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Wedding insurance may not seem like a necessity, or fit well into your budget, but it could save you from financial catastrophe. 
Follow this checklist to help you ensure your big day is protected:
Items that could get lost, stolen, or damaged
You invest so much in your engagement and wedding day, so protect the big-ticket items, such as wedding and engagement rings, the wedding gown, bridal party gowns, gifts, and other valuables.
No-show guests
You organize your seating arrangement and dinner menu according to the number of attendees, so you’ll need to prepare yourself for guests, whole families, or out-of-towners who can’t make it last minute.
Wedding vendors
If you hire certain vendors—such as caterers, florists, a DJ, a band, or anyone else—you expect them to show up, and show up on time. Make sure to ask your wedding vendors if they have insurance of their own, and if they are affiliated with any associations that may be more reliable, such as the Association of Bridal Consultants or the International Service Events Society. Many times, vendors have to adhere to the standards of their industry associations to stay in good standing, so they won’t risk unprofessional conduct. Choose vendors that you feel are reliable, flexible and willing to accommodate your needs.
Contracts
When it comes to vendors and venues, get a contract. Make sure that your contract includes back-up plan items. Sometimes venues will say that they have coverage and so you do not need it – that’s not always true. Just because they have liability insurance doesn’t mean that it covers you and your wedding. Ask to see their liability insurance plan. Ask if the venue has backup generators. Ask about the refund policy. Ask as many questions as possible. The more you know, the more you can protect yourself. You should also have someone review your contract, such as a lawyer. If you’ve hired a wedding planner, they can assist you in your contract as well, plus they’ll know to ask plenty of questions you might not have considered.
Liquor license
If you plan on serving alcohol at your wedding, it is absolutely necessary that you get a liquor license. Ask your bartenders, servers, caterers, and the venue if they already have liquor licenses. Ask your lawyer or wedding planner to  review their licenses. If you need to get a liquor license of your own, get one. Make sure the bartenders card everyone who looks underage. Make sure no one is over-served. Take every precaution you can. That way, if Aunt Linda’s boozy new boyfriend drives over someone’s mailbox after your reception, you won’t get sued. And even if you do, everyone will be covered.
Cancellations or postponements
Whether it’s due to bad weather, health complications, or any other detrimental obstacles that might present themselves, cancelling or postponing an entire wedding could be extremely costly if you don’t have right type of event insurance. The standard wedding insurance package covers around $125,000, which aims to cover everything in the case that your wedding can’t take place due to un-forseen circumstances on its set date. There are plenty of companies that cover wedding-day insurance, so you should be able to find one that’s right for you. |
