Wedding insurance isn’t exactly the most romantic of
purchases. Weddings are a big deal and a big investment. According to The Knot,
the average couple spends $27,800 on the big day. You’re excited to get married
but you wish you felt your plans were a little more secure.
Here’s where
wedding insurance comes in. Think of it as a pre-prenup – something you want to
have but hope to never use. If you’re hesitant to broach the subject with your
soon-to-be spouse, consider the many reasons a wedding might have to be
canceled. A case of cold feet isn’t the only catalyst for a disastrous walk
down the aisle. Poor weather, cancellations and illness are just a few reasons
you might need to save a different date. All these
scenarios can be protected under insurance, too.
Weddings can be canceled due to inclement weather in
practically any climate. A tornado might strike the day of your barn wedding. A
tropical storm or hurricane would completely halt a beach ceremony, and a
blizzard could keep guests from attending a winter wedding.
Just because
you plan to love your partner through sickness and health doesn’t mean you
should suffer the former during your wedding. Your fiancé could get food
poisoning from their morning crab cake benedict. The grandmother of the bride
might suffer a stroke and require hospitalization. Your future spouse might get
in a skiing accident during his bachelor party and break his legs, and both of
you are determined to dance at the wedding.
People might
cancel for other reasons, too. The DJ might suffer a death in the family and
have to attend a funeral. The caterer’s fridge might lose power overnight and
all the food goes bad. The band might accidentally be booked twice for that
evening. You have two options: carrying on with peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches and an MP3 player or you can decide to temporarily postpone the
wedding.
When you
cancel a wedding, you don’t just lose a memory. You also lose your deposit
money. Whether the wedding is off entirely or merely postponed, you can’t get
that money back – that is, unless you have wedding insurance. Wedding insurance
usually is referred to as special event insurance and doesn’t have to cost you
much money. A basic policy might set you back little more than $100. More
lavish weddings will require a more expensive policy, possibly up to $400.
Spending that extra money might seem like a burden,
but gambling on your wedding going off without a hitch carries significant
risk. Special event insurance costs less than losing your deposits and it also
comes with the reassurance that you have a backup plan. Additionally, many
venues require wedding parties to have liability insurance before booking. Also
consider purchasing extra riders for high-value items, like dresses, tuxes,
wedding gifts and even your honeymoon.
Some say that peace of mind is priceless. Instead of
worrying about the financial burden of a wedding, special event insurance makes
it so you can focus on what matters: happily celebrating a commitment to the
person you love most.
This article was contributed by Shannon Casey, writer
for HomeInsurance.com.
With a background in comedy and playwriting, Shannon
branched into blogging and marketing in 2011, writing for several national
brands. She graduated from Hampshire College in Amherst,
MA, in 2010 with a B.A. in
Liberal Arts.
Photo by Rachael Grace Photography
Photo by Rachael Grace Photography
