Even if you are totally engrossed in preparing for your wedding it has probably not escaped your notice that the world is starting to seriously worry about the spread of corona virus.  The two things may not seem to be remotely connected…until you realise that this bug is going to affect pretty much everything – weddings included. 

In this post we just flag up a few things you might need to factor into your plans. 

Time to rethink getting married abroad

The idea of tying the knot on a tropical beach or in a romantic foreign destination has huge appeal.  Until you realise that getting there (to say nothing of back home again) could suddenly become a lot more tricky if the country or local area has an outbreak.

Even if the region doesn’t go into total lockdown the airline could suspend your flights (or go into liquidation!).  A large number of different carriers (oops, probably shouldn’t use that word in this context…) are busy cancelling hundreds of flights in response to what is being described as “demand destruction”.  British Airways, Ryanair, Virgin and most of the big Asian airlines have been cancelling up to 25% of flights as passenger numbers have all but collapsed on certain routes.

If you’ve already booked a wedding abroad and the flights are cancelled?  You are entitled to a full refund.  There will be delays, however, and it’ll be a problematic process, particularly if you used an online agent to make the original booking.  But what about all the other costs, like your hotel bookings and such like?  You’ll have to check the small print on your travel insurance.

Even if it’s possible to fly to a particular destination you’ll definitely find some of your guests reluctant to travel when planes, airports and hotels are great places to catch infectious diseases.

In the circumstances it makes a lot of sense to wed closer to home.  If you decide to rethink your plans and want to find a venue in the UK as a matter of some urgency then we do have a very few dates still available at Clevedon Hall – but you’d better hurry as we expect them to go soon.

Honeymoon, minimoon, stag and hen do

How many people honeymoon and minimoon abroad?  A lot!  Then there’s the stag and hen capers.   Recent research concludes that almost half of all flights taken by men aged 20-45 are for stag dos, while a third of flights account for women’s hen trips.

So, even if you intend to wed in this country you probably have some other travel plans included.  For the reasons discussed above we suggest you check your travel insurance.  And if you were thinking of heading overseas, but haven’t booked yet, you’d be well advised to reconsider.

If you’d like some inspiration on great honeymoon destinations in the UK check out our recent blog post on the subject.

Unexpected consequences

Some of the ways in which the virus may affect your wedding, like the travel issues, are obvious.  Others are less so. 

Many bridal retailers in the UK import their dresses from China.  With much of that country now in lockdown to prevent further spread of the contagion many factories have been forced to close. Closure means no production and no production means no wedding dresses. 

Labour MP Chris Bryant recently flagged up this issue in the House of Commons, reporting that shops in the UK were already finding it difficult to keep their businesses going during the peak spring wedding dress shopping season.  The problem is also affecting bridesmaid dresses and groomsmen suits.

What can you do about this to avoid a problem?  Place your orders earlier than planned.

Wedding insurance

Weddings plans can be disrupted for a wide variety of reasons – and if you haven’t considered a policy up until this point the corona virus outbreak might make you want to think again.

Wedding insurance policy will cover loss or damage due to unforeseen circumstances, like damage to the wedding dress or lost rings,’ Anders explained. This includes:

·         The venue cancels

·         A supplier lets you down

·         You have to cancel because a key person (immediate family, bridesmaids, best man) is unable to make it for serious reasons like a death, illness or jury service

·         Lost, stolen or damaged cake, rings or gifts

·         Weather disruption

·         Not receiving your wedding photos or videos

·         Public liability cover and legal expenses

·         Miscellaneous other expenses – marquees, for instance

If you took out a policy before the coronavirus outbreak in January 2020 then you are probably covered if:

·         The venue for the wedding or reception is unable to host you because of an outbreak of corona virus or the venue is closed by a relevant authority.

·         You have to cancel the wedding due to the death or illness of a wedding participants or a close relative, which would make continuing with the wedding and/or wedding reception impossible. (For example, if one of the wedding participants, or a close relative contracted the coronavirus shortly before the wedding, and was unable to attend due to ill health, being in quarantine, or death then that would also be covered.)

Having said this, wedding insurance will not cover you against every possible corona virus related risk and eventuality.  A policy will give you added peace of mind but you must check the small print carefully!

Need any more help or advice?

This situation surrounding this public health issue is changing by the day and nobody knows for sure how things are likely to develop.  If you have any questions regarding how this might affect your wedding, or how you should possibly change your plans, the team here are happy to help.  We’ve never had to deal with anything like this before – but we’ll do our best!