My Fiancé Called Off Our Fully Booked Wedding, and Now I Want My Money Back

A fiancé calling off the wedding is a nightmare for any bride. The idea of a happy marriage you’ve been painting in your head is falling apart. And when, in addition to all of this, your ex-fiancé doesn’t pay a penny for the wedding, making you and your family pay a fortune for nothing, it surely adds to the stress. What should you do now? Do you forget about him and let it go or try to get your money back?

This is what happened to one of our Bright Side readers, Jennifer, and here’s what she told us.

Oh, dear. Jennifer, you must be feeling awful at the moment. We are sending you some major hugs. Take a deep breath and try to calm down. We at Bright Side gathered some ideas to help you find a way out of this nightmare, and here’s what we think.

• You may not like this idea at the moment, but we believe that you need to pluck up your courage and call Chris. He’s already made you suffer emotionally, so there’s no need to suffer financially as well. The wedding had already been planned and organized the moment he called it off, so he needs to be responsible and pay his part.
• Try to contact Chris’ family if it’s still hard for you to talk to him directly. Building a wedding budget is complicated, and nowadays, there are no strict rules for whose family pays for what, but it doesn’t sound fair that it’s only your family who’s bearing the financial burden.

• Though it may be problematic, you and your parents can try to get a refund for some of the things that were bought or booked for the wedding. For example, you can try to return your dress to the shop since you didn’t have a chance to wear it, or you can sell it to a local consignment shop. Chris’ suit can also be returned or sold, and you can sell the wedding rings (if they are not a family heirloom, of course).
• If you and Chris have already planned a honeymoon trip, you can try to get a refund for the trip too. Cancellation fees may be high, but you can get at least part of the money you paid.
• Speaking of a honeymoon trip, we have an even better idea. Why don’t you grab a friend or a relative and go on a journey? Chances are some things will remind you about Chris and your canceled wedding, but recharging your batteries and having a good rest is just what you need right now. (Just ask someone to call the hotel and remind them not to throw those rose petals all over the bed).

We are very sorry you have to go through all of this, and we hope our thoughts and tips can help you make a plan and feel a little bit better.

What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Would you let it go or would you try to get your money back from your ex-fiancé?