Further to my previous blog on how to deal with wedding guests over-indulging at the free bar I never thought that newlyweds would need to be warned about checking how much their photographer is knocking back!

That is exactly the fate that newlyweds Linus and Tammy Choo suffered after their wedding in Singapore. Their perfect day ended with their photographer getting so drunk at the post-wedding party that he lost his camera kit including the two memory cards containing the couple’s precious wedding photos.

I know that it is unfair to judge a photographer on what he gets up to once his stint at your wedding has finished but anyone carrying such valuable cargo as your irreplaceable wedding photos should really have known better. This is barely acceptable behavior from a friend you might have asked to take your wedding photos, let alone a paid professional!

It's all well and good to think that if something goes wrong with your wedding photos "The photographer will refund the money," but that doesn't always happen. The Choo’s, who had purchased a full wedding photography package worth over $10,000, were offered a $1,188 refund by the photography company according to The Electric New Paper. This would not even cover them for getting everyone together later to retake all of the wedding pictures.

To avoid a similar situation I recommend that you take out wedding insurance which can cover the cost of getting another photographer for a second shoot if you want one. Whilst this might seem like small compensation to you when you have lost all the photos of your special day, which can never really be recaptured in the same way, it at least goes some way to reimburse costs you might incur in retaking the photos.

Without a doubt it is ridiculous for you to be expected to check at the end of your wedding day whether your photographer has placed the all-important camera films or memory cards somewhere safe. However there are some precautionary measures which you can take to help you avoid the same misfortune as the Choo’s. Here are some tips to give you peace of mind on your wedding day:

♥ During your initial meetings with the photographer ask if the person you are meeting with is the same person who will be there on your wedding day. If not, then ask to meet the actual photographer and also take a look at some examples of their work. If this is resisted then you should definitely be concerned.

♥ Of course it is unacceptable to ask the photographer whether they intend on drinking alcohol once their work at your wedding is complete but it is totally within your rights to ask them where their camera and equipment will be stowed for the night. If you are unhappy with the arrangements which they have made you could make your own suggestions, after all you are paying for the photos. Perhaps the films or memory cards could be place in the wedding venue’s safe for the night or a trusted photographer’s assistant, family member or sober friend could look after them.

♥ If you are really concerned then try to ascertain whether the photographer usually drinks at the end of a job (or even during!). The best way to do that is to seek opinions from other couples who have used this photographer personally about his work and performance, either from people you know or from other couples via wedding websites on the internet (you could search the photographer’s name in Google and look for reviews). Find out what training and experience your photographer has.

♥ Most importantly you should ask the photographer if they offer any compensation themselves for loss of photographs. Do they have professional indemnity insurance to cover the cost of retaking your photographs if something does go wrong.

I hope that the Choo's story serves as a cautionary tale for those of you choosing your wedding photographers. Whilst we all want our photographers to feel comfortable amongst our family and friends on our wedding day we also want to make sure that our wedding photos see the light of day!

Good luck with your planning.

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If you have to unexpectedly curtail or cancel your wedding you definitely want to be safe in the knowledge that your wedding insurance will cover you.

For instance it is very important that you are covered if any of the wedding party suffer death, injury, or illness. Critically though your policy often won’t cover pre-existing conditions. Additionally any terminal prognosis for a condition made before you take out the insurance will not be covered.

Equally you should carefully read the conditions on pregnancy as you will only be able to make a successful claim if the birth is expected more than 3 months after your wedding day.

Also don’t expect to be covered if you break your leg while rock climbing a few weeks before the wedding. This is termed as dangerous activity and if you consider any of your hobbies and sports fall into this category it is worth specifically asking your insurance company for clarification.

Obviously if you are aware of any circumstances likely to result in a cancellation before you took the policy out, you are not covered. In addition if either the bride or groom decide not to get married due to their own reasons, they are not covered.

