The Government Shutdown and Wedding Planning Insurance

The professional wedding planning team at Howerton+Wooten Events are big advocates for event insurance. Well, we are also advocates for meeting planning insurance and especially wedding insurance.  So, when the editor in chief of “Washingtonian Weddings” magazine asked me for a quote about insurance and the government shutdown, I happily obliged!  You can check out the story here!

How Does the Government Shutdown Affect Wedding Planning?

A lot of people who are not in the wedding industry ask me how the government shutdown can affect a wedding. Well, the #1 obstacle is your marriage license. In Washington DC, the DC Courthouse (the home of the marriage licensing bureau) is affected by the Federal Government. If the Washington DC Courthouse is closed, you cannot apply nor pick up your marriage license. As a result, you may need to postpone your wedding.

If your wedding is scheduled to take place in a venue that is managed by the National Park Service (NPS), you may still be able to host a wedding at that location. However, the services at that venue will be significantly reduced. The reduced services could include staffing, trash pick-up or even the use of their restrooms.

So, where does your wedding insurance come in? Well, you would be able to file a force majeure claim or an impossibility claim because your inability to carry out your wedding was affected by an “act of government.” Check out your insurance policy, because it should cover the deposit payment or the full payment you will need to make to secure a new wedding venue. It may also cover the notice that you will need to send out to wedding guests letting them know about your venue change.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Worry-Free Wedding Experience?

If you are you ready to plan your worry-free wedding experience, please contact your wedding planning team at Howerton+Wooten Events

Love and Soul Always, Kawania

Photo: shutterstock.com

P.S. If you’re interested in booking me as a speaker or wedding industry expert, click here to learn more.