While nobody wants to imagine something going wrong on their big day, planning for the possibility of a mishap is actually one of the smartest things you can do. Because let’s be honest, the universe might just not care that you’ve invested countless hours and thousands of dollars into this event.
Although hosting a micro wedding may lead you to believe that insurance is one of the items you can do without (smaller event = smaller chance of something bad happening… right?), this probably isn’t the truth.
Here we’re laying out all of the ins and outs of wedding insurance so you can decide if insuring your micro wedding is the right choice for you.
What is Wedding Insurance?
Wedding insurance is essentially just like any other insurance you might purchase. It protects you in case of something unexpected going wrong.
Some examples of this might be:
- A vendor doesn’t show up the day of the wedding
- Your venue goes out of business right before your event and cancels on you
- A hurricane blasts into town the day before your event
- Someone drinks too much at your reception and gets into an accident
Two Kinds of Insurance
There are two main types of wedding insurance that you can invest in:
Liability: this kind of insurance would cover you if there was damage to the venue that you were held responsible for (some venues actually require you to have liability insurance in order to host your event there). It also covers you if someone were to get injured or sick at your event – this does cover alcohol related incidents as well (yes – YOU will be held liable if someone drinks too much at your wedding and then gets into an accident driving home). Even if your micro wedding is held at a small venue, this is still a smart option. Seemingly small incidents can still be very expensive when you’re paying for them out of pocket.
Other examples of potential vendor claims you might run into include:
- Photographers not showing up or delivering photos
- A company going bankrupt and not being able to follow through (catering, florist, DJ, equipment rental)
- Your gown getting lost or damaged
- Transportation failing to follow through
Cancelation/postponement: this coverage reimburses you if you have to cancel or postpone your event. The covered reasons usually include extreme weather, illness or injury to the wedding party or immediate family, and other events that are out of your control (like a global pandemic..). It will also usually cover a single vendor not showing up to the event. If you have to reschedule your event, this coverage will help to pay for another ceremony/reception. Again, these are ALL things that could still happen, even if you’re hosting a micro wedding. A smaller wedding doesn’t prevent illness, injury, or insane events that could halt your event.
**Note: this does NOT cover cold feet!
Many policies that are offered include both of these main types of coverage, and you can purchase them separately or together.
You can also choose to add options like:
- Gifts – this covers gifts that may be stolen of damaged when mailed
- Deployment – if a bride/groom is unexpectedly or suddenly deployed and the event needs to be canceled or postponed
- Honeymoon
You can also purchase additional insurance, which would cover your deposits.
This is great because if you’re hosting a micro wedding in your own backyard with about 20 people, you may not see the point in liability insurance, but investing in cancelation insurance would give you peace of mind. Or, you might not want to insure your actual wedding, but have an epic (and expensive) honeymoon planned, and choose to cover that instead.
What's NOT Covered!
Wedding insurance doesn’t cover EVERYTHING! While it does cover most unexpected events, some that are within your control aren’t included.
Some examples of events that are NOT covered by wedding insurance include:
- Losing your engagement ring or having it stolen (you can purchase separate coverage for this though!)
- Other expensive jewelry being lost or stolen (this includes decor on a dress)
- Switching vendors after you’ve paid an initial deposit
- Mild weather (aka rain) – this is why a Plan B is always important if you have an outside event planned!
- Cold feet – if someone backs out of the wedding and you decide to cancel, this will not be covered
Where Should You Buy Insurance From?
Before you take the step of purchasing wedding insurance, first check into what is already insured for you. Vendors, venues, and other services might already have insurance in place, so you don’t need double coverage there.
The places you should check before buying your own include:
- Your venue – check to see if they’re covered, and if not, whether or not they require you to purchase your own coverage. That might end the debate of whether or not to invest in it for you.
- Vendors (catering, bar, equipment rental, DJ, etc) – be sure to ask for a copy of their policy so you can verify what’s covered and what holes you might need to fill.
- Your personal homeowners or rental insurance – you might actually have some coverage here if you’re hosting your micro wedding at your own house or backyard. If the event is being hosted at someone else’s house, then check into their homeowners insurance. Be sure to call and ask about liability in the event of alcohol related incidents, as you may need additional protection there. It’s important to note that you should NOT assume that since your event is smaller, it will automatically be covered. Anything involving more participants than those who normally live at the house should be checked into. It never hurts to call and ask!
If you’ve checked into those three categories and would still like to purchase additional insurance (note that cancelation isn’t included in those options above), then check out this article about the best wedding insurance policies. There are a number of companies that offer wedding insurance, with a wide variety of coverage options. Make sure to shop around and be sure the company you choose covers what you want for the cost you’re comfortable with.
How Much Does it Cost?
The cost of wedding insurance varies depending on what you’re insuring and for how much. This is where it can be beneficial to have a micro wedding, because you’re insuring less guests and possibly less equipment, which may translate to a less expensive policy.
Again, call whatever company you’re considering and chat with them about the fact that you’re having a micro wedding. They may offer specific discounts or have some advice about what policy you should buy.
Policies can begin as low as $60 for liability only, and go up to $1,000 for cancellation involving a more expensive event.
Always be sure to check the deductible when you’re purchasing a policy. If your deductible is higher than the cost of the deposit for a vendor, it won’t end up being much help if that vendor falls through.
When Should You Buy It?
You should really purchase wedding insurance as soon as you begin spending money on your event. The earlier you get yourself insured, the less likely it is that you’ll run into a financial disaster if something goes wrong.
So.... Do You Need It?
The bottom line when it comes to insuring your micro wedding is that it’s personal preference. Each wedding is different. A micro wedding doesn’t necessarily mean a micro budget, and even if it does, you still might want to invest in liability coverage in the event that someone gets hurt or sick.
Some of the main factors to consider when deciding whether or not to insure your micro wedding are:
- How much are you investing in this event? If you’ve shelled out thousands of dollars for your dream wedding, it’s probably worth it to invest in a decent policy to cover your losses if something goes wrong.
- Where are you getting married? This matters if you’re getting married somewhere that can easily be impacted by adverse weather (tropical destinations – especially during hurricane season) or other unplanned events.
- When are you getting married? If a winter wedding is what you’ve chosen, and you live somewhere that’s notorious for unexpected blizzards, cancellation insurance might be a good bet.
- Will it alleviate stress? If you’re someone who worries a bit, then purchasing a policy might be worth it just for the peace of mind. If you’re someone who usually gets travelers insurance for that reason, then chances are wedding insurance will help you stress less as well.
If you’ve used wedding insurance before let us know how it went!