Imagine anyone of the following circumstances happening, resulting in you seriously needing to consider cancelling your wedding. Check your insurance policy cover today to ensure you are covered in the event of a cancellation?

♥ Are you covered if as a member of the armed services you are unexpectedly posted overseas?

♥ Imagine that the premises where you are holding your ceremony becomes damaged, closed by the local authority or the owners go bankrupt. Are you covered for these unfortunate circumstances? In fact some policies cover you in the likelihood that the ceremony venue can no longer hold your wedding due to an outbreak of an infectious or contagious disease!

♥ Is any member of the wedding party likely to be doing jury service?

♥ Is your catering company financially stable? You certainly don’t want to be caught short because they have been closed down by a liquidation or bankruptcy days before your wedding. Check that your insurance will pay you for all irrecoverable expenses you incur. Additionally ensure that you are covered for the extra cost of alternative services to enable re-arrangement of your wedding to avoid an unavoidable cancellation of the whole wedding.

♥ How long before your actual wedding day are you covered for loss or damage to your wedding attire? Is it five working days or longer? Often the small print will say “where the purchase or hire of alternative attire is not possible”. This may be a gray area, and might be worth checking. Remember you won’t be covered if your attire was left in an unattended vehicle, it needs to be locked in an enclosed boot that is not accessible by removing a partition, shelf or breaking a window.

♥ Fortunately I haven’t heard of a wedding within my circle of friends where the registrar or vicar hasn’t turned up. This is almost unthinkable! Organising another date would be a nightmare but at least you would be little less stressed if your policy had paid up for this eventuality. Check this is the case with your policy.

♥ You can almost be forgiven for assuming you are covered for bad weather, but as always it is worth checking. Your policy should cover circumstances where the wedding or reception venue can not be used due to extreme weather damage. In addition you should also be covered for a situation where the majority of your guests can not reach the venue due to the weather.

♥ I always advise taking out wedding insurance as soon as you can. If a year before your wedding the bride, bridegroom or any parent making a proven significant financial contribution finds them self unexpectedly unemployed you at least want to have the opportunity to rearrange the date if lack of income is going to seriously affect your wedding budget. Remember though to check the “exclusions” as employment is usually needs to be continuous and full time for at least 12 months.

If you find yourself claiming for any of the above it is important to ensure your insurance company will pay up to the amount in your chosen schedule for all irrecoverable expenses you have incurred for the following:

* reception catering services
* wedding night accommodation
* transport to and from the wedding/reception
* wedding flowers
* photographs
* dress hire that have been booked but not used.

Note: There will also be cost where things go wrong and you unexpectedly and unavoidably you have to pay extra for alternative services, thus preventing the complete cancellation of the wedding. It is worth checking what percentage of the original services you will be insured for.

Further Wedding Insurance Reading:

UK Wedding Insurance Companies -Time Saving Links To Policy Documents
11 Golden Reasons All Couples Should Have Wedding Insurance - Make sure you take out wedding insurance today.
Hitched.co.uk Has Chosen Ecclesiastical Insurance To Provide Wedding Insurance Policies Through Its Website - Wedding insurance joins the range of wedding planning services and advice already offered by Hitched.co.uk.

Financial Disclaimer

Wedaholic.com does not accept any liability for any investment decisions made on the basis of this information. This web site does not constitute financial advice and should not be taken as such. Wedaholic.com urges you to obtain professional advice before proceeding with any investment.

Marks & Spencer’s are already an easily affordable one-stop shop for couples planning their weddings with their range of wedding products and services available, including stationary, insurance, lingerie and accessories, flowers and cakes. Now they have taken a bigger bite out of the wedding pie by launching a range of wedding dresses ranging in price from £59-£150 - perfect for the bride-to-be on a budget!

