What are your rights to a refund if you need to change or cancel a wedding? New guide

MissW99

We were due to marry on 4th April and had wedding insurance in place. However, the insurers, venue and media at that time advised postponement was preferable to cancellation (and, despite a 'pandemic' clause in our insurance policy, it was looking unlikely that they'd actually pay out) so, under pressure, we postponed to October 2020. We have just moved this date again to April 2021 because we want the wedding we booked, not one confined by the constraints of social distancing measures. As time passes, even April 2021 seems unlikely for a 'normal' wedding at this rate. The insurance policy has been extended to cover the new wedding date (not worth the paper it's written on! ) and our venue will allow us to postpone until the end of 2021. The issue is, there aren't many dates left now so I'm worried that, if we can't have the wedding we want, there'll be no wedding at all. If I'd have known back in April that the CMA would publish guidance allowing couples like us to receive a refund, I would have cancelled the wedding then instead of postponing (twice). If we choose to cancel the wedding now, where do we stand? Would we receive a partial refund or be entitled to a full refund? The guidance isn't clear for couples who've postponed rather than cancelled. I currently feel like I'm stuck in limbo, waiting for restrictions to ease to enable us to have the wedding we'd planned and paid for, with the time pressure that this has to be done and dusted by the end of 2021. I feel that the rest of my life is on hold (we had planned to start trying for a family this year). I'd rather cancel the wedding and rearrange in a few years time when hopefully there's normality again. There must be lots of couples like us. Can anyone provide advice please? Thanks. 

JGB1955

MissW99 said:

We were due to marry on 4th April and had wedding insurance in place. However, the insurers, venue and media at that time advised postponement was preferable to cancellation (and, despite a 'pandemic' clause in our insurance policy, it was looking unlikely that they'd actually pay out) so, under pressure, we postponed to October 2020. We have just moved this date again to April 2021 because we want the wedding we booked, not one confined by the constraints of social distancing measures. As time passes, even April 2021 seems unlikely for a 'normal' wedding at this rate. The insurance policy has been extended to cover the new wedding date (not worth the paper it's written on! ) and our venue will allow us to postpone until the end of 2021. The issue is, there aren't many dates left now so I'm worried that, if we can't have the wedding we want, there'll be no wedding at all. If I'd have known back in April that the CMA would publish guidance allowing couples like us to receive a refund, I would have cancelled the wedding then instead of postponing (twice). If we choose to cancel the wedding now, where do we stand? Would we receive a partial refund or be entitled to a full refund? The guidance isn't clear for couples who've postponed rather than cancelled. I currently feel like I'm stuck in limbo, waiting for restrictions to ease to enable us to have the wedding we'd planned and paid for, with the time pressure that this has to be done and dusted by the end of 2021. I feel that the rest of my life is on hold (we had planned to start trying for a family this year). I'd rather cancel the wedding and rearrange in a few years time when hopefully there's normality again. There must be lots of couples like us. Can anyone provide advice please? Thanks. 

Start your own thread rather than getting answers to  someone else's issue? It just gets too complicated for people to reply...

JCS1

JGB1955 said:

MissW99 said:

We were due to marry on 4th April and had wedding insurance in place. However, the insurers, venue and media at that time advised postponement was preferable to cancellation (and, despite a 'pandemic' clause in our insurance policy, it was looking unlikely that they'd actually pay out) so, under pressure, we postponed to October 2020. We have just moved this date again to April 2021 because we want the wedding we booked, not one confined by the constraints of social distancing measures. As time passes, even April 2021 seems unlikely for a 'normal' wedding at this rate. The insurance policy has been extended to cover the new wedding date (not worth the paper it's written on! ) and our venue will allow us to postpone until the end of 2021. The issue is, there aren't many dates left now so I'm worried that, if we can't have the wedding we want, there'll be no wedding at all. If I'd have known back in April that the CMA would publish guidance allowing couples like us to receive a refund, I would have cancelled the wedding then instead of postponing (twice). If we choose to cancel the wedding now, where do we stand? Would we receive a partial refund or be entitled to a full refund? The guidance isn't clear for couples who've postponed rather than cancelled. I currently feel like I'm stuck in limbo, waiting for restrictions to ease to enable us to have the wedding we'd planned and paid for, with the time pressure that this has to be done and dusted by the end of 2021. I feel that the rest of my life is on hold (we had planned to start trying for a family this year). I'd rather cancel the wedding and rearrange in a few years time when hopefully there's normality again. There must be lots of couples like us. Can anyone provide advice please? Thanks. 

Start your own thread rather than getting answers to  someone else's issue? It just gets too complicated for people to reply...

