Bangkok--22 Oct--eTurboNews It was so romantic, almost movie-like. She was on holiday with her parents, he was having a brew with friends who were trying to cheer him up - his girlfriend just dumped him. He gets up to go to the men's room and spots the blonde walking to the ladies room. He is dumb-struck by her beauty. He forgets where he is and stands frozen to his spot.She walks by and returns to her table with her parents. He follows closely behind; introduces himself to everyone and then mumbles through a few words about his fascination with "her." Fortunately "dad" rises to the occasion, asks the young man to have a seat, offers him aglass of water, and attempts to find out what this is about. Finally "he" explains himself and the attraction that brought him stumbling to their table. She thinks he is cute, and gives "him" her phone number. Everyone leaves the restaurant. That night he calls her; they meet for dinner and fall in love over fettuccini and Chianti. She likes his friends, he likes her friends. Both families are delighted. He proposes, she accepts. Together they plan their engagement party, wedding and honeymoon. Road Signs The engagement party was not as wonderful as she had hoped. He drank too much, made silly jokes and flirted with Sam, the caterer. After the party, he passed out! The next morning he apologizes with flowers and a wonderful pair of diamond stud earrings. They move forward with the wedding plans. She designs her dress with a very expensive "name" designer (along with the gowns for the brides' maids and the dresses for her mom and his). They visit the jeweler who will create his and her wedding rings, select the most luxurious hotel in town for the reception, arrange a date to meet with the family religious advisor, set up an appointment with a premarital counselor, as well as the family lawyer for a pre-nuptial marriage agreement (she is rich; he is not). Tactical Plans They decide to invite 500 people to the wedding, fly friends in from Europe, Asia and South America, arrange for hotel accommodations for everyone, and hire an event - planner to organize a weekend of fun and festivities. She writes a few checks, her dad writes a few checks, even mom write a few checks for deposits and guarantees. It is 125 days prior to the wedding, and the countdown has started. "Her" side of the family has already spent $50,000. She gets a telephone call one evening from Sam. (Remember Sam, the fellow who catered her engagement party?) Has she seen her fianc? recently? Not in the last 3 days - he supposedly is out-of-town on business. "No," says Sam. "He has been with me! We just got married in Rhode Island. So your wedding is off." Wedding Insurance The good news is that "dad" bought wedding insurance! She and her family will not loose a penny. According to Janet Ruiz, Media Relations Manager for the Fireman's Fund, a major writer of marriage insurance contracts, most (if not all) of the expenses incurred by the betrothed and family can be rescued if they purchased Private Event insurance coverage that runs between 1 and 2 percent of the cost of the wedding. From "changing your mind" (must be 120 days prior to the event), inclement weather (he is on the west coast, she is on the east coast and Florida is having a hurricane - so much for the Palm Beach outdoor event), to vendor no-shows (The bus to ferry the guests from the church to the hotel? Driver cannot be found) - wedding insurance should be at the top of every planners' to-do recommendation list. Liability coverage protects the couple from lawsuits when dad falls from dancing on the bar. If he (or she) should suddenly die, or end up in a hospital with an anxiety attack, wedding insurance will cover the cost of non-refundable deposits and/or the costs incurred in postponing the wedding. The wedding insurance also covers photographs (the camera ended up where?), the "removal" of grandmothers' diamond tiara (by the "good taste fairy"?) and after-event stress counseling (he or she is unable to handle the emotional stress of a cancelled wedding). Policies can also include rented property, as well as personal liability and medical payments (including host liquor liability). Should he (or she) be in the military or active reserves, wedding insurance will kick-in if the couple is deployed to Iraq (or wherever). The honeymoon can also be included in the insurance package and is good to have "just-in-case" one of the twosome gets sick prior to departure or bad weather forces a delay. Insurance Purchase "Heads-Up" Not every insurance company can operate in every state.* Before purchasing insurance, make sure the company is licensed to do business in the state in which you reside* Determine price of the policy and how much reimbursement is expected should a loss occur* Be specific: What is/is not covered* Is coverage available through other means: credit cards, warrantees, home, auto or liability or other insurance policies currently in effect Loss Prevention As wonderful as wedding insurance can be - it is best to prevent expenses whenever possible.* Check vendors through the Better Business Bureau before signing contracts* Minimize deposits as most are non-refundable* Use your credit-cards and not cash or checkbooks so that charges can be disputed for unsatisfactory services* All contracts should be reviewed by an attorney - prior to signing* Keep copies of all receipts and contracts; they will be needed for documentation to support claims against vendors Not Covered Your divorce is not covered! While marriage may not necessarily be forever - it is likely to be "for awhile." If you find him / her annoying now, cannot abide by the slurping, snoring, sneezing, sniffling or incredibly boring patter...do not move forward with the wedding plans. By all means plan a party together; consider Halloween or Thanksgiving - at least these are finite in their beginning and ending.