Breaking Venue Contracts

I think I would be more worried about what else is in the contract besides the deposit. You are well under a year before wedding if we had canceled one year less a day not only would we be out our deposit we would owe 50% of the total wedding. If it is under 6 months when we cancel we owe 75% all based on minimum of 80 guests. I would really look at your contract and make sure that you won't owe more than your deposit if you cancel now.... Once covid started we were within the 6 month mark and only had the option of moving the date (thank goodness we could)

Usually the only way you can get your money back in these sorts of cases is when the venue cancels or can’t uphold their end of the contract (which they can get around by offering different dates or alternatives to your original contract). You can try but the chances of you getting your deposit back aren’t good, especially if you signed after covid started.

I mean yes everything in your contract is "for real for real". Your vendors are running businesses to make a living and these are legal and binding agreements you've chosen to enter into with them. If your contract states it is a non-refundable deposit in the event you cancel then you have no right to get that money back.

If covid wasn't happening and there were no other extenuating circumstances and you just decided to cancel I think you'd be hard-pressed to find vendors willing to return a non-refundable deposit paid upfront. The entire purpose of these deposits is to save the date for your event. If vendors did not require these deposits they'd have no guarantee you'd actually go through with your event and that they would get paid. You can't run a business like that and I'm sure non-refundable deposits are a thing because once upon a time vendors were being screwed over by clients cancelling last minute.

Fortunately, with the pandemic many vendors are being super flexible and willing to work with couples to postpone or sometimes refund though. Talk to your venue and see what your options are.

It's pretty for realsies. I mean, I guess it reeaally depends on what's written in your contract but I can't imagine anyone drafting a contract where they will let you get money back that you've already paid if you choose to not proceed when the vendor is legally able to and fully capable of proceeding.