wedding cancellation insurance

What Canadian Couples Should Know About Wedding Insurance

The day that you exchange vows with your partner is one of the most important days of your life. First, there’s the fact that you’re committing to a union with the love of your life. You’re also investing significant time and treasure into this special day. Canadians, like those in many countries, purchase insurance to protect against losses and uncertainties, such as auto coverage for a homeowners’ policy. There are many things beyond your control leading up to and on the day of your union. You and your partner should strongly consider wedding insurance to cover unexpected losses.

What Does Wedding Insurance Cover?

No two marriage ceremonies are the same, and similarly, policies vary also from insurer to insurer. Wedding insurance generally offers the following coverage’s:

Liabilities:

  • Event liability: This covers injuries or property damage experienced by third parties (usually guests) for which you may be liable, including the ceremony, reception, and rehearsal dinner.
  • Host liquor liability: This provides protection for liquor-related damages, especially if serving alcohol at your home or in a venue that doesn’t have this coverage.
  • Venue or additional coverage: Some venues may require a couple to provide liability protection, in which case you could add the venue to the insurance coverage.

Cancellations

  • Loss of deposits: Vendors often require couples to pay non-refundable deposits to secure a booking. Your insurance can recover lost deposit money should a vendor go out of business and be unable to provide goods or services.
  • Event cancellation or postponement: This reimburses you for any nonrefundable deposits or unpaid installments due to cancellation or postponement.
  • Honeymoon cancellation: For destination ceremonies, this covers you for the loss of certain travel-related costs due to the cancellation of the wedding itself.
  • Photos and videos: This addresses additional expenses necessary for retaking photos and videos that cannot be recreated for any reason, including a no-show by a photographer or videographer.

Miscellaneous

  • Wedding attire: This coverage provides for losses and damages to clothes once in your care and custody. This is strongly recommended for expensive bridal gowns or valuable heirlooms.
  • Gifts and presents: This insures any physical damage to or loss of presents at a reception, home, or in transit. Many couples depend on these gifts for starting their life together, and the cost to replace these can be significant.
  • Rings and wedding bands: This addresses the loss and damage of rings or wedding bands.
  • Cakes, flowers, and other items: Your insurance policy can specifically address damages to cakes, floral arrangements, and other items crafted for your event. The costs of providing these items can be significant, so it’s worth considering for your nuptials.
  • Rented equipment: Many ceremonies and receptions are made possible through the rental of items such as shelters, tents, tables, chairs, and audiovisual equipment. This coverage insures rented items.

When deciding on coverage, be sure to inquire about the time period. Some coverage’s may only be necessary for the day of your nuptials. Other coverage’s may need to start in the days leading up to your wedding or end a few days after.

What Doesn’t Wedding Insurance Cover?

Generally, wedding insurance won’t cover cancellations due to “cold feet” or a change of heart. This is one reason you and your partner need to be sure of your intent to marry on your planned wedding day. An insurer may also not cover you for losses and damages that arise from known issues. Let’s suppose a family member has a health condition that could impact the date of your ceremony. You may not be covered if you have to postpone or cancel your big day.

For many couples, planning a marriage ceremony is symbolic of planning a life together. There are many details to account for and prepare for, especially for your nuptials. Consider wedding insurance to cover and protect your pockets from uncertainty and loss.  

Canadian Couple Learns the High Price of Cancelling a Wedding

Cancelling a Wedding

Weddings sometimes must be cancelled. This can be due to a number of different circumstances. Unexpected health problems for the bride, groom or other family members may make the original date no longer feasible. Other couples simply come to the conclusion that calling things off is the right choice. A Canadian couple recently learned that not all vendors are sympathetic to a change in plans.

An Accident in Winnipeg

Maricar Evans and Tanner Irwin had scheduled a lovely Mexican wedding for July 21. Their dream nuptials did not happen because Tanner was in a bad motorcycle accident shortly before the event was to take place. When the couple attempted to postpone their 40-person Air Canada Vacation package, they were unsuccessful. If you are within 20 days of departure, the airline does not allow you to reschedule. The couple and a number of guests bought insurance through the travel agency that booked the trip, but the insurer told them only the groom and his immediate family would receive a total refund because he was the person hurt. Everyone else had to either go on the trip anyway or lose 50 percent of their money. Evans and Irwin decided to go ahead with their wedding and were married at the hospital.

Tips for Cancelling a Wedding

Whether you are postponing the ceremony due to unforeseen circumstances, or canceling it altogether, is important to tie-up all the loose ends as soon as possible.

  • Inform the Guests

Communicating the news to your guests should be a top priority, this is particularly essential if they would have had fly to the event. If it is close to the date, you may have to call them to be sure they get the information in a timely manner. Otherwise, it is perfectly okay to send an announcement in the mail informing guests of the change in plans. An explanation is not needed.

  • Try to Get a Refund

While it is definitely better to not go through with the ceremony if either or both partners feel it is the right thing to do, there will probably be financial consequences. Depending upon how much notice you give the vendors, your chances of getting your money back will vary. Oftentimes reception venues require a nonrefundable deposit, but if they are able to rebook another event in your timeslot you may be able to get some of the money back. It is typically more difficult to secure refunds for items such as wedding gowns.

  • Reimburse Bridal Party

Bridesmaids and groomsmen should be compensated for any wedding related expenses they have incurred including outfits and airplane tickets.

  • Return the Gifts

All wedding gifts you received should be returned to the guests who sent the presents. If a gift has been used, you can keep it. Some people are not overly concerned about getting their gifts back and may tell you not to worry about it, given the circumstances.

  • What About the Ring?

In most circumstances, wedding etiquette dictates the ring should be returned to the person who bought it. However, there have been hundreds of lawsuits on this matter and sometimes judges have ruled in favor of the recipient. When the ring is an heirloom, it is necessary to give it back no matter the circumstances.

  • When One Partner Cancels

If the groom or bride independently chooses to not go through the nuptials, it is the responsibility of the party who decided to break things off to handle all the cancellation details. Even if the other partner has made all the arrangements for the wedding, this rule still applies.

Even the best laid plans don’t always come to pass. Postponing or cancelling a wedding altogether is not fun, but following these tips can help you get through the experience.