The new collection of bridal and occasionwear will be available at M&S stores and online in March 2007. The collection consists of wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, grooms' suits, page boys’ outfits and occasionwear for guests and other attendants. According to a review at Fashionunited.co.uk brides-to-be can choose from a range of five wedding dresses which include full length and knee length skirts and strappy and bustier style dresses in classic white or cream. Take a look at one of the dresses yourself at Bridalwave.tv. I personally think that M&S’s dresses will sell very well. It’s great that modern brides are being offered the option of choosing a more affordable wedding dress. It’s about time that the wedding dress market realized that they need to make wedding dresses available to suit every pocket and every style of bride.

According to lse.co.uk the average bride spends £826 on her wedding dress. This is a huge amount of money to spend on a dress which will only be worn once, even if the wedding dress is one of the main focal points at a wedding. Every bride wants her chance to play dress-up and shine like a fairytale princess or a Hollywood star on her wedding day, but nowadays there is no need for you to spend such a huge proportion of your wedding budget just to get yourself a beautiful dress. With the advent of the new ranges of off-the-peg wedding dresses being produced by stores such as Asda, H&M and M&S you can grab yourself an elegant wedding dress without having to compromise on style and fashion and most importantly without having to pay designer prices!

You may remember that back in July I wrote a comprehensive listing of all the best wedding insurance companies in the UK. Namely Confetti.co.uk, Debenhams, Ecclesiastical, Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Ltd, Event Insurance, Marks and Spencer, MRL Insurance Direct, and Wedding Plan Insurance. If you missed it, here is a link to it along with a link to the 11 golden reasons all couples should have wedding insurance. I know I'm biased but I do highly recommend it because instead of having to visit each insurer's website you now only have to visit one page. There are in depth descriptions of all the different types of covers offered and links to the policy documents, how to order online, company details, ownership facts, and links to the underwriters with notes on their regulations. I have tried to make it as easy as possible for every bride and groom in the UK to compare each policy against the next.

Within this article I stated:

"Both Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc and The Equine and Livestock Insurance Co Limited are both wholly independent and are underwritten by themselves. Marks and Spencer Insurance are underwritten by Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. "

I can now report that the wedding planning website Hitched.co.uk has chosen Ecclesiastical Insurance to provide wedding insurance policies through its website or by calling 0800 336622.

Wedding insurance joins the range of wedding planning services and advice already offered by Hitched.co.uk, which include speech-writing, venue-shopping and gift-buying. I love visiting the discussion forums and providing help whenever I can - my profile name online is "elleatwedaholicdotcom".

Ecclesiastical will also offer the opportunity to purchase honeymoon insurance at the same time.

Darren Noel, Business Development Director at Hitched, said:

"The Hitched site offers couples everything they need to organise their perfect day. And with so much time, effort and money spent organising a wedding, it makes sense to protect it with insurance."

Ian Henderson, Customer Services Manager at Ecclesiastical said:

"Wedding insurance gives peace of mind during all the preparations leading up to the day itself. Couples shouldn't assume their home insurance covers them – wedding insurance covers damaged dresses, lost rings and suppliers going bust for example. And with so much riding on the day, it's not worth taking the risk of not insuring."

Ecclesiastical's wedding insurance policy provides cover for cancellation or curtailment, re-arrangement, attire, presents, rings, cakes and flowers, photographs and video, failure of suppliers, transport, wedding documents, public liability and marquees (Marquee cover provided for an additional premium, not available with Tier 1 cover). The policy also includes legal expenses cover and a free counselling helpline provided by DAS Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited (not available with Tier 1).

For full details of Ecclesiastical's wedding policy cover and exclusions please see the policy document.

Further Wedding Insurance Reading:

UK Wedding Insurance Companies -Time Saving Links To Policy Documents
11 Golden Reasons All Couples Should Have Wedding Insurance - Make sure you take out wedding insurance today.
Will Your Wedding Insurance Cover You If You Cancel Before The Event? - A full list of circumstances you need to check are listed in your policy documents.

I’ve mentioned before to you how you can pick up some real bargains for your wedding on eBay. Well the latest “bargain” item on their website is Madonna’s wedding tiara - it’s a snip at a mere US $225,000!

