Postponing not possible?

[RhubarbRocks]

Our venue for our September wedding has replied to my query about the possibility of postponing our wedding by saying that if they can hold any size of reception - ie even for a small amount of guests - then they might not let us postpone to next year.

I’m very very worried. This could mean that:

1. If they are legally allowed to hold a socially distanced reception for only 10 people then even though we have planned for a big bash for 100, with dancing into the night, and have a minimum spend of £19k, we would have to go ahead with only 10 of us or lose our deposit paid so far of £8k.

1. Between us we have three parents on the shielding list. If they still need to shield and can’t travel across the country to come they won’t let us postpone until they can come (our insurance won’t cover this either).

We have waited years to marry and have saved up for our once in a lifetime day. We want all our friends and family there and don’t want to be forced into a smaller event (and astronomical cost per head!) or any size of event without my parents there.

What is everyone else’s experience of postponing? I do understand they have a business to run but I’m really worried that we have even less control than I expected over what we are doing, when it is and who can come!

If you have paid for 100 people then they aren’t providing that service

They can reduce your wedding by 90% for the same cost surely?

What have they said about pricing?

Firstly do you have wedding insurance? Secondly do you have a contract with the venue? Tbh I think you might be best getting some legal advice given what you stand to lose.

That must be very worrying for you.

To clarify - have the discussions so far just been about dates/guest numbers, or have they actually said they would enforce a £19k minimum spend clause for a tiny socially-distanced wedding if you aren't allowed to postpone?

If they won't budge you may need to point to the Cabinet Office guidelines on responsible and fair contractual behaviour, published on 7 May, with particular reference to paragraphs 14 and 15. They are not legally binding but should be a nudge in the right direction.

Make clear that you won't hesitate to seek legal advice if need be, but you would like to maintain mutual goodwill if at all possible. These cases can be rather difficult legally, but on your facts their stance - especially if seeking to enforce a huge minimum spend when they may not lawfully be permitted to accommodate more than a small percentage of your planned guests - does look unreasonable.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/how-citizens-advice-works/citizens-advice-consumer-work/the-consumer-rights-act-2015/

Have a read of this covers services that can't be delivered as promised

Thanks all. Will take a look at that. We didn’t have guest numbers in the contract, just a minimum spend that is fixed for the venue. But I can’t believe they would really hold us to that level spend for 10 people and so I’m a bit less worried about that scenario.

I’m probably most worried they will hold us to the date if they can do a bigger event but we can’t have our parents there. Both my fiancé’s parents and mine are very close to us and we (and they) would be devastated if they missed it but unless they actually have covid (rather than shielding) the insurance won’t cover a cancellation or costs of postponement due to them missing it. It feels like we are more reliant on goodwill on that basis.

I need to look at it all with an objective hat on instead of flying into a panic...!

How can they morally hold you to the hire cost of the venue when Covid restricts weddings to 5 people?

How can they sleep at night?

I’d ask them to put their suggestions in writing so you can see a solicitor

Would you lose the whole 8k if you cancelled?
My venue postponed before we knew whether weddings were going to be cancelled due to the uncertainty and that family members were shielding. They kept our booking and good will.
Hope you work it out.

If they do that OP, it’s disgusting.

So we have paid around £14k to our venue so far. We have postponed from April to end of November. If the wedding can go ahead but restricted numbers we won’t get another postponement date either. I don’t know where to go with this. Our insurance isn’t covering anything covid related.

My OH is shielding (although I’m an NHS worker still working) as is my grandma. This won’t make any difference to the day as OH will obvs come and so will my grandma