The Plaza Hotel, New York's legendary ultra-luxury landmark, will close in January for at least four years of renovations, leaving brides with booked weddings suddenly without a venue.

The New York Post reports that Christine Carney, whose 200-guest May 1 wedding was booked almost a year in advance, learned the news from a friend's text and then spent seven minutes on hold with the concierge before being told her dream day was dashed.

Scotland's Hannah Livingstone, who booked eight nights in a Plaza suite for roughly $9,000 plus first-class flights for a February wedding, discovered the closure while scrolling TikTok, just weeks after the hotel had been in contact to firm up her booking.

The lack of communication is what makes this closure stand out. According to the New York Post, planner Alyssa Pettinato of Alinato Events said she was still working with hotel employees on room-block contracts when the news broke, and believes staff were completely unaware.

"People who have been working there for decades are blindsided," she said, adding it "feels like it was a leak because they seem extremely ill-prepared."

The Washington Post describes Pettinato fielding a flood of calls and texts from bridal clients as the news rippled through her roster, a sign of how abruptly the announcement landed even on professionals who know the venue well.

The New York Post reports that planner Casey Kaufman of Imagine Party and Events estimates Plaza weddings can run upward of $1,200 per guest, with elaborate celebrations easily reaching $500,000 or more.

Carney says deposits for photographer, band, flowers and rentals are all secured, her rehearsal dinner and welcome party are up in the air, and no one from the Plaza has told her what happens to her money.

Livingstone says she has still not heard directly from the hotel with her wedding four months away, and the Plaza offered only its public statement — no details on affected bookings or refunds — in response to the Post's inquiry.

Management attributes the closure to extensive restoration of the landmark-protected facade, citing complexity and safety.

But the New York Post reports planners familiar with the venue say the interiors have begun to show their age — Kaufman recalled erecting temporary walls and new window treatments to disguise dated features, and guessed the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria's reopening may have added pressure.

Beyond weddings, the paper notes the Russian Children's Welfare Society's Petroushka Ball can no longer be held there in February, and quintessential experiences like the Eloise Suite and the Home Alone 2 experience will go on hold during the shutdown.

The scramble is only beginning. Carney, with save-the-dates sent and spring dates booking fast, told the New York Post she hopes for refunds so vendors can be redeployed.

Kaufman believes the Plaza's name and prestige remain nearly impossible to replicate, and expects the hotel to use the four years to refresh its ballrooms too.