Cancelling my wedding

Former Member

Has anyone any experience of cancelling a wedding?

I had to get out of my relationship, by which time we had alredy signed the contract for the reception- the whole was going to spent in this hotel- ceremony, reception, dance, night over etc.

In the contract it states:

'In the event of cancellation, the persons making the reservation, whether for themselves or as representatives, will be held liable for the costs to The Windsor Hotel in respect of said cancellation. By the very nature of organising functions, bookings are made well in advance. Therefore, should a cancellation be forced upon the hotel, experience has shown that dates are rarely re-lettable within the time available. The costs relating to the function will be passed on, the total Room Hire Chanrge for that day will be due. In respect of a wedding in the Elizabeth suite the full room hire charge of £1700 will be made'

Can anyone tell me what it means in lamens terms?
Will I have to pay the full £1700, what if they fill the date? Will I still have to?
My ex prob won't help with paying anything.
The wedding was in August, when will I have to pay it? Any ideas?

Any help would be gratefully accepted.

Former Member

August - next month? Or 2011? I'd imagine - thought I know nothing - that over a years notice should be plenty in the eyes of the law, therefore meaning you only lose the deposit?

Former Member

Click to see more wrote: »

August - next month? Or 2011? I'd imagine - thought I know nothing - that over a years notice should be plenty in the eyes of the law, therefore meaning you only lose the deposit?

13th August 2011.

I hope that's the case

Former Member

Here's a typed up copy of the contract:

We would respectfully remind our clients that reserving any of the facilities at The Windsor Hotel does constitute a legal contract.

A deposit of £700.00 is required to reserve any of the above facilities, for the date of _13th August 2011_ (handwritten)
The windsor Hotel reserves the right to keep any date open for booking until that date is secured by a deposit and booking conditions completed. The client has seven days from the payment of the deposit to cancel the date booken and have their deposit returned.

The deposit (after seven days) is non-returnable and neither can it be transferred.(bold)

An Elizabeth Suite wedding reservation, required the minimum booking of 80 adults(hand-deleted, changed to 60) for the wedding breakfast and 100 adults for the evening buffet or to the value thereof. The value will be defined, as 80 adults and 100 adults, priced at the example illustration provided for that particular year. Corkage is not a service provided by the hotel.

Settlement of account is required before the wedding.

If payment is to be made by Building Society cheque, please make your payment at least five working days prior to the event.
No personal cheques will be accepted within ten working days of the event.
Any payments for functions made by credit card are subject to a 2% handling charge.
A charge of 5% is made in the event of use of an Amer
ican Express or Diners Club charge card.
In the event of cancellation, the persons making the reservation, whether for themselves or as representatives, will be held liable for the costs to The Windsor Hotel in respect of said cancellation. By the very nature of organising functions, bookings are made well in advance. Therefore, should a cancellation be forced upon the hotel, experience has shown that dates are rarely re-lettable within the time available.

+Insurance policies are available and to cover possible cancellations it is strongly advised that such a policy is taken out by the signatories._ (underlined)

The costs relating to the function will be passed on, the total Room Hire charge for that day will be due. In respect of a Wedding in the Elizabeth Suite the full room hire charge of £1700.00 will be made.

I, your-babe, on behalf of myself, have read and understood the above conditions of booking and agree to be bound by them and be held jointly and severally liable. Address, signed.

(Duplicated for my ex).



Any ideas anyone? x

Former Member

I don't know. Seems odd that there is no real provision for cancellation - you'd expect them to want the whole fee if you were cancelling 90 days before the date. But over a year? I'd say that was quite unreasonable...

Citizens Advice?

Former Member

Click to see more wrote: »

I don't know. Seems odd that there is no real provision for cancellation - you'd expect them to want the whole fee if you were cancelling 90 days before the date. But over a year? I'd say that was quite unreasonable...

Citizens Advice?

That's a good idea, I'll book an appointment with them tomorrow, thankyou.

I know, it's not very detailed about cancelling.

Still, I guess even if I do have to pay the rest, it's better than getting married to the prick, paying out even more money, or ending up 6 feet under

Former Member

Sorry your relationship has broken down, but I'm glad you've realised it before things got worse and harder to get out of. Agree with advice to see CAB.

good luck

x

Former Member

katralla wrote: »

Sorry your relationship has broken down, but I'm glad you've realised it before things got worse and harder to get out of. Agree with advice to see CAB.

good luck

x

Thanks, but it's fine. He's an utter idiot. I'm lucky I got out when I did

Will let you all know how I get on.

x

Former Member

If your booking was made more than 7 days ago then you will have, at the very least, lost your deposit. More than a years notcie should be more than sufficeint to allow them the time to get another reservation. However, your best bet is to seek advice from citizens Advice or a fully qualified solicitor specilaising in Contract Law.

