LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- All indoor events and weddings at the Louisville Water Tower have been canceled for 2023, according to a spokeswoman for the Louisville Water Company.
Kelley Dearing Smith said the decision was made to cancel the event space rentals after the $6.2 million renovation currently underway at the tower took longer than expected.Â
Future bride Olivia Robinson said she's been waiting for the day to walk down the aisle since she got engaged to Joe Wall in 2021.
"I feel like I was born to be a bride," Robinson said. "As soon as he proposed I was like OK, there's a wedding show in like two weeks, let's go."
To say she's excited about her big day is an understatement.
"It's a very exciting time for me, but it's a little stressful now," she said.
Stressful because she now has to find a new venue for her big day. She booked her date, Sept. 16, 2023, at the Water Tower. But with her dream venue under construction, she now has to make other plans.
Smith said the Louisville Water Company contacted event space renters as soon as the utility company learned that the events would need to be canceled.
"In the course of our construction, when we realized that what was happening with the restoration was much bigger than we anticipated, we wanted to put ourselves into the shoes of someone who has chosen this place for their special day and reach out as soon as possible to let them know that unfortunately, we were not able to host them for their special day," she said.
The renovation was supposed to be ready by April 2023, but Robinson and 11 other brides got the call this week that that won't be happening.Â
"I already have my vendors booked, so I can't change the date or I'd lose all my deposits, which is like a couple thousand dollars," Robinson said.
The Water Tower is working with the brides to find a different place for their wedding day. It has also offered newlyweds $1,000 for the inconvenience.
"In the grand scheme of things, it's stressful now. But I know next year I'll get married, and it'll be OK I guess," said Robinson.
The work is now expected to be done by the end of next year.
Smith, however, said outdoor rentals at the Water Tower are still a go.
Water Tower Park is a national historic landmark that also serves as a venue space for events and weddings. But the facility is 162 years old and showing its age. As a result, crews have been replacing metal on the outside of the building and the wood inside the tower.
Additionally, the pump station is being repaired, the waterworks museum is being updated and an acoustic system will be added.
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