COVID Wedding Help

liamcatt

Hi,

We was due to get married on the 6th June 2020 and obviously with everything that is going on our venue notified us that we need to change date.

The didn't have any Friday/Saturday days over the next 12 months available for us and we don't want a midweek wedding due to guests time off work and paying all that money for our day we want everyone to be there etc so we decided to cancel the wedding.

We have submitted an insurance claim however I am concerned about the fact that 'small' 5 person weddings may be able to go ahead on 06/06/20 and therefore they wouldn't pay out. Where do I stand with this as at the moment we stand to lose thousands in deposit money.

Further to this, we went to cancel our photographer who advised us that in the T&C (which it is) that if cancelling within 180 days of the wedding then we have to pay the basic package that he offers (£1,300). I said that it's the venue who are cancelling and that he himself cannot work that day as it stands so I'm not sure how he can try to force that T&C. There is also no mention of circumstances like present or anything unforeseen in the wording so not sure how that holds up. 

Any advice on either will be greatly appreciated

Liam

poppy12345

From 1st June it's the governments intention to allow small weddings can take place. See link and scroll to 1.12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

liamcatt

poppy12345 said:

From 1st June it's the governments intention to allow small weddings can take place. See link and scroll to 1.12 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

That's why I'm posing, even if it could go ahead why would we want to pay thousands on venue etc when we could get the same for a fraction of the price at the local registrar? 

And because of this I'm sure insurance will not pay out why is why I'm wondering where we stand at possibly getting the businesses who we've paid a lot in deposits for refund us because they are unable to hold up their side of the contract? 

Such a hard and frustrating thing, stand to lose thousands! 

[Deleted User]

Was the booking for photographer over the phone or via email. Is there written proof you have placed this booking and have you actually paid anything yet in terms of photographers full costs or a deposit? 

liamcatt

Daveym79 said:

Was the booking for photographer over the phone or via email. Is there written proof you have placed this booking and have you actually paid anything yet in terms of photographers full costs or a deposit? 

Booking was in person and have contract and have paid deposit upon booking, balance due 2 weeks before 

Thanks

HopeAndDriftWood

Do your Insurance have an exclusion for government acts? I’m not aware of any that are paying out for weddings which are cancelled or downsized due to lockdown...
The options most people have is to either wait and hope the venue has to cancel and therefore refund you in full, or allow you to postpone, or to plan for a smaller day. A lot of people seem to lose a few thousand regardless, because of various suppliers and non refundable deposits... us included. It’s rough.