How to hurricane-proof your Tampa Bay wedding

Flashback: Hurricanes Helene and Milton battered our region right as 2024's peak wedding season began.

The big picture: Weddings in Tampa Bay cost $37,500 on average, according to data from Zola.

• Most venues allow couples to swap dates in case of natural disasters, but if your reception site vanishes in the storm, deposits might be a wash.

Zoom in: Wedding cancellation insurance covers nonrefundable expenses when couples have to cancel or postpone because of unforeseen circumstances, like a hurricane or illness.

• Coverage also includes lost wedding rings and damaged gifts.
• And insurers often provide bundled options for cancellation and liability insurance, which venues typically require when serving alcohol.

What they're saying: "We highly recommend anyone who's getting married during hurricane season to buy wedding insurance," Anna Coats, founder and editor of Marry Me Tampa Bay, tells me. "Especially after this year."

Reality check: Alexa Kritis, a local wedding planner, says there's only one real way to hurricane-proof your wedding: Hold it outside of hurricane season.