Broken vows: Lockdown misery for couples who still want a big wedding

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Couples who have paid tens of thousands of pounds for a dream wedding this summer face a bitter fight to get their money back.

Small weddings with up to 30 guests have finally been given the go-ahead, with the first ceremonies since March taking place last weekend.

Many couples are overjoyed they can now at least officially tie the knot and are happy to postpone the reception for another time. 

But for those who have paid for larger celebrations, the new guidance could make it even harder to get their money back.

Nearly 75,000 weddings were cancelled in England between March 23 and July 3, according to official figures.

Most venues and suppliers have worked tirelessly to help those affected find a new date, but some have been caught pocketing thousands of pounds in deposits, charging hefty administration fees or simply refusing to allow couples to postpone at all.

Those who are offered another date may end up with a cheaper option, such as a Monday in February, rather than the Saturday in August they had booked. It is then down to the discretion of the venue whether to refund the difference.

Wedding planning website Bridebook estimates that 80 per cent of venues have already been booked out for key summer dates in 2021. 

Other couples are finding they must pay thousands of pounds more to get married in 2021 as some venues are charging next year’s prices. 

Those who have paid hefty deposits to florists and photographers could also lose out if the supplier can’t make the new date.

Almost half (43 per cent) of couples have lost money due to their wedding being cancelled or postponed, with one in ten out of pocket because of the venue, according to research by financial wellbeing app Dreams. 

Others have lost hundreds of pounds after having to change the date engraved on rings, wedding favours and gifts.

The average UK wedding costs around £31,974, according to website Hitched.co.uk. But this is expected to increase by £1,586 because of the pandemic.

Couples may also find they are unable to get wedding insurance to cover them should their venue or suppliers go out of business as a result of coronavirus. 

Most major insurance firms, including John Lewis and Debenhams, stopped selling wedding cover at the start of the crisis.

Some, such as John Lewis and Emerald Life, are offering to extend cover for existing customers free of charge so they will be protected until their new date.

But, even then, many couples have found their wedding insurance will not pay claims linked to Covid-19, as the policies include exclusions for cancellations due to Government acts or regulation, such as lockdown restrictions.

In April, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) received soaring numbers of complaints about wedding venues refusing to refund customers and instead telling couples to claim their money back on their insurance. 

Consumer group Which? says it heard from couples who had been charged an 80 per cent cancellation fee by Bijou Weddings Group.

However, the watchdog has stated clearly that venues must offer customers a full refund if the wedding could not go ahead due to lockdown restrictions. 

It adds that refunds must be paid if the customer ‘is prevented from receiving any services’ due to lockdown.

But there is no up-to-date guidance on what venues should do if your wedding can go ahead but with far fewer guests and without many of the extras you were promised. 

Police officers Gary Sharp, 38, and Samantha Lowes, 30, were due to get married two months ago, but had to postpone their big day until May 2021.

The couple, who live in Newcastle, were able to rearrange most of their £30,000 wedding without charge. 

But they still face a £2,000 bill to send out a new batch of invitations, buy new flower girl dresses for growing children and replace hundreds of pounds worth of hip flasks, wedding sweets and coat hangers labelled with the old date.

A claim on their insurance from Debenhams was rejected because it had arisen as a result of a ‘Government regulation or act’.

Gary says: ‘There’s been no level of empathy whatsoever.’

Adam French, of Which?, says: ‘If the venue cannot provide the wedding you paid for, you should get your money back. If you want to move the date, this should also be an option. 

‘If you booked a prime Saturday slot in June and this is moved to a Tuesday in November, you should be refunded accordingly to reflect the cost of the date.’

If you decide to go ahead with a small wedding, you should be entitled to a partial refund — but it is down to you to negotiate.

Mr French says: ‘Ask the provider for a breakdown of costs and agree a payment based on this. If they fail to be fair, you may have to take the firm to the small claims court. But you can only do this if your wedding costs under £10,000.’

If you paid using a debit or credit card, try making a chargeback or a Section 75 claim with your bank or card provider on the grounds you did not get what you paid for.

a.murray@dailymail.co.uk