Coronavirus - anyone thinking of cancelling/postponing?

Not sure why it says Hawaii... can’t figure out how to get rid of that.

Hi,

I can't answer your question directly, but be mindful to check the cancellation terms with your various suppliers. If you cancel you'll likely be liable to pay some or all of the outstanding amounts due.

On speaking with a few venues today they are all of the mind to continue unless the government tells them otherwise. They're stepping up their hygiene protocols in response to the current situation though and have had no cancellations to date.

No one knows how this is going to develop, so it's impossible to say what is best to do.

I'd start off by looking at your suppliers' contracts and what you will be liable for if you cancel or postpone. Also check your wedding insurance. And it would be worth contacting your venue to discuss - they must be inundated with queries from bridal couples and should have some kind of response/plan formulated.

You'll also need to think about your guests and how many of them have already booked flights.

So far, the experts seem to think it will peak in April or May, so hopefully you'll be ok, but no one really knows.

I get married in October, so at the moment I am not worried. I personally think this virus will peak a bit more before declining... But, by June I think you should be okay....Obviously I am no expert and honestly nobody knows, but have faith!

Easy to say, I know. But have hope and stay positive. If you can rearrange without any huge consequences then great, but if not.... Im sure things will be in a much better position by the summer!!!

Good Luck xx

Hello,

Massively empathise. Getting married in June in Italy ....supposedly.

Who is your wedding insurance with? Mine is with John Lewis and I know that they have said they will NOT allow a claim if the government act / restriction is the cause of the cancellation so double check your policy wording.

Have your guests already booked flights?

X

Thanks everyone!

if we were to postpone now, we’d lose about 6k but if we were to cancel much later, we’d lose a lot more. The insurance company think this is glorified flu and that it will pass. They will only cover if the govt closes the venue, if the govt suspends public gatherings, they don’t consider that a ‘closure’. So basically having insurance serves no purpose whatsoever.

I’m debating about whether to wait until May to see if the situation has improved at all and then decide if we should continue. I just fear that our guests will start cancelling days before the wedding... so really unsure what to do. The UK is reporting that coronavirus cases will peak in 12-14 weeks from now.

Its impossible to predict isnt it. The problem is they may cancel flights from the USA so your guests may not beable to come. What a nightmare.

Personally I think I would cancel and wait and see what happens.

Can you move the date of your wedding to same time next year and NOT lose the money? ie will the venue allow you to do this?

We have spent £12,000 already which we stand to lose

Hey, i would wait until closer the time (when you have to start paying for everything), there’s no point in cancelling until you start to lose money.

i’m getting married 2 weeks today and i’m so stressed out, over the past 6 weeks, we’ve had family cancer bad news, family car crashes, elderly falls and a family death... now to top it all off we’re in limbo regarding the government locking everything down. Insurance doesn’t cover it, we’ve paid for everything, all we can do is continue as though it’s business as usual and hope they don’t ban public gatherings in 2 weeks, and we lose thousands and thousands of pounds all because someone ate live bat soup at the other side of the world. I honestly don’t know how i’ve not had a breakdown... i’m trying to stay as positive as possible... the positives, i’m not nervous about walking down the aisle and things going wrong on the day, as long as the day actually happens it’ll be a massive relief. One of my friends has got ordained as a back up.

People say weddings are stressful but this situation is next level.. if the government do ban gatherings i’m half tempted just doing it anyway. Ireland have only recommended not to have weddings over x amount of people, and not insisted, and i’m sure the uk would be the same. We will tell guests the risks and if they come they come and if they don’t they don’t.

i think this is a rant... i’m sorry. I never thought in a million years i’d be writing on a forum 2 weeks before i get married worried about global pandemic...

i hope everyones weddings gets sorted, hopefully the hype will be over by next month and we can all get on with our lives. We’re all in the same boat xxx

The situation is changing daily, so it might be worth everyone waiting until the point at which you would have to pay out more money. It would be frustrating to cancel early and then find that it could have gone ahead - or for those with insurance, to cancel and then for something to be put in place which would mean you could have claimed on your insurance if you'd waited.

We've decided to go ahead - as long as the minister, registrar & two witnesses turn up, we'll get married. Think we will end up being a tiny group though!

Hi all,

Ugh it’s just surreal so unbelievable.
We’re due to get married in Tuscany on May 24th ? totally heartbroken not really sure what to do, feel like our only option may be to postpone. Our wedding planner has been really great, just don’t want to agree to postponing too early and it somehow being ok by then. Highly unlikely I know.

