By KARON WARREN | For AJC Wedding Guide | Published on: 02/22/07

Many couples spend plenty of time and money on weddings. They must arrange and pay for the reception venues, caterers, florists, reception entertainment. And don't forget the wedding dresses.

After all the cash and sweat have been spent, it's only natural to want to make it down the aisle glitch-free. But what happens if the bride gets appendicitis on the day of the ceremony? Or the reception venue burns to the ground a month before the wedding?

Instead of crossing their fingers and hoping that nothing goes wrong, many couples opt to protect their investment by insuring their weddings.

"You're talking about a lot of money you're spending," said Gaye E. Langley of Hamby & Aloisio Inc. in Atlanta, who sells wedding insurance policies underwritten by Fireman's Fund. "[Insurance] is always a good investment."

Like auto or homeowners insurance policies, wedding insurance provides coverage for the unexpected. All plans are unique, but most policies cover certain costs if the event is canceled or postponed because of a variety of circumstances. Some policies also offer coverage — it may be optional — for sudden illness, gifts, jewelry, wedding attire, photographs and video, rental property and personal liability.

Through Fireman's Fund, the minimum premium is $195, with a minimum limit of $3,000 cancellation or postponement coverage required. Langley said a sample premium for a policy with a $10,000 limit for cancellation or postponement is $282.50.

Travelers Insurance recently launched the Wedding Protector Plan, its entry into the wedding insurance market. The no-deductible policy covers occurrences such as military deployment or severe weather that cause a ceremony to be postponed or canceled. Other coverages include lost deposits, lost rings, ruined photos and stolen gifts.

"The Wedding Protector Plan is really insurance to protect your wedding investment," said Alan Tuvin, vice president of product management at Travelers. "The average cost of a wedding these days is $27,000, and a lot can go wrong."

Whatever the final wedding price tag, "you're trying to make your day as special as possible, within your budget. [The plan] protects your budget when the unexpected happens," Tuvin said.

Liability coverage — to protect your self in case a guest is injured or causes damage to property — is optional and carries a separate premium, Tuvin said. Some venues require couples to purchase it.

When Gale Davis of Kirkwood was planning his wedding to Michelle last September, he found out that they couldn't get married at their chosen site without coverage. "The location actually required [liability coverage]," he said. The policy had to include not only regular liability but also liquor liability, also called host liquor liability, in which the host is held liable for injury or damage caused by or to an intoxicated person. Davis had to name the venue as an additional insured, meaning the facility also was covered by the policy.

Davis said purchasing the wedding insurance "provided peace of mind. My big fear was somebody drinking and driving and something happening."

The policy's cancellation clause would have reimbursed the couple for expenses. While he admitted this was a small concern, he said he felt better with the insurance in place. The cost of the policy accounted for less than 1 percent of the couple's total wedding budget. "We spent more on favors than on insurance."

No amount of money will cover a change of heart. In those cases, couples will just be out of luck — and cash.