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Beginner June 2021 Perthshire

Venue not allowing us to postpone

Yellowtractor223457, 2 November, 2020 at 19:44 Posted on Planning 0 2
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I’ve seen lots of people postponing and saying how great their venue is but is anybody else not having such a good experience?


We are meant to be getting married in March 2021. We’ve booked a full package with our venue in 2019. When covid struck I contacted the venue who rightly said your next year come back to us. I’ve kept quiet but the fact our wedding is only 4 months away and we had paid for a packaged for 150 people, we decided we do want to get married but with only 15 will have our church wedding then a meal at the pub.
Our venue is amazing but for up to 200 people and it is too big for just 15 people furthermore I want to save our package for when we can have all our friends and families. There is no point having 3 rooms decorated with flowers when nobody will see it nor do we need the 3 tier cake included in the package that nobody will eat. The venue told me that I can’t postpone yet and that they will contact me 4-6 weeks before the wedding and will offer us an alternative booking. When I asked if I would be offered the same date or a date close to our date next year they said most dates are booked so I can only assume the offered date it will either be a weekday or in 2023!!!. When I said why can’t I postpone now they said i can pay a deposit for a new date under a new contract but if we went ahead with March 21 we will get the deposit for 22/23 when they sell that date less a £900 admin fee !
We can’t afford this and asked them to transfer our payments to a future date but because this is before 6 weeks it’s classed as a cancellation and they can take our 50% deposit.
I just don’t know what to do. We just want to get married but we don’t to be in a big country house with just 15 of us, equally we don’t want to be forced to postpone last minute and find they only free dates are years down the line. Also If we do postpone 6 weeks before we are liable to suppliers for full amount whereas postponing now means we are not. . However if we loose our venue deposit we can’t afford to get married at all!
Are any other brides struggling with venues

2 replies

Latest activity by Ben, 7 May, 2021 at 13:35
  • J
    Beginner June 2021 Kent
    Junebride ·
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    Hi there, I'm so sorry this is happening to you too - we're in a similar situation, so hopefully there's some sort of comfort in knowing that you are not alone? What we've currently done to date is check the CMA guidelines on the gov.uk website regarding weddings affected by Covid-19.

    We've also found a website (someone commented this in one of the threads) refundmywedding.co.uk - although we've not gone down this route yet.

    It honestly is such a shame that during these unprecedented times, businesses are using their authority against us individuals due to greed. Pre-Covid, they promised the world, and when something like this happens, they take your money and say no to everything! By prioritising dates to new couples instead of dealing with couples like you who have already paid a deposit clearly shows they are only interested in money.

    You might also want to be aware that a lot of venues have joined as a member of 'Wedding Venues Support Group' whereby they join forces and are fighting against the CMA guidelines.

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  • PhotographybyBillHaddon
    VIP January 3000 Leicestershire
    PhotographybyBillHaddon ·
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    There is a lot there to take in so forgive me if I have got some of it wrong.

    You booked for march 2001 back in 2019 for 150 people

    You are ok with going ahead with 15 people.

    It sounds like most of the 2022 dates at your venue have already been booked and probably were booked a while ago - just like you did back in 2019 for 2021, I do not think there are many new bookings that they are taking for 2021 - only moved dates.

    At the minute its been said that restrictions of 15 will last for 6 months ( apart from the new lock down). So it looks highly unlikely that a 150 wedding can go ahead in March 2021.

    Is your venue happy to accommodate a 15 guest wedding or even a 30 if things are relaxed. To me it doesn't sound like they are. If you booked for 150 and they are not allowed to have 150 then the wedding should be able to be cancelled with a refund as the wedding can no longer go ahead as per the contract.

    Your cake and flower suppliers - can you re arrange with them flowers and cake for 15 now and keep your date and be able to up scale the cake and flowers if numbers are allowed. That way you can leave your date as it is with the venue.

    Then try to do the same with the venue, price reduced to 15 people and up scale from there as allowed, so that you can keep your original date. If the venue do not want to do the 15 guest - which would be the law at the time then it is them that is cancelling and you need a full refund.

    Be upfront and keep your suppliers updated with your thoughts and predicament with the venue - I am sure that they will be more understanding than your venue.

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