When you think about insurance, you may think about health, renters, home, or auto insurance. As an adult, these are all things that we know we need in order to be taken care of. Insurance keeps you from crippling debt if and when an emergency does happen. But, have you thought about wedding insurance? You may be thinking to yourself, that this is something you will not need, because you don’t plan on having an emergency or disasters on your wedding day, but life events don’t stop just because it’s your wedding.

There may be a need for a sudden cancellation due to an emergency surgery needed, such as appendicitis, or a loved one may have a heart attack before the event. Wedding insurance is there to support any emergencies or liabilities that may occur on your wedding day. And many venues require that wedding insurance or event insurance is taken out prior to your wedding date. So, let’s talk about wedding insurance and why it may be worth being added to your budget. 

What is it? 

Wedding insurance is pretty easy to obtain. For example, for my own wedding, I talked to our current insurance vendor. They were able to give me liability insurance for the wedding day. Wedding insurance is much like any other insurance contract, as it is an agreement that ensures that any monetary losses do not occur if there were to be an unexpected cancellation, act of God, or emergency that is out of your control. This policy typically requires an upfront payment in exchange for a policy that outlines a reimbursement if something is to go wrong. Now, wedding insurance isn't for a cancellation because you’ve had a change of heart or decided to part ways. There is also a specific time frame for purchasing wedding insurance, some require that it must be purchased at least 12 months in advance. It’s a small fee to pay that ensures your wedding investment is protected from circumstances that may not be in your control. 

What kind of Cover can I Expect? 

We recommend you talk to various insurance agencies as each company may offer different policies. But, there are general items that wedding insurance does cover.

Venue Location: There may be an emergency or an unexpected event that occurs at your venue location that causes a forced cancellation. This can include a fire, tornado, or damages from a storm. Typically, this would require a cancellation that is unavoidable by the venue or site location. 

Weather: As we discussed earlier, weather can be covered under some policies. But, we highly suggest you read the fine lines of your venue contract, because many venues may exclude weather or require a plan B. But, there are extreme weather conditions that may occur outside of just typical rainfall. These can include wildfires, tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, avalanches etc. There is an extreme weather policy that can be purchased ahead of time that can support rescheduling your wedding day. 

Wedding Gifts: There are policies that can cover any theft of damage to wedding gifts, for an estimated amount. 

Vendors: Many companies include vendors in your policy. This can include vendor no-shows or last minute cancellations. The policy may be able to reimburse you for deposits for situations such as these. 

As with any insurance, we highly recommend you explore your options and what each company has to offer. Remember, just as any insurance policies you may have already, there may be specific clauses and details to your policy. Prior to selecting your wedding insurance, talk to your venue and determine if a wedding insurance policy is needed and for what amount. Many venues have specific amounts for liability insurance that need to be purchased before your event. Wedding insurance may not be something that you want to add into your budget, but we suggest your talk to your venue and your partner and weigh the pros and cons before making your final decision. 

Lori Losee is the owner of Elegant Affairs, a Seattle Wedding Planner with over 18 years of experience. We create awe-inspiring experiences—Events filled with meaning and refined elegance. Behind the scenes, our experienced team collaborates on each stage of the process, executing your vision and a wedding, celebration, or corporate event that is unique to you.