Madonna has donated the diamond tiara which she wore for her December 2000 wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle in Scotland to raise money for charity.

The tiara, was originally bought by Madonna from exclusive jewelers Asprey of London. It dates back to the Edwardian era (1910’s) and is made up of 765 diamonds with a weight of approximately 78 carats. It can be converted into a fringed necklace by removing the top swag pieces. They will even throw the monogrammed green presentation box in for free!

The proceeds from the sale, which ends today at 18:00:00 PDT, will go to the charitable Kazanjian Foundation, which funds projects to help disadvantaged kids.

So far there have been no offers made for the stunning, if somewhat pricey, tiara. So if you are on the lookout for that final breathtaking accessory to complete your fairytale wedding outfit then get bidding!

Without doubt all brides and grooms should take out wedding insurance, in fact here are 11 golden reasons to back this statement up.

To save you the time and trouble we have provided time saving links to eight of the top wedding insurance companies in the UK. You can easily review the levels of cover, explanation of cover for each level, policy documents, cover summaries, contact details, ownership, underwriters, regulators and reviews.

All of the companies can be checked on the Financial Services Authority's register by visiting their website at www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting them on 0845 606 1234.

Of the eight companies Confetti.co.uk Wedding Insurance, Debenhams Insurance, MRL Insurance, and Wedding Plan Insurance are all underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc.

Both Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc and The Equine and Livestock Insurance Co Limited are both wholly independent and are underwritten by themselves. Marks and Spencer Insurance and Hitched.co.uk are underwritten by Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc.

These insurance companies are listed alphabetically and are not in any order of recommendation:


CONFETTI.CO.UK INSURANCE

Cover: 3 levels at £54 (Gold), £104 (Platinum) and £154 (Diamond)
Explanation of cover for each level
Policy Document
Summary of Cover

Order Online:
Gold Cover Application Form
Platinum Cover Application Form
Diamond Cover Application Form

Contact Details:
Confetti Wedding Insurance, TPS Limited, 1 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich NR1 1AW Reg. No. 2587396
Confetti.co.uk/shopping/insurance/default.asp
Tel: call 0870 774 4065 - No times stated
Email: Not Available

Ownership:
Owned by Confetti Wedding Insurance, TPS Limited

Underwriters:
AXA Insurance UK plc

Regulation:
Confetti.co.uk Wedding Insurance 2006 accepted by UK Underwriting Ltd, underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc, Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD, Registered in England No. 78950 and Primary Insurance Company Ltd an insurance company established in Ireland and authorised and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E340407, registered office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. AXA Insurance UK plc and UK Underwriting Ltd are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Online Reviews:
Not Available



DEBENHAMS INSURANCE

Cover: 2 levels at £59 (Gold) and £100 (Platinum)
Explanation of cover for each level
Policy Document
Summary of Cover

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
Travellers Protection Services Limited, 1 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich NR1 1AW
DebenhamsWeddingInsurance.com
Tel: call 0870 77 44 196 quoting DOL - Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm and Saturday to Sunday 10am-4pm
Email: Not Available

Ownership:
Debenhams Wedding Insurance is arranged by Travellers Protection Services Ltd

Underwriters:
AXA Insurance UK plc

Regulation:
Debenhams Wedding Insurance 2006 accepted by UK Underwriting Ltd, underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc, Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD, Registered in England No. 78950 and Primary Insurance Company Ltd an insurance company established in Ireland and authorised and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E340407, registered office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. AXA Insurance UK plc and UK Underwriting Ltd are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Online Reviews:
Not Available



ECCLESIASTICAL INSURANCE

Cover: 4 levels at £48, £60, £110 and £160
Explanation of cover for each level
Policy Document
Initial Disclosure Document and Summary of Cover

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc, Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester, GL1 1JZ
Ecclesiastical.co.uk
Tel: 0800 336 622 - 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Email: insurance@eigmail.com - will respond to your email within two working days.

