WEDDING CANCELLATION | WEDDING POSTPONEMENT
Cancelled weddings 2020!
Now, before we get started, I would like to state that I have no legal knowledge.
I am a wedding photographer and whilst we are all experiencing this difficult time, I am well aware that couples who were due to get married have been particularly hard hit.
The information below is set out to help you understand what I believe to be your rights if you have to cancel, or postpone your wedding.
I hope this helps.
1/ Talk to the wedding planner at your venue.
If you find you have reached the stage where you may have to cancel or postpone your wedding then the first thing to do is to get in contact with the wedding planner at your venue.
This can be quite hard to do at the present time as many wedding planners have been furloughed, or are working from home, but keep trying it’s important that you talk to them to find out what the venue can offer you.
2/ Wedding postponement.
If you decide you still want your wedding, then the wedding venue will look to see when they can accommodate you. Remember though you might want the same day next year, but this may not be possible as weddings are booked up years in advance. There could already be a wedding booked for that day, so you may need to show some flexibility in your dates or even consider an out of season wedding or even a weekday wedding as Saturdays may well be fully booked.
If the wedding venue can make the date you want, then great. Expect to pay a small amount more for the new date as prices go up slightly each year due to inflation, but they should not charge you an excessive fee for re-scheduling your wedding date! If they try to do this then this is unlawful and you need to get some help.
3/ Wedding cancellation.
If the venue does not have availability on the dates you require, then you have the right to a refund. However this will not be a full refund as venues and suppliers are able to take off costs for any work they have already put into your wedding day e.g. paperwork, cake tastings etc. So you should get most of your money back, but not everything. Also please be patient, whilst you are entitled to a refund it may also be difficult for the supplier to give you your money back all at once especially, at the present time.
Remember, if their contract is anything like those of the holiday industry, then you need to ensure you are making payments at the correct time, even if you are sure the wedding cannot go ahead as planned. If you do not make these payments then you will find yourself in breach of contract and will NOT be entitled to receive a refund.
If the venue states they cannot re-schedule your day, but you have still lost your money, then this is unlawful. I have heard of some venues charging couples a lot of money to rebook another day or just refusing to give them their money back.
If this is the case with, you need to get help.
Your contract with the suppler has been “frustrated”. This basically means this global pandemic is out of your control and you are not able to go ahead with the wedding due to a situation you have no control over.
Please remember however that it is also out of control of the vendor as well.
4/ Talk to your wedding photographer and other wedding suppliers
The next step is to contact your photographer to confirm availably for a re-scheduled wedding. Photographers will do everything in their power to be able to make your new date, but they too will have brides booked for the forthcoming year. It might be the case that the photographer is already booked for that day, but has a list of other photographers they can access who may be able to help, either by shooting the wedding and then passing the files to your photographer for editing or by recommending someone else.
Please be assured that many wedding suppliers will do everything in their power to meet your re-scheduled wedding day, so do chat with them and see what you can arrange together.
5/ Last resort
Don’t forget if you used a credit card for a wedding service that is over £100 in value then your money is protected under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. So if you cannot get a refund from any supplier, you can always apply to your credit card for help.
I hope this has helped in this difficult time, but as I said before please do seek legal help if required.
About Helen Chapman Photography
My philosophy:
“To provide excellence by placing YOU, Your dreams, Your wants, Your needs in the heart of everything I do”.
“To create beautifully, naturally, authentic, fun, romantic heirloom photography, that YOU are guaranteed to love and that will be cherished by future generations to come”.
“To provide YOU with a truly exceptional service through following my core beliefs of honesty, fairness, integrity, determination and creativity.”
I have been helping couples plan their weddings in the stunning natural landscape of the Devon countryside, rugged moorland of Dartmoor and spectacular seascape of the coastline of Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall for years and I’m using that experience and relationship with a great network of wedding vendors to help you plan your special wedding day. Why not take a look at my Client resources pages & Check my availability for your wedding and book a call today.