.
“For those of you that have upcoming weddings, we are truly sorry, but unfortunately we will be unable to accommodate your special event, we understand that this news will not only be disheartening to many of you and your families, but for many of you this will [be devastating] for your plans, for that we are truly sorry.
“Nobody is available to take calls or emails.”
🏠 Property Listed for Sale
Shortly after the announcement, the business deleted its website and social media profiles. The abrupt closure has impacted 20 couples who had weddings scheduled for 2024 or 2025.
Following the closure, the 15.59-acre Circle B property at 27498 Polk St. SE was listed for sale at $2.4 million.
💔 Stories of Affected Couples
Katelyn Stalboerger, who shared her frustrations on TikTok, was scheduled to marry at the venue on May 4 when she received the closure email. Fortunately, Majestic Oaks Golf Club in Ham Lake stepped in, allowing Stalboerger to wed Isaac Nelson on the original date. Neither has filed a lawsuit against the Butts as of Wednesday.
Among the filed lawsuits, three weddings were set for August, one for October, and one in May 2025. Hunter Smith of Anoka and Mia Sabin of Ramsey noted in their lawsuit that “NO services were rendered” after they paid their full deposit. Another couple, Heidi Kafura and Matthew Niemeyer of Forest Lake, expressed similar sentiments.
🕵️ Owners’ Whereabouts and Additional Legal Issues
Maggie Malecha and Jacob Witt of New Prague mentioned they sent a letter to the Butts’ Cottage Grove address but were informed by neighbors that the couple had moved away.
Nikki Hallman of the County News Review previously reported that Circle B’s LLC was terminated by the state two months before the Butts announced the sudden closure.
The Butts are also listed as the owners of Historic John P. Furber Farm Weddings and Events in Cottage Grove. However, its social media pages have not been updated since March, and comments are restricted on its posts. Despite this, bookings are still being taken for this summer according to its website.
The Butts also own Angelayne in Cottage Grove and Falcon Ridge Golf Course in Stacy, all of which are currently listed for sale.
📜 Prior Legal Issues
The Isanti-Chicago Star previously reported that the Butts acquired Circle B for $1 million in December 2022 and listed it for sale at $3.7 million a day after their grand opening ceremony.
In August 2022, the Butts were sued by Steven and Kathleen Geis after purchasing land at 7404 Lamar Ave. S. in Cottage Grove to establish a new business called Lakeside Weddings and Events. The Geises, who reside next to 7404, discovered 115 damaged trees on their property and sued the Butts for damages and to restore altered topography. On Friday, a judge ruled that the Butts owe the Geises $773,627.
🔚 Conclusion
The abrupt closure of Circle B Weddings and Events has left many couples in distress, leading to multiple lawsuits and further complicating the owners’ legal troubles. As this situation develops, more affected parties may come forward seeking justice and reimbursement.
Reminder: All parties are considered innocent before proven guilty.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
🗣 What a wedding nightmare, huh? How would you handle this situation? We’d LOVE to hear from you in the comments section below. ⬇️
