Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog
An estimated quarter-million weddings are reportedly cancelled in the United States every year. In addition to heartbreak and disappointment, many would-be brides and grooms often find themselves saddled with the financial hardship of relinquishing thousands of dollars. According to a recent survey, the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. has risen to about $27,000. When a wedding is cancelled, many former couples lose the money they already spent on catering, flowers, and other wedding expenditures. In response, a new business model of selling cancelled weddings was recently created.
New companies that cater to couples who seek to save money by purchasing cancelled weddings at a discount have begun to pop up across the nation. One Virginia company, Bridal Brokerage, assists couples with buying weddings that were pre-planned by another couple who opted not to get married. The company’s CEO, Laura Byrne, stated she helps clients achieve a venue, photographer, DJ, and other wedding necessities for less. According to Byrne, there are currently more couples seeking to purchase a discounted wedding than she can accommodate.
In order to sell a wedding, the couple who has opted not to marry must contact a wedding brokerage company with information such as the wedding date, the maximum number of guests the arrangements will accommodate, the cost, and other details. The brokerage company then contacts couples who seek to marry under similar circumstances to see if the potential match will work for them. If a match is made, the wedding is sold at a discount to the new couple who also become responsible for any outstanding wedding bills. The wedding brokerage company then takes a percentage of the price of the wedding and forwards the remaining money to the original couple. Although couples who choose not to marry will not recover all of the money they spent, selling their unused wedding can help to reduce their overall financial loss.
While many couples reportedly choose to contact a wedding brokerage company in order to reduce wedding costs, others simply want to save the time and hassle associated with planning each and every detail of such an event. In order to use a wedding brokerage company, however, a couple must generally be willing to get married within two to six months. Additionally, wedding purchasers must be flexible because not everything will be personalized. Still, important details such as the dress, party favors, and invitations must be selected by the new couple.
According to Byrne, her company’s target market is couples who are constrained by money or circumstances, not those who have always dreamed of planning the perfect storybook wedding. Byrne stated in addition to the budget conscious, she often assists couples on an accelerated wedding timeline due to military deployments or pregnancy.
Although no one who is engaged to be married expects to be left at the altar or become divorced, entering into a prenuptial agreement prior to marrying is always a smart move. A prenuptial agreement is a contract entered into by a bride and groom before marriage. Such an agreement will normally address how a couple’s assets will be distributed and any spousal support obligations that may arise in the event of a divorce or the death of a spouse. Too often, couples in Florida fail to enter into a prenuptial agreement and later regret their decision.
Attorney Sandy T. Fox is an experienced Fort Lauderdale family law lawyer who is available to assist you with a host of family law issues including prenuptial agreements, name changes, alimony, divorce, domestic violence, paternity, adoption, and child custody. Mr. Fox represents clients located throughout South Florida. To speak with a capable family lawyer today, please call the Law Office of Sandy T. Fox toll free at (800) 596-0579 or contact us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
Florida’s Third District Holds Former Wife’s Alimony Award May Not Be Reduced Where No Financial Support is Provided by Live-In Boyfriend, Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog, October 12, 2012
A Florida Divorce Often Impacts Your Career, Fort Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog, September 28, 2012
Additional Resources:
New Company Sells Canceled Weddings On the Cheap, by Danielle Kurtzleben, U.S. News and World Report