The original thread was posted by MSE about wedding and rights, so it seems correct to be posted on here.

khull28

Just wondering if anyone can help? A hotel has repeatedly continued to confirm that they are happy to go ahead with a planned dinner dance event at the end of October. They are refusing a refund of our deposit as they believe the current rulings about social gatherings will be changing. Does anyone have any advice of how we can get our deposit money back?

jon81uk

khull28 said:

Just wondering if anyone can help? A hotel has repeatedly continued to confirm that they are happy to go ahead with a planned dinner dance event at the end of October. They are refusing a refund of our deposit as they believe the current rulings about social gatherings will be changing. Does anyone have any advice of how we can get our deposit money back?

You are allowed a sit down wedding reception for up to 30 people. So the dinner can go ahead, but not the dance. Therefore as most of the product can be delivered I think you are not going to get your deposit back. Just plan to have the sit down dinner for 30 family members.

thompsonc93

Hi, 

I would like a little advice. We took the decision to postpone our July 2020 wedding back in May 2020 following the government guidelines and we were in conversations with our wedding venue throughout. 

We were told on 2 separate occasions (both in email so we have proof) that the 2020 prices would still be honoured for the new date in April 2022 and we would not need to pay any more than originally agreed, however for this to be honoured we would need to pay in full by the original balance deadline of 3rd June 2020.  

We have signed new contracts and paid all money in full by the balance deadline and all was sorted... up until now that is. 

I received an email today (15th October) from the wedding venue basically saying that all weddings who have postponed from 2020 to 2022 will have to pay the 2022 prices. 

I am just wondering where I now stand with this and if I will have to pay the extra as on 2 separate occasions I was told that I would be honoured the 2020 prices if I paid the remaining balance in full by the original balance deadline and new contracts have been signed. 

I completely understand that venues are struggling etc which is why they initially wanted paying in full in the first place so they wouldn't lose out on the money from this years lost income. 

Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. 

jenna25

My friend has her wedding booked for August 2021. She is rescheduling to August 2022 due to covid restrictions. Her hair and make up stylist is refusing to reschedule to the new date, is she entitled to deposit refund? 

MattMattMattUK

jenna25 said:

My friend has her wedding booked for August 2021. She is rescheduling to August 2022 due to covid restrictions. Her hair and make up stylist is refusing to reschedule to the new date, is she entitled to deposit refund? 

That would depend on the contract, but probably not.

Thrugelmir

jenna25 said:

My friend has her wedding booked for August 2021. She is rescheduling to August 2022 due to covid restrictions. Her hair and make up stylist is refusing to reschedule to the new date, is she entitled to deposit refund? 

Precisely why deposits are taken.  What Covid restrictions are there already in place for next August? 

samsam89

MissW99 said:

We were due to marry on 4th April and had wedding insurance in place. However, the insurers, venue and media at that time advised postponement was preferable to cancellation (and, despite a 'pandemic' clause in our insurance policy, it was looking unlikely that they'd actually pay out) so, under pressure, we postponed to October 2020. We have just moved this date again to April 2021 because we want the wedding we booked, not one confined by the constraints of social distancing measures. As time passes, even April 2021 seems unlikely for a 'normal' wedding at this rate. The insurance policy has been extended to cover the new wedding date (not worth the paper it's written on! ) and our venue will allow us to postpone until the end of 2021. The issue is, there aren't many dates left now so I'm worried that, if we can't have the wedding we want, there'll be no wedding at all. If I'd have known back in April that the CMA would publish guidance allowing couples like us to receive a refund, I would have cancelled the wedding then instead of postponing (twice). If we choose to cancel the wedding now, where do we stand? Would we receive a partial refund or be entitled to a full refund? The guidance isn't clear for couples who've postponed rather than cancelled. I currently feel like I'm stuck in limbo, waiting for restrictions to ease to enable us to have the wedding we'd planned and paid for, with the time pressure that this has to be done and dusted by the end of 2021. I feel that the rest of my life is on hold (we had planned to start trying for a family this year). I'd rather cancel the wedding and rearrange in a few years time when hopefully there's normality again. There must be lots of couples like us. Can anyone provide advice please? Thanks. 

I can't offer any further advice, but I totally understand where you're coming from. We are in the exact same position as you guys are. I particularly understand the point above about the CMA guidance. There is virtually no guidance for couples who have postponed - and what use is the guidance when it was issued after decisions had to be made?!

I feel that as consumers we have been completely screwed on this. I know businesses and venues have had it hard, but that's why so many of them have been receiving governmentg support in different ways.

Absolutely no way a vaccine is going to be ready and rolled out by April 2021, yet I've been told by Citizens Advice that we have to keep paying the venue otherwise they can argue breach of contract.

Our venue quoted us £7500 for a wedding of 15. That's £500 a head for a meal. There would be no atmosphere, pointless having music and an extremely scaled down day. That's assuming we can happily shave 60-70 of the "less important" people off the list. I'm praying Mr Lewis will take this fight up and challenge the CMA/Government to help those of us in this position. The financial and emotional stress this is causing is horrendous.