Wedding insurance might sound like a luxury or an unnecessary payment on your already expensive wedding, but with the average wedding cost exceeding $20,000, a $100 to $600 wedding insurance policy is small in comparison.

There are obviously many factors to consider when deciding on wedding insurance. To start, if you are planning a low-key wedding, don’t worry about wedding insurance. But if you’re planning a gala, definitely weigh your insurance options.

If you’re planning a large wedding, the first step is to hire a wedding planner. You’re not an expert but a wedding planner knows the in and outs of the whole process and lifts the burden off you and your soon-to-be spouse’s shoulders.

The next step is to check with your venue’s insurance policies to avoid any overlap. The venue likely carries an extensive insurance policy if it frequently hosts large weddings. Always check with the wedding planner and read the entire contract with a venue before signing. This will help you avoid any overlapping and unnecessary wedding insurance costs.

There are many moving parts on your wedding day, with copious points where it can all go south. From weather problems to drunken guests, you might feel stressed, but all can be covered with the right wedding insurance.

Severe Weather

Summer season means tornado season in the Midwest, and winter weddings are not immune to snowstorms. While wedding insurance won’t cover inconvenient weather like a rainy day, it will certainly cover your costs if you have to change dates due to severe weather.

Damaged Facility

Like the severe weather mentioned in the previous paragraph, this can obviously happen before your wedding date. If the venue is unable to reimburse you for your deposit a good wedding insurance policy can cover the money lost.

Bankrupt Vendor or Facility

A facility or vendor that goes out business won’t be able to pay back a deposit and leaves you eating the costs. In addition, if your vendor no-show’s and you buy a mass order of pizza from the local pizzeria, wedding insurance will reimburse you for the money lost. Hiring an experienced wedding planner can help you find a reputable vendor and avoid any out-of-the-ordinary catering problems

Illness or injury of the wedding party

Severe weather can hinder travel for a necessary guest, or maybe the best man breaks a leg in his slow-pitch softball league. The proper wedding insurance will cover the rescheduling costs to make sure your the necessary guests will attend your big day.

Job-related emergency

Military spouses and emergency responders are not always in control of their situation. A military member can receive a random call to duty and miss the wedding date or an emergency responder could be paged at any moment. The right wedding coverage will help you reschedule your big day.

What isn’t covered

Unfortunately, wedding insurance typically does not cover a change of heart. The bride and groom will be left eating the wedding costs after a break-up. Also, while wedding insurance may cover the wedding rings, it does not cover engagement rings. Regardless, it’s likely a cheaper and better idea to simply purchase jewelry insurance, which usually costs 1 to 2 percent of the jewelry’s worth. Basically, wedding insurance covers anything out of the bride and groom’s control.

You have enough to worry about on your wedding day, don’t add to that list. Wedding insurance gives you the peace of mind to know that your big day will happen, even if something goes wrong.