Ownership:
Ultimately owned by Allchurches Trust Limited (ATL), a registered charity. ATL’s Charity Number is 263960

Underwriters:
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc

Regulation:
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc. (EIO) Reg. No. 24869. Ecclesiastical Insurance Group plc. (EIG) Reg. No. 1718196. Ecclesiastical Life Ltd. (ELL) Reg. No. 243111. Ecclesiastical Group Asset Management Ltd. (EGAM) Reg. No. 2170213. Allchurches Investment Management Services Ltd. (AIMS) Reg. No. 2170173. Allchurches Mortgage Company Ltd. (AMC) Reg. No. 1974218. All companies are registered in England at Beaufort House, Brunswick Road, Gloucester GL1 1JZ UK. Tel: 01452 528533. EIO, ELL, EGAM & AIMS are authorised and regulated by the FSA and are members of the Financial Ombudsman Service. EIO & ELL are members of the Association of British Insurers and AIMS is a member of the Investment Management Association.

Online Reviews:
ReviewCentre.co.uk



E & L INSURANCE

Cover: 7 levels at £49, £65, £85, £105, £155, £260 and £360
Explanation of cover for each level
Policy Document
Summary of Cover

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
The Equine and Livestock Insurance Co Limited PO Box 100, York, YO26 9SZ
eandl.co.uk/wedding-insurance.htm
Tel: call 08704 022 710 - Mon-Fri 8am to 9pm and Sat-Sun 9am to 6pm
Email: info@eandl.co.uk

Ownership:
Owned by The Equine and Livestock Insurance Co Limited

Underwriters:
All our policies are underwritten by The Equine and Livestock Insurance Co Limited

Regulation:
Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority Registration no: 202748.

Online Reviews:
reviewcentre.com



EVENT INSURANCE

Cover: 6 levels at £55, £85, £120, £175, £225 and £320
Explanation of cover for each level
Policy Document
Summary of Cover

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
Event Insurance Services Ltd, Event House, 20A Headlands Business Park, Ringwood, Hants. BH24 3PB.
Events-insurance.co.uk/Wedding_Insurance.html
Tel: 0800 515980 and 01425 470360 Fax: 01425 474905
Email: info@events-insurance.co.uk and an Online Form

Ownership:
Owned by Event Insurance Services Ltd

Underwriters:
AXA Insurance UK plc

Regulation:
Arranged by Event Insurance Services Limited accepted by UK Underwriting Ltd, underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc, Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD, Registered in England No. 78950 and Primary Insurance Company Ltd an insurance company established in Ireland and authorised and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E340407, registered office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Online Reviews:
Not Available



MARKS AND SPENCER FINANCIAL SERVICES

Cover: 4 levels at £59, £99, £154 and £189
Explanation of cover for each level
Summary of Cover
Questions
Policy Document

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc, Kings Meadow, Chester, CH99 9FB
www6.MarksandSpencer.com/pages/default.asp?PageId=home&Product=WI
Tel: 0800 316 5985 - 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Email: Not Available.

Ownership:
Owned by Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc and underwritten by Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc

Underwriters:
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc

Regulation:
Marks and Spencer Money is a trading name of Marks and Spencer Financial Services plc (Kings Meadow, Chester, CH99 9FB) who are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Online Reviews:
None available



MRL INSURANCE

Cover: 4 levels at £65 (Standard), £99 (Classic), £135 (Premier) and £165 (Supreme)
Explanation of cover for each level
Summary of Cover
Key Facts
Policy Document

Order Online:
Application Form

Contact Details:
MRL Insurance Direct, Princess Caroline House, 1 High Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 1JE
MRLinsurance.co.uk
Tel: 0870 870 4401 - Fax:0870 241 1884
Email: admin@mrlgroup.co.uk

Ownership:
Arranged by MRL Group Ltd with UK Underwriting Ltd by Axa Insurance UK and Primary Insurance Company Ltd

