When a Wedding is Called Off

Weddings are emotional events and the planning process can be a great time for the bride and groom to start functioning together as a team. Sadly, this time can sometimes bring to light the fact that the couple may not be meant for each other after all. Cancelled weddings are tricky and processing through them can be difficult. How do you know who pays for what? Is there ever a way to recover any funds paid out to vendors? How do you go about letting people know? Well as always, we are here to help.

If a wedding is cancelled, the bride or her family is responsible for all the expenses they are usually responsible for, as well as the notices to rescind the invitation – regardless of who calls off the wedding. The bride is also responsible for reimbursing the bridesmaids for any costs they may have incurred for bridesmaids’ gowns.

As for the ring, the bride may want to do a little research about this and seek legal advice. The ring is usually given to the bride as a gift and therefore, she doesn't have to return it. However, many brides do this as a symbol of calling it off!

Obviously, if the bride and groom were paying for everything together, they will need to figure out how best to settle their expenses and deposit forfeitures. A lawyer would need to be consulted in the event this cannot be worked out.

As for deposits paid, you would need to read each contract carefully, but generally all deposits paid to wedding venues and vendors are non-refundable. And wedding gowns, once ordered specifically to the bride’s measurements, are also non-returnable and non-refundable. But some ways to remedy the problem of a now unnecessary wedding gown would be to try to resell it or donate it.

If there is not time to send a letter of cancellation before the wedding, each guest must be called. If there is time to send a note to guests, it should read something like this:

Mr. and Mrs. John Smith
announce that the marriage of
their daughter
Joan
to
Mr. John Doe
will not take place

When a wedding cancellation occurs, it is usually very painful, so when guests ask " What happened?” the best response is "For personal reasons they decided to not become married."

We hope you never find yourself in this unfortunate situation, but if you do, we hope this will help you navigate through it. Best wishes to you all!