$30K Brooklyn wedding sickens bride, groom

A costly Brooklyn wedding reception turned tragic when the bride, groom, and dozens of guests were struck with severe illness, according to a new lawsuit. The $30,000 event held at The Box House, a hotel in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, on November 30, 2024, ended in sickness for Michael Ahern and his wife, as well as approximately 30 of the 112 attendees.

The couple's dream celebration turned into a nightmare as they experienced repeated episodes of vomiting, diarrhea, chills, and abdominal cramps after the reception. The lawsuit alleges that the food served at the event was contaminated with norovirus, a highly contagious virus causing sudden vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms included stomach pain, nausea, fever, chills, and body aches.

Health authorities confirmed that the Aherns and several other guests tested positive for norovirus, providing stool samples to confirm the outbreak. However, investigators found that the employee at the hotel's on-site restaurant, Brooklyn Lantern, who prepared the meals, had not tested positive for the virus. The health department stated that the specific food source responsible for the illnesses remained undetermined, though norovirus was spreading throughout New York City at the time.

The Box House apologized for the guests' suffering, stating that staff had been retrained on cleanliness standards. The Lantern also denied having any norovirus cases before or after the alleged outbreak. The couple's $30,000 wedding, meant to be a joyous occasion, instead left them dealing with the relentless effects of the norovirus outbreak.