Groom calls off wedding

MissMonkeyMoo

You said you paid a deposit and then a further £3000 later on - I'm no expert, but I would have thought you should be entitled to the refund of the £3k but may lose the deposit. Worth chekcing out the info that smartpicture has posted above - I guess it will really depend on the venue and also there T&C's.

Morally, it would only be proper and decent for your daughters ex to aoffer to pay some, if not all, of the money that has already been spent to date but seeing as he does not have appeared to have financially contributed in anyway to the proceedings you already know you are not going to get anything out of him! Your daughter has had a lucky escape and though it is a tough lesson should learn from it and make sure any future relationships are on an equal footing.

Hugs to your daughter, I hope she bounces back from this soon.

Wickedkitten

Horace wrote: »

Sorry Daska you are incorrect - the engagement ring legally belongs to the giver of the ring and not the receiver therefore she should return the ring to him, it only becomes truly her's after they marry.

The gift of an engagement ring shall be presumed to be an absolute gift ; this presumption may be rebutted by proving that the ring was given on the condition, express or implied, that it should be returned if the marriage did not take place for any reason.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/33/pdfs/ukpga_19700033_en.pdf

section 3(2)

Nicki

Wicked kitten beat me to it! Horace has been watching too much Judge Judy. In England, the bride to be gets to keep the ring if the engagement is called off, unless for example it was a family heirloom and it was specifically agreed in advance it would be returned if the marriage did not take place.

DylanO

Nicki wrote: »

Wicked kitten beat me to it! Horace has been watching too much Judge Judy. In England, the bride to be gets to keep the ring if the engagement is called off, unless for example it was a family heirloom and it was specifically agreed in advance it would be returned if the marriage did not take place.

Not exactly - in the case of a family heirloom, a prior agreement is not needed. The court would decide, and generally a family heirloom stays within the family.

reformedEffortmaker

You could always try "selling on" the wedding package for that date yourself.....a few others have done the same on ebay

Horace

Mado wrote: »

:TLovely idea.
And much cheaper than a divorce!:cool:

I always thought that once the gift is given, it belongs to the recipient.
Can you provide any backup that states it belongs to the "giver"?

It is a legal thing with regard to engagement rings - my old solicitor told me this as she had the most wonderful engagement ring and she had to hand it back when the groom called off the wedding, he too was a solicitor.

Section 3(2) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1970 covers the engagement ring.

If the engagement has been broken then why keep the ring and its associated bad memories. One thing that isnt clear and we are only presuming is that the engagement has been called off - when in fact it is the wedding and maybe they are still engaged?

Bluemeanie_2

Horace wrote: »

Sorry Daska you are incorrect - the engagement ring legally belongs to the giver of the ring and not the receiver therefore she should return the ring to him, it only becomes truly her's after they marry.

I would be inclined to write to the groom asking for a contribution to the costs of the wedding that he called off. Although I doubt you will get anywhere.

I know it is stressful but I think your daughter should be contacting the venue and other suppliers to say that the wedding was called off by the groom and that she has been left to cancel the arrangements - the suppliers maybe more sympathetic towards a tearful bride. I know you have provided the cash but as the bride and groom's names are on the contracts the contracts made have been made by them.

Sorry, you are incorrect. In English and Welsh law, their is a rebuttable presumption the engagement ring is a gift.

The only exception is if it is a family heirloom.

Bluemeanie_2

Section 3(2) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1970
"The gift of an engagement ring shall be presumed to be an absolute gift; this presumption may be rebutted by proving that the ring was given on the condition, express or implied, that it should be returned if the marriage did not take place for any reason."

Lifted directly from OPSI.

FBaby

I think the reason for the break-up is key. Because you will never really know what has happened, only what your daughter will tell you, I think they should both be liable to repay you and for them sort out between themselves who should reimburse the other.

Of course, that would if they were both sensible and responsible, the reality is probably totally different. For all you know, your daughter was caught with someone else and he is the one with the lucky escape. Whatever the reason for the cancellation, you certainly shouldn't be the one footing the bill, that's incredibly selfish of both of them to expect it.

Horace

Nicki wrote: »

Wicked kitten beat me to it! Horace has been watching too much Judge Judy. In England, the bride to be gets to keep the ring if the engagement is called off, unless for example it was a family heirloom and it was specifically agreed in advance it would be returned if the marriage did not take place.

Judge who?

I spend a lot of time socialising with solicitors which is how I know. Yes a family heirloom stays within the family but a ring that isnt goes back to the person who gave it. There doesnt have to be a an agreement made in advance it could be an implied agreement.