When Richie and I got married in October of 2015, we didn’t think much about wedding insurance. I did think about how Super Storm Sandy had been the same weekend a few years earlier, but that couldn’t happen again! I certainly wasn’t going to jinx things by mentioning anything along those lines out loud… The question, “Do I need wedding insurance?” never crossed my lips.

And then the weekend before our wedding, Hurricane Joaquin hit. Only a category one. Only some wind and rain. We didn’t even lose power… but I was a basket case, and it wasn’t even our wedding weekend! Most weddings that weekend went off in the rain and wind. But it got me thinking… What would we do, and would wedding insurance have helped. And the answer was, “YES!” Here’s what I now tell my brides. Unless you can afford to throw your wedding twice, you need wedding insurance! Now don’t get me wrong, and misting rain, a little but of wind. None of that is what I’m talking about. In fact those things are oftne what make a wedding day a little extra-memorable. And cute rain boots and clear umbrellas make great “rain insurance.” buy them ahead of time, and I can almost guarantee you blue skies.

Photo Credit: Idalia Photography; Florals: Lily in the Valley Florist

That following winter, there was a blizzard, and a couple took mass transit to their wedding at St. Patrick’s cathedral in NYC. Where fewer than half their guests showed up. And it got me thinking… Here’s the article from the New York Times, with some amazing photography!I’m not saying they should have canceled, but I maybe they would have wanted the option of rescheduling. Although what a story, and they were on the news. We saw it… and then we lost power.

What Exactly is Wedding Insurance?

“A basic insurance policy that covers loss of photos, videos, attire, presents, rings and deposits usually costs anywhere between $155 and $550, depending on the amount of coverage you want. General liability insurance, which covers up to $1,000,000 for accidents, costs around $185. But, good news! You can also get free wedding insurance (yes, free!) if you book your wedding venue through The Knot Venue Concierge, where $27,000 in free wedding insurance coverage is included in the policy.” (theknot.com)

What’s Is, and Is Not, Covered

Most basic policies will cover your venue, and cover you for weather. They will cover your dress and no-show vendors. They will also cover you for a death in your immediate family or, god-forbid a sick bride or groom. They will not cover a change in heart. Always check with your insurance agent and read over your entire policy. Then, check with your venue and vendors. Many of them will already have insurance policies that cover some things. You can also add onto an insurance policy if there is a concern over something not included in the basic policy.

The best insurance policy is the one you didn’t have to use, but kept you sane! I will also mention, as a side note, we did purchase honeymoon insurance. And we didn’t spend nearly as much on our honeymoon compared to the wedding. Thankfully we didn’t have to use that insurance policy either. But I did feel better knowing we had it if we needed it.

If you think you would like to see more of Hannah and Matt’s Brant Beach Yacht Club wedding in the rain, check out this post. They really were epic troopers. And another of BWE’s 2018 couples, Annie and Tim, braved the weather as well, and were rewarded with a break in the storm and some epic skies in the background!