Coronavirus refunds?

[123marie123]

Hello, I am a photographer in the wedding industry and I have clients cancelling and asking for refunds, I have weddings abroad in June + where I have used part of their payments for travel / accommodation.
my original payment terms on my contract in short are 25% non refundable booking fee which prevents me keeping this date open for new clients. Then another 25% is due 6 months before their wedding which this payment is used then to book my travel and accommodation. The remaining balance is due 30 days before their wedding ( which ofcourse is already lost ) *my contract basically says that if I can’t make their date then I will find another photographer or refund them, but if they cancel on me I will not refund monies paid, Now I’ve not mentioned anything about pandemics because it’s just not something I thought about, regardless of whether I ‘ have ‘ to refund or not, I physically don’t have any money to do so, I would not only be out of pocket from the pre payments but I also will not be receiving the remaining balance for due 30 days before the wedding, and if this went to court then I don’t know what would happen my business I think is going to fail I am so worried, any advice is much appreciated. ***

[jaguarsuk]

Your terms state that if they cancel then the payments are non-refundable, it doesn't matter what the reason is they have cancelled and therefore the terms of your contract apply. Regards the booked travel/accommodation you should check what rights you have to alter or cancel it.

I would assume they wish to get married at some point in the future therefore from a reputation point of view it might be worth considering asking them to contact me as soon as they decide on their new date and that you will do everything practicable to honour their booking at that time.

You probably need to add a force majeure clause to your contracts, google it.