Underwriters:
AXA Insurance UK plc and Primary Insurance Company Limited

Regulation:
Arranged by MRL Insurance Group with UK Underwriting Ltd, underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc, Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD, Registered in England No. 78950 and Primary Insurance Company Ltd an insurance company established in Ireland and authorised and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E340407, registered office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. AXA Insurance UK plc and UK Underwriting Ltd are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Online Reviews:
None available



WEDDING PLAN INSURANCE

Cover: 3 levels at £54 (Gold), £104 (Platinum), and £154 (Diamond)
Explanation of cover for each level
Summary of Cover
Policy Document

Order Online:
Gold Application Form
Platinum Application Form
Diamond Application Form

Contact Details:
Weddingplan, 1 Prince of Wales Road, Norwich NR1 1AW
WeddingPlanInsurance.co.uk
Tel: 08707 744178 - Fax: 08707 744045 - Open 8am to 8pm weekdays, 9am to 5pm Saturdays and 10am to 4pm Sundays
Email: weddingplan@tpsltd.com

Ownership:
Owned by Travellers Protection Services Limited (Registered Company No. 2587396)

Underwriters:
AXA Insurance UK plc and Primary Insurance Company Limited

Regulation:
WeddingPlanInsurance accpeted by UK Underwriting Ltd, underwritten by AXA Insurance UK plc, Registered Office: 5 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AD, Registered in England No. 78950 and Primary Insurance Company Ltd an insurance company established in Ireland and authorised and licensed by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. Registered in The Republic of Ireland, registration number E340407, registered office First Floor, Fitzwilton House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland. AXA Insurance UK plc and UK Underwriting Ltd are authorised and regulated by the FSA.

Online Reviews:
ReviewCentre.com



Useful Wedding Insurance Articles:
If misfortune blights your troth, are you protected? Melanie Bien from The Independent reports on how to insure the cost of your wedding against disaster.
Top Ten Wedding Claims by Confetti.co.uk
Wedding insurance - Cover for your big day can save you stress and money, says Sarah Jagger from Channel4.
Yahoo Finance - Wedding insurance: do you take this policy by Sarah Modlock
Get cover for the bid day by the Times Online.

Further Wedding Insurance Reading:

Will Your Wedding Insurance Cover You If You Cancel Before The Event? - A full list of circumstances you need to check are listed in your policy documents.
11 Golden Reasons All Couples Should Have Wedding Insurance - Make sure you take out wedding insurance today.
Hitched.co.uk Has Chosen Ecclesiastical Insurance To Provide Wedding Insurance Policies Through Its Website - Wedding insurance joins the range of wedding planning services and advice already offered by Hitched.co.uk.

DISCLAIMER

1. The information provided on this Wedaholic.com web site has been compiled for your convenience. Wedaholic.com makes no warranties about the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this web site.
2. Wedaholic.com, including its directors, will not accept any liability for any loss, damage or other injury resulting from its use.
3. Links to other web sites are provided for your convenience and Wedaholic.com is not responsible for the information contained on those web sites. The provision of a link to another web site does not constitute an endorsement or approval of that web site, or any products or services offered on that web site, by Wedaholic.com. Wedaholic.com will not accept any liability for the use of those links to connect to web sites that are not under our control.

Financial Disclaimer

Wedaholic.com does not accept any liability for any investment decisions made on the basis of this information. This web site does not constitute financial advice and should not be taken as such. Wedaholic.com urges you to obtain professional advice before proceeding with any investment.

If you represent a wedding insurance company and would like to be featured on this information page please email me at ellebrown @ gmail.com

Wedding insurance is one of those purchases that many couples don't think about because they don't believe they will need it. After all, what are the odds something will go wrong? You'd be surprised….

The bride is dreaming about how beautiful the reception will be while she has the final fitting for her gown. The groom is following up with some friends to see if they will be able to make it for the big day. And the caterer is quietly closing up shop in preparation for a one-way trip to Europe with the couple's down-payment!

