Many Brides and Grooms believe they’re hiring reputable wedding vendors and that every wedding will go off without a hitch but sometimes unforeseen circumstances or an act of God can unexpectedly force the closer of a wedding venue or vendor. The best way to prepare and protect from such disasters is to invest in wedding insurance. Traditionally, for as little as a few hundred dollars, couples can receive a policy for $1 Million Dollars of coverage.
They say there are 4 things you can’t recover in life…
1. The Stone – after it’s thrown
2. The Word – after it’s said
3. The Time – after it’s gone, and
4. The Occasion – after it’s been missed
Noah’s Event Venue, which had 42 wedding & event centers around the U.S., declared bankruptcy in May of 2019. Last week a court forced an unwelcome RSVP for dozens of couples and party planners by ordering Noah’s Event Venue to close its remaining reception halls across the country.
Employees at Noah’s Event Venue had warning the company was bound for closure but never shared the news with their couples. Many couples found out about the abrupt closing through social media. As many as 7,500 clients could end up losing their deposits. The case will likely move from bankruptcy court to liquidation which won’t leave any money to return client’s deposits on their wedding venue.
Noah’s Event Venue wasn’t the first wedding venue or vendor however to suddenly shutter in the Chicago area. Last year, Nellcôte, a popular wedding venue and restaurant in the West Loop, shut down suddenly sending brides and grooms-to-be scrambling for a backup plan. The Bedford in Wicker Park also closed its doors unexpectedly. Montefiori Estate in Lemont left dozens of couples without a venue and failed to return their deposits. Eva’s Bridals of Oak Lawn, which opened in 1964, was leveled by fire in 2010. Fortunately, thanks to an outpouring of generosity from several wedding dress shops as well as former brides came to the rescue with offers to donate gowns, Eva’s was able to deliver most dresses to brides with weddings the weekend following the fire. However the fire created panic among brides-to-be, bridesmaids, wedding planners and parents.
“We purchased a policy with WedSafe Wedding Insurance just to be safe. With 3 days of events, multiple venues and so much involved, it just made sense. My biggest fear is missing our wedding because of an unexpected health scare so I wasn’t going to chance it,” said Carla Marie Stehman who is marrying her fiancé, Mehul Doshi in 2021. Stehman is a veteran wedding industry professional based in Chicago who routinely travels around the country for events and knows that value of a little added preparation and extra protection. “We did it for peace of mind. Over the years I have seen so many horror stories of venues closing or natural disasters like hurricanes, blizzards or flooding wipe away people’s dream days but purchasing insurance gives us a back-up plan.”
Though most policy providers won’t cover wedding cancellations for cold feet, you will want to consider Cancellation and Liability Coverage.
Cancellation Coverage will protect against those unforeseen circumstances beyond your control which may cause you to cancel or postpone your wedding. This type of coverage protects you against the loss of your deposit, such as in the case of Noah’s for example, along with other vendor no-shows, acts of extreme weather by Mother Nature such as Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Floods, Fires or Blizzards for example, in addition to family emergencies, military deployments and more.
Liability Coverage will also guard against property damage caused to the venue along with injury or illness at your wedding itself.
Before considering a policy however, ask your vendors and venues for a copy of their own insurance policies so you know exactly what is and isn’t covered. Some venues will even require their clients to purchase insurance.
Are you hosting a destination wedding or traveling to a far-away honeymoon immediately following your wedding? You may consider purchasing separate travel insurance in the event of extreme weather, flight cancellations, lost baggage, missed connections and more. Anytime you may miss the opportunity to arrive at your destination or participate in non-refundable activities excursions, meals or lodging, you may consider opting for added insurance. If you’re having a Destination Wedding in locations such as the Caribbean or Mexico, consider adding a ‘Cancel for any Reason’ policy to your travel plans as a fail-safe to cover you beyond your traditional trip cancellation policy.
If you’re considering Wedding Insurance and are interested in receiving a quote, we recommend exploring these policy providers:
WedSafe
Wedsure
Wedding Protector Plan
Travelers Insurance