A wedding ceremony meant to be filled with flowers and joy took a disastrous turn when the hotel's main entrance collapsed during the event. Debris scattered across the venue, causing panic and leaving several relatives injured, casting a shadow over the couple's once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

What should have been a happy occasion turned sour, and the couple refused to pay the remaining banquet fees, leading both parties to court. The Guang'an Qianfeng District Court has since concluded the catering service contract dispute, ruling that the hotel bears 10% liability for breach of contract and must pay the couple 5,000 yuan in emotional distress damages. The court, however, rejected the couple's claims to withhold the full balance and demand double the deposit return.

January 31, 2026, was the meticulously planned wedding day for Li, surnamed Li. He had signed a banquet reservation agreement with a local hotel, securing 68 standard tables and 6 backup tables at 999 yuan per table. On the wedding day, guests arrived and registered one by one, with fireworks, a red carpet, and festive decorations all in place.

Just as the ceremony was about to begin, disaster struck: the hotel's main entrance structure collapsed entirely, sending debris and rubble scattering and leaving the scene in disarray. The sudden collapse disrupted the wedding proceedings completely, leaving multiple relatives in shock and suffering varying degrees of injury, dealing a heavy psychological blow to the couple and their families.

The banquet continued with meals served as planned, but the atmosphere remained heavy and subdued throughout. After the wedding concluded, a major dispute arose over payment. The total cost of the banquet was calculated at 68,790 yuan. Li had already paid a 4,000 yuan deposit, leaving an outstanding balance of 64,790 yuan.

The hotel repeatedly demanded payment, but Li firmly refused. Li argued that weddings hold special sentimental significance and that the collapse of the hotel's facilities represented a serious performance defect and an initial breach of contract. He claimed the right to exercise a defense of prior performance, entitling him to withhold the full balance.

After multiple failed negotiations, the hotel filed a lawsuit against Li. Li countersued, asserting that the accident ruined his wedding and caused distress and injury to his family. He demanded double the deposit back and 28,000 yuan in emotional distress damages.

The court found that the banquet reservation agreement was legally valid. Although the hotel completed core catering duties such as preparing dishes and table service, fulfilling its primary food service obligations, providing a safe, qualified, and intact banquet venue is an indispensable contractual duty for wedding services. The collapse of the hotel entrance exposed inadequate facility maintenance and a lack of safety guarantees, constituting a clear performance defect that warranted liability for breach.

Considering the impact of the incident, the degree of fault, and the level of service completion, the court ruled that the hotel bore 10% liability for breach of contract. After deducting the corresponding service fees, Li's payable amount was set at 61,911 yuan. After subtracting the 4,000 yuan deposit already paid, he still owed 57,911 yuan. The court rejected Li's claims for full non-payment and double deposit return.

The court noted that weddings are significant ceremonies imbued with special emotional and personal commemorative value. The collapse completely destroyed the wedding's atmosphere and caused severe emotional distress, meeting the legal criteria for emotional distress compensation. As a result, the court ordered the hotel to pay 5,000 yuan in emotional distress damages to the couple. Additionally, since the hotel's defective performance came first, the couple's refusal to pay the balance was justified, and they were not liable for late payment penalties.

Judge's commentary

Ordinary dining focuses on food delivery, but wedding banquet services combine culinary offerings with emotional and commemorative value. Venue safety, ceremony atmosphere, and a complete experience are all core contractual elements. As operators, hotels must not only ensure food quality but also conduct routine inspections and maintenance of building facilities, uphold safety standards, and fully fulfill their duty of care—without prioritizing food service over venue safety.

Consumers facing service defects or incomplete performance can lawfully claim price reductions or reasonable compensation. However, they cannot entirely dismiss services already rendered or refuse to pay in full. For special occasions with personal commemorative significance, such as weddings or birthday banquets, if a merchant's major performance defect causes severe emotional harm, the affected party may seek emotional distress compensation, and the courts may support such claims on a discretionary basis.