Different wedding venues pitch in to help after popular Paterson venue abruptly shuts down

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Wedding bells are ringing but so are the phones at venues around North Jersey trying to help dozens of couples overcome a wedding nightmare. The sudden foreclosure and bankruptcy of the Art Factory in Paterson left more than 150 couples without a wedding venue and no refunds. While brides and grooms go through the difficult task of getting thousands of dollars back, other venues are doing what they can to help. "I've spoken to the most sobbing brides in the last three days than I did in my whole 44-year career,” Albert Manzo, owner of the Brownstone House venue, told News 12. The Brownstone House strictly uses its own catering, but they're now changing some things around to host additional weddings. RELATED: Brides scramble after popular wedding Paterson venue files for bankruptcy “We've suspended that condition of not allowing caterers in to try to accommodate them whenever possible,” Manzo said. About a dozen weddings are planned for the next few months. Many are scheduled in 2025. Others are way sooner. Servants Heart Ministry is a nonprofit that recently began hosting weddings at the Great Falls Center. Now it has a packed schedule, hosting two weddings this weekend. "All of a sudden this weekend, we got an influx of about 35 inquires here,” organizer, Christina Mendez said. The organization, which focuses on underserved communities, is offering a lower cost for those last-minute wedding parties. "I think they're really relieved and it's still a significant amount for us because we're a nonprofit. So I think it's beneficial both ways,” Mendez said. Even some vendors in the Paterson area are offering discounts to lighten the financial load for those soon-to-be newlyweds. "