A bride and groom are suing a Brooklyn hotel after they and more than 30 guests fell ill with norovirus following their wedding reception. The couple, who paid $30,000 (around £22,000) for the event, claim contaminated food served by a kitchen staffer caused the outbreak.
Wedding guests fall ill after reception
According to a complaint filed by husband and attorney Michael Ahern, he and his wife contracted norovirus during the November 2024 event at The Box House Hotel in Brooklyn, New York. The complaint states that a kitchen staffer who was suffering from the highly contagious bug passed it on to guests.
The couple say they endured “repeated episodes of vomiting and diarrhea,” as well as “chills, abdominal cramps, and fatigue,” and were bedridden for “several days” after their wedding. More than 30 of the 112 guests who attended the reception also developed norovirus-type symptoms, according to the complaint.
Health investigation identifies contaminated items
Stool samples submitted to local authorities by the Aherns tested positive for norovirus. A subsequent New York City Department of Health investigation found that all affected guests had eaten three specific menu items: prosciutto, macaroni-and-cheese croquettes, and a “seasonal crumble” dessert.
The report, filed as an exhibit in court, identified “multiple deficiencies in [the hotel restaurant’s] food-safety and sanitation practices,” including a lack of hand soap in the kitchen. Norovirus is usually transmitted through the “fecal-oral route,” according to the American Medical Association.
Hotel responds to lawsuit
“We're sorry that guests got sick after this wedding,” a spokesperson for The Box House Hotel said. “It was meant to be one of the best nights of their lives and it wasn't, and we understand why that still stings.”
The spokesperson added that the hotel cooperated fully with the Health Department, retrained staff on handwashing and reporting illness, tightened food temperature checks, and had the restaurant and event spaces fully disinfected. They noted the hotel’s restaurant scored an A on its next inspection and retains that rating today.
The spokesperson also argued that norovirus was “everywhere in New York that winter” and that the virus could have originated elsewhere, pointing to outside food brought in by the client. They said the hotel has hosted nearly 1,000 weddings and events over the past 15 years without a previous outbreak.
In September 2025, the Department of Health issued its findings, stating: “The outbreak was likely due to consumption of food contaminated by a norovirus-positive food handler.” A trial is set to start in September.