It sounds like a nightmare, doesn't it? Just imagine how the bride and groom will feel when they found out. They will have to find another caterer on short notice and will be down on the deposit they made to the one who skipped town. Unfortunately, when you're only weeks away from your wedding, finding a caterer will be difficult at best. Many service providers will ask for a premium fee when you book so close to your wedding date, partly because they know you are desperate and partly because it's more difficult to pull things together at the last minute, especially if they are already booked with events.

Obviously this young couple should have purchased wedding insurance. But how do you know if you're going to need it? A good rule of thumb is if you are spending anything more than $1,000 on your wedding, you should be insured. Since the premium for this kind of coverage is relatively inexpensive, it's worth it to cover yourself for any losses if your wedding day has a hitch.

There are numerous things that can go wrong, and insurance can give you piece of mind that will be well worth it as the big draws near. If you know you are insured against possible problems, you'll have one less thing to worry about and can enjoy your coming celebration more. Some great reasons to get wedding insurance include:

1. Weather is Unpredictable.

A garden wedding is a beautiful but tricky thing. If the weather is good you'll be thrilled, but if you wake up to rainy skies you'll need an alternative. You should always plan on an alternative, but wedding insurance can also eat the extra cost if you have to use tents or move to a hall.

The worst-case scenario is weather so bad that the wedding has to be cancelled. This could be a hurricane, a blizzard or any other unexpected severe weather. Just think about all of the money lost if you have to cancel the wedding that day or the day before. Catering, flowers, the reception hall, your honeymoon…the list goes on and on. Wedding insurance can get all that money back for you so that you can re-plan for a later date.

2. Wedding Clothes are Expensive.

Bride's gowns can sell for $1,000 to $50,000! If you're like most brides, you'll want to save your beautiful gown for years to come. If some inebriated guest bumps into you at the reception and spills red wine down the front, you'll be crushed. The cost of cleaning a stain like that out of delicate silk or satin can be quite high. The same goes for any damage like a torn hem.

What if the groom damages the rented tuxedo? He won't be able to return it "as is." He'll most likely be asked to pay for replacement of the tuxedo, so insurance can protect him from ending up buying an expensive but damaged outfit he may never wear again.

3. Photography is a Tricky Business.

Even if you've hired the best photographer around, there are problems that can come up. What if there is a problem with his equipment that day? Or the film is damaged and your prints are ruined? It's fine to think, "The photographer will refund the money," but that doesn't always happen. And even if he or she does, that doesn't necessarily cover you for getting everyone together later to retake all of the wedding pictures.

Wedding insurance can cover the cost of getting another photographer for a second shoot if you want one. It can also cover the cost of retakes if the weather interfered or you couldn't get to a picturesque sight you had in mind.

4. Wedding Rings Can Disappear.

No matter how much you trust your best man and maid of honor, rings can and do go missing in the rush of the day. In fact, a lost wedding ring is one of the most common claims to wedding insurance companies! Because your rings will obviously have great sentimental value as well as their retail value, but sure you don't skimp on insuring them. You will want to be able to replace them with something exactly the same, with the same high quality as the originals. Take into account the cost of any custom engraving, etc. as well.

5. Double-booking Can't Be Worked Around.

A reception hall or restaurant that contacts you to break the bad news - they booked two receptions at the same time on the same day - can't provide you with a solution. Obviously, you can't share the space and the restaurant is only so big. You may end up (depending on how close to the wedding you find out) finding a last-minute alternative or you may end up having your reception at your parent's house. Wedding insurance covers your losses and compensates you for any additional expenses you have to dish out to move the venue.

6. Transportation Doesn't Always Show Up.

Did you hire a horse and carriage? If it doesn't show up, you'll have to ride to the church with friends or find a last-minute limo. Wedding insurance will cover your loss of the carriage and for your extra transportation costs. You may not be arriving in the same style you'd hoped to, but at least you'll know your budget wasn't completely blown on something you never got to use!

