Canceled weddings hurt people, and businesses suffer

A canceled wedding is like a 50-car pileup on a slick highway: The initial crash sets off a chain reaction that jolts relatives, friends and complete strangers.

A wedding might be called off for any number of reasons, including illness, death, freak weather, military deployment, financial problems or cold feet. In addition to the emotional toll of broken dreams can be a significant dollar loss for families and businesses alike.

"It's in the thousands," estimated Nita Randolph of Sylvania Township, Ohio, whose daughter in January canceled her wedding, which was scheduled to take place in March in Mexico.

"No one would remit any money with the exception of the place where we were going to have the reception," Randolph said. "At least they gave part of it back."

Gone were deposits for expenses such as photography, DJ, linens and flowers. Many guests who were invited to the wedding got stung on tickets they had purchased to fly to Cozumel -- although at least one relative decided to go anyway. Airlines allow a ticket to be used for a different trip, "but you have to pay a $150 transfer fee," Randolph said.

There's pain on the business side, too. The deposits they retain are just a fraction of what they'd earn if the event were held.

Two receptions were canceled last year at the Mansion View Inn, in Toledo, Ohio, both within two weeks of the weddings, said innkeeper John DuVall. "That did not give us any time to rent it to another event," he said, adding that the potential for future business was lost as well because many bookings come from people who attend a function at the mansion and decide later to have their own event there.

A general rule for all wedding business arrangements is that the earlier you cancel, the more likely you are to recoup some or all of the money you've paid in booking fees, deposits, retainers or down payments. (Read your contract: You might be required to cancel in writing.)

Even when a contract states that any of that money is nonrefundable, you might get lucky depending on the particular business and the reasons for cancellation.

But if, for example, the custom gown already has been ordered, the cake has been made, the banquet hall is going to sit dark and empty and it's too late for a DJ or photographer to rebook the date, you probably won't see a dime.

"We try to work with people as best we can because we know that things happen," said Scott McBride, manager of Myrtle Flowers & Gifts, in Toledo.