Love or Something Like it

One of the interesting questions we get asked a lot is "what happens if an engagement gets broken off?" And past the financial repercussions and sea of non-refundable deposits there are other considerations. Financially, every wedding vendor knows that while this is a personal tragedy to those involved, to a vendor it is a business and therefore a business decision. When you take on business, you automatically stop the flow of other business that would arrive on that particular day. Hence there is lost revenue to consider. On a totally human level, there is heartbreak and sorrow that far surpasses that which exists on a financial level.

Thankfully, this does not often happen---- at least around BBP, but it DOES happen. The last time this impacted the studio it was because of a silly groom who couldn't get past the fact that he was not a selfish 12 year old. There are certainly other causes for an engagement to break off and over the years we have heard over the years.

Bottom line, at least to our way of thinking? If the relationship ' is broke', it is best to fix it. Sooner if not later. We hear from brides (and through the grapevine) that it is enormously difficult to cancel a wedding when plans have been made, money had been spent and many emotions had been invested. It seems that the hardest thing is when parents get involved with their own baggage on the situation.

When it is love, or something like it the rules definitely become different! Our brides and grooms to be tell us stories when they get comments from those that have been spurned or in a bad situation, they tell us that their happiness is apparently a thorn in the side of the romantically sorrowful.

My favorite story came from one of the bridesmaids at a recent wedding. She was a darling girl and told the story of her broken engagement. Apparently, the event was cancelled pretty close to the wedding by her because her groom was exercising his right to continue dating. Right! Anyway, after tears and the difficulty of cancelling plans and trying to move on she needed a bit of closure----a ritual. She sat in a quiet space and lit the candle that was to be their unity candle, willfully letting go of the relationship and the associated pain. She reports that it was very helpful.................... along with keeping the ring of course!