Wedding cancellation is not something bride and groom think about when they plan their wedding. Unfortunately, sometimes weddings are called off. When if happens many problems arise and the couple should act quickly to control the damage. The average wedding cost is $27 000 and if you don’t take necessary steps after cancellation you might loose your money.
Marcy Blum who is a wedding guru and has planned weddings for many celebrities including: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Salman Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi, Billy Joel and Katie Lee, Regis and Joy Philbin and Rockefeller family, has a few valuable tips to share to ensure a wedding’s cancellation goes as smoothly as possible:
1) Inform your guests as soon as possible. If there is enough time send out short announcement, you don’t need to include details. If the time is short just call your guests.
2) Let the vendors know. The sooner you do it the better. If vendors can find somebody else to rebook your date they will likely return most of your money. Sometimes if they spent money and time on preparations for your wedding, they are obligated to refund only what they deem appropriate. When asking for refund don’t take argumentative or confrontational tone, try to rely on their sympathy.
3) Give back gifts. When sending back gifts, attach a short note saying that under the circumstance you can’t accept this lovely gift. If you are unable to return the gift, you must send an identical replacement or money.
4) Return the engagement ring. It is an appropriate thing to do.
5) Reimburse attendants for their expenses (cost of outfits, hotel, plane tickets, etc…)
6) Give yourself time to process what has happened and if necessary seek professional counseling. Marcy suggests taking a break from interacting with each other until you are both calm. When you feel like you are ready to talk to your ex-fiancé make sure that there is an objective, unemotional mediator present when you do decide to meet.