Do You Need to Buy Wedding Insurance?

After NYC's reBar suddenly closed earlier this month, leaving many couples out of a wedding venue (and out of a lot of cash), brides and grooms across the country began to wonder if something like this could happen to them...and if they should purchase wedding insurance just in case. Wedding insurance is exactly what it sounds like: an insurance policy that protects your pocketbook in case the unexpected happens before your wedding day. Here's everything you need to know about it.

Wedding insurance typically covers...

Bad weather. When Hurricane Sandy hit in 2012, a lot of wedding venues were flooded and without power. If your wedding will be at a location where there is a chance of tornadoes, hurricanes, or major snow storms, it might be worth getting wedding insurance, which should cover everything from the venue to the invitations to the deposit you paid to the florist. Vendor/venue damage and closures. If your venue is unavailable due to a fire or flood or your caterer goes out of business, you would likely be covered. A VIP's unexpected absence. If someone important (like the bride or the mother of the groom) suddenly can't make it to the wedding due to illness or death and you need to move the wedding date, most insurance policies will cover the costs. You may also be covered if you or your spouse has to move suddenly for work or military service. Flaky vendors. If your florist or photographer doesn't show up, you can likely recover some of the cost. The insurance may also pay for a mini do-over (i.e. your family and bridal party can come back together to re-take some of the photos). Your wedding rings. That scenario you keep having nightmares about, where your wedding rings disappear on the big day? You could sleep easier knowing you'd likely be protected if that happened.

Photo by: Alfred & Emma Photography on The Brides Cafe via Lover.ly

Wedding insurance may cover...

Liability. If a guest is injured at the wedding and decides to sue you, you will likely be covered by the insurance policy. But if this is something you're really worried about, look carefully at the time period that is covered by the policy; if a guest leaves the reception drunk and is involved in a car accident a few hours later, you may not be covered by the policy. Research this one carefully if you're getting married at home. Your wedding gifts. It's horrible to think about, but wedding crashers sometimes walk off with gifts and cards full of cash; if this happens, the gifts (but not the cash) may be covered. Your attire. If your wedding gown is stolen from your car after you pick it up or your formal wear shop goes out of business, your policy may pay for a replacement. Wedding insurance typically does not cover... Cold feet. If you or your fiance suddenly decides not to walk down the aisle, your wedding insurance won't help. Guests who don't show up. If you told your caterer 200 people were attending, but only 150 show (and it wasn't because of a natural disaster) you'll likely still be on the hook for their plates. Wedding insurance can cost anywhere from $150 to $500 depending on the kind of coverage you want. On one hand, $150 doesn't seem like much when you're looking at, say, $30,000 budget; on the other hand, every little expense does add up, and there may just not be room for the extra money in your budget. If you're thinking of buying wedding insurance, check with your venue and individual vendors first to see what sort of insurance they carry; there may be no need to pay for additional coverage. From there, talk to your fiance and decide whether a little extra wedding protection is worth it to you!