7. Businesses Go Under.

It's a fact of life - many small businesses go bankrupt every year. Unfortunately, if one of those is the bridal shop where you have your gown or the bakery providing your wedding cake, you could have an unpleasant surprise. Once a company goes bankrupt, they don't have to refund your money, and you generally don't have any recourse to pursue them.

Wedding insurance means if you go to the bridal shop and see an "OUT OF BUSINESS" sign on the door, you don't need to panic.

8. People Pass Away.

This speaks for itself. If you lose a close family member or a member of the wedding party, you'll obviously want to postpone the wedding. No one wants to think about it, but it can happen. Business is business, however, and any of the suppliers or vendors involved won't refund your money (no matter how compassionate they are) if you cancel within two weeks of the wedding. They would simply be out of too much money.

9. Thieves Never Rest.

You would be surprised how many times a bride a groom are shocked to arrive at their reception to discover that someone has stolen the wedding gifts that should have been waiting there. Thieves also often hit receptions toward the end of the night, when a lot of alcohol has flowed and they see someone starting to take gifts out to a waiting car. Some will simply gather up several presents and walk out the door with them as though they are guests helping out!

Wedding gifts can be worth thousands of dollars, so talk to a wedding insurer to determine how much coverage you should have for something like this. Most will suggest you determine what you think the average value of a wedding gift might be, and then multiply by the number of guests coming for a minimum amount of "gift loss" coverage.

10. Others Can Blame the Bride and Groom.

Everyone wants to enjoy the wedding as a carefree celebration, but sometimes the unexpected happens. If someone slips and falls because the floor is slick, you could be sued for damages.

Because you are the host and hostess of the reception, you may also be held liable if someone drinks too much at the party and then is in an accident or injures someone's property. It is very similar to serving alcohol in your home and then sending them out to drive their car when you know they've had too much to drink - you are responsible for your guests.

11. Travel Can Be Cancelled.

If you've planned a "destination wedding," you can really be left high and dry if a series of storms grounds the airplane or closes the beach resort where you were planning on exchanging your vows. Wedding insurance to cover your destination wedding should specifically address how many people you are flying to your destination and specific incidences such as weather, mechanical difficulties and terrorism.

Obviously, there are a number of practical reasons for buying wedding insurance. It protects your financial investment in a day that you hope will provide precious memories for years to come. Besides the financial security of knowing you aren't going to lose a lot of money if something comes up, however, insurance can provide other types of protection:

* Wedding insurance can protect you against losing anything to a lawsuit in case there is a disagreement about the wedding day, your satisfaction with a vendor, or in the event someone gets hurt at your reception. Any lawsuit can turn into a huge financial drain, so you should be covered for these things in advance. Who wants to end up in huge debt at the beginning of their marriage because of a lawsuit?

* Peace of mind is so important! There will be plenty of things to worry about before your wedding day; insurance can take quite a load off your mind. It means that you don't have to stew over anything that's beyond your control - you'll be covered.

* If there is a disagreement with a vendor or supplier, you don't have to try and get your money back. Your insurance will cover your losses and pursue the vendors themselves. It works like auto insurance - when you get a check after the accident, the insurer can then try to get the money from the person at fault instead of you trying to do it.

With so many good reasons to get insurance, you're probably wondering what it costs. A good policy covering the basics starts at around $180-$200. Not a bad deal at all if you've spent several thousand dollars on your wedding celebration! For a little bit more, you can add additional coverage for unusual circumstances as well.

Further Wedding Insurance Reading:

UK Wedding Insurance Companies -Time Saving Links To Policy Documents
Will Your Wedding Insurance Cover You If You Cancel Before The Event? - A full list of circumstances you need to check are listed in your policy documents.
Hitched.co.uk Has Chosen Ecclesiastical Insurance To Provide Wedding Insurance Policies Through Its Website - Wedding insurance joins the range of wedding planning services and advice already offered by Hitched.co.uk.