Former Member

Avizandum wrote: »

If your booking was made more than 7 days ago then you will have, at the very least, lost your deposit. More than a years notcie should be more than sufficeint to allow them the time to get another reservation. However, your best bet is to seek advice from citizens Advice or a fully qualified solicitor specilaising in Contract Law.

Yes, the booking was made in May. I really hope that they can fill the day. Thankyou for your advice x

Former Member

your-babe wrote: »

Yes, the booking was made in May. I really hope that they can fill the day. Thankyou for your advice x

I'd be inclined to say that even if they didn't, you shouldn't be liable. Over a year is a huge amount of notice...

Former Member

If they wont cancel, make sure you have a party with your friends....

Former Member

You will lose your deposit. Such are the terms of the contract that you signed which sadly is legally binding. As it is not a contract for credit, they are under no legal obligation to provide a cooling-off period or any sort of moratorium whereby you can cancel and walk away with your cash.

Im afraid they get to keep the £700. I personally wouldn't bother with the CAB.

Former Member

er, the other £1000?

Former Member

Thunderstruck wrote: »

You will lose your deposit. Such are the terms of the contract that you signed which sadly is legally binding. As it is not a contract for credit, they are under no legal obligation to provide a cooling-off period or any sort of moratorium whereby you can cancel and walk away with your cash.

Im afraid they get to keep the £700. I personally wouldn't bother with the CAB.

Thought I probably would do. I didn't pay all the deposit, I'm not loosing quite so much as £700. However, I'm worried that they're going to charge me the £1700 for the room charge.

Former Member

I think they would need to show irrefutable proof that they took all reasonable steps to fill the vacancy that you have created. Then I think that you would have to pay the full whack. However, you would be well within your rights to demand invoices for all items otherwise they may just be pulling that figure from their bottoms.

Former Member

If you've booked it a year in advance I don't quite understand how they think charging you the full price is legal or necessary. You may lose your deposit, but this bollocks about them not being able to rehire the room? A couple of months before, then perhaps. But a lot of people get married at the last minute.

Former Member

Agree that you should speak to the CAB, but I would find it extremely unlikely that they wont get a re-booking, especially in August!

Former Member

Fuck it.

Tell us where and when and we'll have a thesite party instead

Former Member

You shouldn't be shelling out another 1700 at any rate, it'd be an extra 1000 given as you've already paid 700 of that. Not that that would be a lot of consolation.

I do seriously doubt that they couldn't re-let the room, though, especially if it is a popular place.

Former Member

Have you actually spoken to the hotel about this? This must be an extremely upsetting and stressful time for you and you may be worrying unnecessarily. If you are lucky, they will just keep the partial deposit and relet the room. After all, if you hadn't paid the full deposit, under other circumstances the hotel could have argued that the venue wasn't guaranteed!! Like others have said, a year's notice of cancellation is plenty. If the hotel is a popular venue, they wouldn't want their reputation to be tarnished by being unsympathetic or unreasonable.

Former Member

Speak to CAB, and speak to the hotel as well. Losinbg the deposit is one thing, but as the date is next year you shouldnt have to pay the full hire price.

Former Member

In my experience, the CAB are about as much use as a marzepam dildo.

Former Member

You've tried to use a marzepam dildo? :eek:

Former Member

Really, do speak to the hotel. The reason they have such scary terms and conditions is to protect themselves in the event that the bride gets dumped at the alter - or at least a few weeks before the event. They don't want to be liable for the hire of extra staff, flowers, food, etc., and lose the hire of the room during a busy season. Unless you know otherwise, I am perfectly sure they will be sympathetic in your case and there will be no need for legal advice. But the sooner you act, the sooner you can set your mind at ease.

Former Member

Thankyou for of your advice, I really appreciate it

CAB referred me to Consumers Direct, so I'm going to speak to them on Monday for advice. I'll speak to the venue on Monday evening too.

I would've thought that they'd be able to fill the day too. Fingers crossed! I should've never signed the bloody contract! Hey-ho!

Thankyou again, I'll let you know how I get on xx

Former Member

Any news on this, YB?

Former Member

Incidentally, YB is one of the greatest engines ever made...

http://www.burtonpower.com/technical_1/cosworth_yb_20_16v_turbo.aspx

Former Member

Lol Click, nah, not yet. I need to get my arse in gear... x

Former Member

kicks yb up the bum. Get a move on, the sooner you get this sorted, the sooner you can get on with your life.

Former Member

katralla wrote: »

kicks yb up the bum. Get a move on, the sooner you get this sorted, the sooner you can get on with your life.

Lol, I phoned yest. Trading Standards were pretty useles, and the wedding place has hopefully got someone interested in the day, so I should be sorted, fingers crossed!