WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN POSTPONING OR CANCELING YOUR WEDDING
Life happens and sometimes unforeseen seen circumstances get in the way of what has been planned. We find, if you have some basic guidelines to follow, it makes the process a little bit easier. Continue reading for our best insights and advice.
Photo Credits: Sarah Jual Photo
What should I do if I am considering canceling?
This is the absolute last thing we want for you, but if that is something you have to OR are forced to do, it is important to understand the consequences.
The most important thing to understand in this situation is that you will not likely get much money back. In most cases, many vendors have already invested time and resources into your event in preparation and it is unlikely they will be able to re-book your event date, especially if it is quickly approaching. Another thing to keep in mind is that many wedding vendors are small business owners and they simply can not afford to issue refunds.
Photo Credit: Ashley Goodwin Photography
Best case scenario, a vendor may be able to refund you for items that were not yet purchased or utilized for your event. It is however very important to keep in mind that the closer you get to your event date, the more money you could lose. Especially when it comes to vendors who work with perishables like flowers and food.
Each venue and vendor will have a different policy, so it is important to reread your contracts and reach out to each vendor individually to see if they are willing to work with you. It is SUPER important you understand the consequences fully before making the decision to flat out cancel.
Is it better to try and postpone my wedding?
If it comes to it, this is a much better option than full out cancelling! Most vendors completely understand and will work with you to find another mutually available date (this is the LLW approach). Of course this will be case by case with each vendor and it will depend on how close to your event date you are making this change. The absolute very latest I would advise deciding is no later than 2 weeks out.
Before you start exploring this as an option, you should think about WHEN you are comfortable rescheduling for. It is likely that most vendors will ask that you reschedule another date within the year. When you start reaching out to each of your vendors to explore postponement, it is helpful if you can give them a few other dates or times of year that work for you. Keeping an open mind and opting for a weekday wedding may give you a much better chance of mutual availability. Once you find a date that works for everyone (or mostly everyone), it is important to act swiftly as dates fill up quickly.
When considering this as an option, each venue and vendor will have a different policy, so it is important to reread your contracts and reach out to each vendor individually to see if they are willing to work with you. Keep in mind that there may still be some lost money for vendors who are not flexible or not available for an alternative date. It is SUPER important you understand the consequences fully before deciding to postpone.
What should I do if my guests start canceling?
We’ve experienced this with hurricanes, individual health emergencies, travel bans and now pandemics. As much as a bummer this is, the important thing to keep in mind is that you’ve already invested quite a bit into your wedding day. Although having all your favorite people there to celebrate is ideal, moving forward without some of them might be the best choice.
If this is the right move for you, and you are able to reduce food, flower and rental costs in time, you could always consider reallocating those resources towards having a follow up celebration with those who couldn’t make it.
Photo Credit: Stephen Ludwig Photography
Another thing to consider is that with technology being as awesome as it is these days, you can always attempt a live stream of your wedding day so loved ones can join the celebration virtually.
How should we share the news with our guests?
As soon as you decide on postponing or canceling your wedding, you should let the guests know asap. Depending on how close the date is, many of them have made travel plans and booked accommodations which will now need to be canceled or moved. The fastest way to get the word to your guest would be through a mass email. We find platforms like paperless post to be very helpful for this because they have a feature that lets you know if the guests have opened it or not. After about two days, you should follow up with the ones who have not seen your email. If this is too difficult for you to do yourself, you may consider enlisting a friend or family member. If you are postponing and you have an idea of when you will reschedule, you should share that with all your guests as it will make it easier for them to change any existing reservations.
Many guests are going to be curious to why you’ve decided to cancel or postpone, you are not required to explain. It is up to you decide how vague or detailed you want to be. An example email can be phrased as, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been postponed until December 12, 2020. We are deeply sorry for any inconveniences this may have caused but hope you can still join us for our celebration!!”
Is there anyway to get back what I already invested into my wedding if I am forced to cancel?
The number one thing is to look into is special event cancellation and postponement insurance at the beginning of planning! “Surprise” obstacles are no joke and having that insurance is ideal for peace of mind. This comprehensive article from ConsumersAdvocate.org does a great job of explaining and rating wedding insurance options. You can purchase it anywhere from two years in advance and in some cases 24 hours in advance. For weddings with a “known risk” at the time of purchasing insurance, this is likely not going to help you. We highly encourage you to call around and speak to a live agent to get the scoop before making a decision on what insurance to purchase. Also, if you’ve paid for many of your wedding expenses with a credit card, you might have some coverage there. Again, call your credit card company to get a better understanding. Coverage would only kick in if you are forced to cancel or postpone, NOT if you choose to.
We hope this helps you weigh all of your options before making this hard decision for your special day.
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