An Australian couple has been forced to cancel their dream Bali honeymoon after the popular wedding wishing well platform Hitchd froze $9,144 in gifts from family and friends. Sydney bride Sophie Howe and her husband Martin Harkin, who married on February 6 in regional New South Wales, discovered the funds were inaccessible when they attempted to withdraw them for their honeymoon planned from May 23 to June 7.
Howe told news.com.au that after several failed withdrawal attempts over weeks, Hitchd informed them on April 6 that withdrawals had been frozen due to a regulatory compliance review. The couple has since lost over $1,000 in flight and hotel cancellation and rearrangement fees, incurring heavy credit card expenses.
Hitchd stated that all customer funds remain safeguarded and will be returned once the compliance process is completed. However, the promised April resolution date has passed without resolution. The couple rejected Hitchd's offer to refund guests directly, citing the burden it would place on loved ones.
The issue appears widespread, with numerous complaints on Reddit and social media from other couples locked out of their funds for months. One groom reported fighting for four months to recover over $2,000, while another criticized Hitchd's lack of communication and transparency.
