So, you’ve been planning your wedding for months, maybe even longer. You have your venue, your caterer, your florist, everything’s in order. But now, something has come up and you have to either postpone or cancel it altogether.
Well, while there’s no question that wedding planning is a stressful experience, canceling it can be even worse. And if you don’t know how to cancel a wedding, it can be tough to know where to start or what to do.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help! If you find yourself faced with the task of canceling your wedding, these are the steps you need to take.
1. Decide Whether to Postpone or Cancel
The first thing you need to do is to choose between postponement or cancellation. If you still want to go through with the wedding, but simply need to push it back a month or two, you should contact your venue first. They can help you choose a new date and may even hold your deposit if you’re not quite ready to set one.
2. Check All Cancellation Policies
You probably have a huge binder or folder on your computer with all of your vendor contracts. The next step is to look these over and find all of the cancellation policies. Now, depending on the circumstances and the vendor, you need to be prepared that you may lose your deposit.
If you have wedding insurance, now’s the time to contact your insurance company. Also, be sure to check with your travel insurance if you need to cancel your honeymoon before calling your hotel or airline.
It’s not uncommon for weddings to be postponed or canceled because a job loss makes it difficult to take on such a large expense. If that’s the case for you and your partner, be sure to look into New York workers compensation for possible assistance.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Breakups happen, probably more often than you’d think. If you’re feeling alone and stressed, remember that 20% of engagements are broken off before the wedding. That being said, you may not be in a position to cancel everything by yourself.
If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to ask for help from a trusted friend or family member. Pick someone you feel confident can handle such a large task and give them all of the information they’ll need to do so.
4. Inform Your Vendors
Whether you’re doing it yourself or having a friend do it for you, your vendors need to be informed that the wedding is off or postponed. Once again, check your cancellation policies – some vendors require that you give notice in writing.
It’s never a bad idea to meet with your vendors in person to come to an agreement, staying on good terms with the various wedding professionals can make all the difference.
5. Tell Your Guests
Last, inform your guests of the new date or cancellation. Don’t feel obligated to give a detailed explanation of why or what happened, but they do need to be made aware that the wedding is no longer taking place. Start with guests you know will be making travel plans, then contact the ones that live nearby.
These things happen all the time, whether it be from a breakup or other circumstances. Your friends and family will understand!
Follow this Guide on How to Cancel a Wedding
When canceling a wedding, or any event, it’s important that you handle it in a professional, caring manner. It can be extremely difficult to do so if you’re going through a breakup or other painful time in your life, so reach out to your friends and family if you need to.
Now that you know how to cancel a wedding, you’ll be able to explain the process to whoever you choose to help. That way, they can handle it the way you would want.
Looking for more wedding tips? Check out our blog!
