Beware surprise charges in your destination wedding, Hong Kong couples warned
- Consumer Council received complaint from one couple that organiser demanded the purchase of banquet service or the event would not go ahead on day as planned
- Most packages it examined did not include refund in event of an emergency such as a natural disasters, or black travel alert
Hong Kong couples interested in wedding destination packages have been warned by the city’s consumer watchdog that the devil is in the details, with some providers tacking on surcharges for specific date requests and surprise requirements a banquet service be included.
The Consumer Council examined the packages offered by 10 providers in the city for 51 locations, including Okinawa and Tottori in Japan, Bali, Guam and Prague in the Czech Republic.
The analysis came after the council received complaints from couples upset over unexpected charges or poor service, with 13 cases recorded last year.
The watchdog found prices, even for the same destination and covering the same basic aspects of the event, varied widely, with a HK$100,000 (US$13,000) difference between two offerings in Indonesia’s Bali for example.
Dr Lui Wing-cheong, vice-chairman of the council’s research and testing committee, said both packages provided a chauffeur-driven limousine for the couple on the wedding day, basic venue decoration, staff, wedding dress rental, as well as make-up and styling services.
“But the wedding ceremony for the cheapest one [HK$31,600] would be held in a chapel, while for the more expensive one [HK$133,000], the wedding would be held on a floating walkway in a resort, [with the price] covering umbrella bearers and flower girls, massage service for the new couple, a four-hour wedding video recording service and two-night hotel accommodation,” Lui said.