How Twitter Rescued This Couple's Wedding

Only six weeks before their big day, UK couple Lauren Lane and Daniel Welch experienced the unthinkable-they received an email announcing that their venue was shutting down, and as a result, they lost their deposit of $7,000.

Lauren Lane and Daniel Welch on their wedding day.
Lauren Lane and Daniel Welch on their wedding day.

There was no way for them to recoup the funds in time for the wedding, so in desperation, the bride turned to an unlikely source, Twitter, and posted the following plea: "Help needed with aspects of our wedding after venue goes bust with 6wks 2go & with our £4.5K! Pls RT." Even the bridesmaids pitched in by tweeting to local companies and spreading the word, asking if anyone could help them.

They received an outpouring of support (even from celebrities) that led to free donations that included their cake, photography, wedding rings, videography, stationary, favors and more. "Contrary to what some media reports have said, we received no cash donations; only goodwill and skills from local, honest companies," Lane told WebProNews.

Lauren and Daniel received an outpouring of support from the Twittersphere.
Lauren and Daniel received an outpouring of support from the Twittersphere.

Thanks to all of the unexpected assistance they received, Lauren and Daniel got married on their original date, February 25th. The bride told The Guardian that: "We got so much help from a lot of kind people and it made our day really special. So much has come from such an awful time we can't thank all our helpers enough. It really did make it a dream wedding for us both."

Brides, protect yourselves against unexpected vendor and venue shutdowns by purchasing wedding insurance. Premium costs vary depending on the type of coverage that you select; according to CNBC, policies typically cover lost expenses related to severe weather, sickness, vendor or venue problems, attire damage and military deployments. At the very least, we recommend adding a clause to all of your contracts stating that in the case of a weather or vendor-related emergency, you will be able to reschedule the event or receive a refund of all money paid.

-Stefania Sainato

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