Lots of love to everyone else who is also going through this emotional turmoil, as if planning a wedding isn’t enough to think of!

x

We are due to get married 3 weeks today, my other half's dad and that whole side of the family have told us they now can't make it. We want to postpone but can't afford to, we just met with our caterer who told us we are the only event in the next 5 weeks that hasn't cancelled. Our insurance covers some things such as if the venue cancels on goverment advice, immediate family members unable to attend if ill, but if we get to the day and everything is going ahead we are worried that everyone will be too worried about getting ill to enjoy themselves. My nan is 91 and I'm worried if she comes she may catch it, its a total bloody nightmare.

I really understand your pain, we don't know what to do either, I came here looking for others in the same boat as us because it's just so gutting getting so close and then everything falling apart!

Xx

Hello,

I completely understand, I am in pieces too. I am due to get married in the UK on 18th July. My family is pressuring me to cancel but if I do I will lose £7000 at the moment. Any suggestions from anyone?

Have you contacted the venue directly? I messaged mine yesterday and they have said they will refund us if the wedding is cancelled due to coronavirus.

I hope we can both have our weddings without issue.

Sending positive thoughts!

We’ve decided to wait until 4th May which is when we’d have to pay out more money and reassess then. The venue has actually closed its doors for a while as the country is in lockdown so that too will be a deciding factor. But ultimately we will probably postpone until next year... as for if they’ll have availability for next year... I’m not sure. We booked a year and a half in advance to secure our date and it was one of the few dates left.

Devastated to hear the news this morning that those over 70 will be forced to self isolate for 4 months. Our parents won't be able to attend now ?

I work in the industy as a wedding videographer in Kent and although the advise is to carry on I can see weddings going ahead very differently.

First of all those that are in the at risk groups will be told not to attend and weddings may have to be smaller.

To work around some of the issues please think of the following to help your day go ahead:

• Have your service outside and dont hug/kiss.
• Have your speeches outside 'Aussie' style before the breakfast.
• Switch your wedding breakfast to a picnic outside so people can spread out. Give your guests a wicker basket full of delights and treats to enable them to keep a distance.
• Keep up the hand washing
• First dance outside - we do a number of woodland weddings with silent discos or we may just have to admit defeat and wrap up weddings early.
• Less drink - remember booze lowers the immune system.

I may work in the wedding industy but im looking at practical ways of helping weddings continue. I've added a temp service to film the speeches and ceremony in our traditional high quality way if they are outside with same day delivery. So those to frail can watch and be apart of the day but stay safe. We can get a wedding service in 4k quality online within an hour and id really think about investing in services like this and tweeking your wedding so they can go ahead.

I honestly think the best thing we can do right now for everyone’s health and safety is to cancel and postpone the wedding. I don’t want to hold a wedding with restrictions and having an atmosphere where everyone is on edge. It’s heartbreaking that we’ll have to cancel and I’m sickened by the amount of money we will lose... it’s not just the venue and caterers, it’s also the flights and accommodation that we won’t get back. These insurers make me actually sick.

Hello

This is really a bad time. Risk losing a deposit would the last thing in my mind to worry about. Its sadly about existence of ourselves. I think any Government should shutdown the marriage venues and any public gatherings. I think Portugal Government will also take the action and suspend wedding and ceremonial activities.

Best of luck

Due to get married April 24th. Emailed Marriott about rebooking as I'd rather do that. If they are unable to offer the option of rebooking this within the next 7 days I will cancel as we will get 50% back if we cancel before 30 days.

A third of my family live in Australia so won't be able to get over and then my bestfriend/maid of honour is in Canada is in Canada all on lockdown and bans/an obviously planes not flying.

In addition my grandmother, great auntie, grooms dad all being over 70. Plus pregnant friends and my dad being on the now at risk group as he gets the free NHS flu jab for his arthritis.

I'm hoping that the Marriott will rebook as obviously higher numbers/bar/room etc better for them than if I went ahead with hardly anyone or cancel!

The stress is unreal I've lost 5.5ibs since Friday! I had my first fitting, hen do etc it's all just so crazy!

Hey there! Wanted to check in with you and see if you managed to rebook everything ok? Were they flexible?

Our venue has been quite accommodating and has given us a new date for 2021. Now need to check with the other suppliers!

hope everyone is safe and healthy at home

Really lovely of them to do that. Best of luck for your endeavors ahead.Best of luck for your 2021 date!