Check your booking date first. If you are still inside the free-cancellation window, you have the most choice. After it, ask for a date change or credit, since a refund is less likely. Act quickly and in writing.
This guide belongs to our booking requests topic. For the planning side, such as picking new dates, read replanning a honeymoon after a postponed wedding.
Which situation are we in?
Your timing decides your choices. Find your row first.
| Situation | What you can usually do |
|---|---|
| Inside the free-cancellation window | Cancel for a refund, or move the date |
| After it, but before the trip | Ask for a date change or credit; a refund is unlikely |
| Very close to travel | Ask what is salvageable; use insurance if it applies |
The glossary defines free cancellation if you want the plain meaning.
What is the difference between credit, a date change and a refund?
Credit keeps the money with the supplier for a later trip. A date change moves the same booking to new dates. A refund returns cash, minus any fee.
Each suits a different need. If you are sure of a new date, a date change is cleaner. If you are not, credit gives you time. A refund is best when you want to book elsewhere.
What should we ask each supplier?
Use short, direct questions. Ask for the answers in writing.
- Is my booking still inside the free-cancellation window?
- If not, can the booking be moved to a new date without a fee?
- If I cancel, is the amount refunded as cash, or as credit?
- How long is the credit valid, and can it be used by someone else?
- What happens to the deposit?
What do we do about flights and the hotel separately?
Flights and hotels follow different rules, so treat them separately. Flights depend on the fare, hotels on the rate.
Read our guide on changing honeymoon dates after booking for the order in which to ask. Start with the strictest supplier first.
What may insurance cover?
Standard travel insurance may not list a postponed wedding as a covered reason. Specific policies for weddings exist, but they are separate, so check what you hold.
Read what honeymoon travel insurance actually covers. Ask the insurer directly and keep the reply. If you have not yet bought cover for a new date, include the new dates.
How do we stay calm while sorting this out?
Do one supplier a day. Keep a simple note of what you asked, the reply and the date.
Remember that you are not the first couple to face a postponement. Most suppliers have a process, and a polite message usually gets a clearer answer than a frustrated one.
What should we do next?
- Find your booking date and the cancellation cut-off.
- Decide whether the new wedding date is firm.
- Ask each supplier the five questions above.
- Compare credit, date change and refund for the total for two.
- Send us the replies and we will help you choose.