Wedding venue Hawthorn Estates burns to ground in St. Clements

A popular eventand wedding venue north of Winnipegis no more after a fire burned it to the ground Friday.

Hawthorne Estates is a 1940s barn that was renovated and moved to East Selkirk in therural municipality of St. Clementsin 2006.

Wedding venue Hawthorn Estates burns to ground in St. Clements

8 years ago

Duration 2:05

A popular event and wedding venue north of Winnipeg is no more after a fire burned it to the ground Friday.

Owners Robert and TammyBelanger notified clients Friday morning that the building was destroyed and they would be refunding deposits.

The Belangers were asleep in bed when they awoke to the honking horn of a cardrivingtoward their home at about 6 a.m. CT.

"I thought I was dreaming something. We woke up and I knew right away as soon as I looked out the window. I could see the smoke," Robert said."I was sick to the stomach."

Kasy Heerahwas scheduled to get married atHawthorn Estates next summer and burst into tears upon hearing the news.

"I'm pretty upset and definitely in panic mode," the bride-to-be said."Since we woke up this morning around 8 a.m., we've been trying to see who is available for venues. My bridesmaids have been on it this morning as well."

Jeff Ward said he was devastated to hear about the fire.

"On a scale of bad omens, having the place you're wedding is going to be hosted burn down is probably somewhere in between breaking a mirror and walking under a ladder," Ward said. "It was very shocking."

Robert said the loss is tragic, but he and Tammy have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support they've received online.

"Tammy and I put blood, sweat and tears and our life into this business," Robert said. "Everybody that had their weddings here we tried to do everything we could to make their day special."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.