As the bride to be you've thought about your gown, weighed the pros and cons of various venues and looked at photographers' portfolios until you just couldn't turn another page; but you probably never once gave a thought to managing the risks associated with pulling off an event like a wedding. After all, risk management is a subject for the boardroom, not the catering hall, right? Wrong! With the costs of weddings pegged at about $20,000 and expected to continue to climb, insuring your big day against a myriad of glitches just makes good sense.

The first type of policy you need to think about is what's known as event insurance. It's a type of property/causality policy that originated in Great Britain in 1988, but has only been available in the U.S. since the mid 90s. It typically covers cancellation or postponement of a wedding if a member of the bridal party dies or gets sick. Keep in mind that if the wedding party member becomes sick or dies because of a pre-existing medical condition, that circumstance is not covered under the policy.

Wedding insurance also covers a bridal party member's failure to show because they are injured or are called up to active military duty or there is a shutdown of commercial transportation. In addition, it will help pay for the reassembling of the bridal party in the event another photo session is necessary because the photographer lost the film or it's damaged at the lab. It will provide money for new wedding rings if they're lost, and replacement of damaged, stolen or lost wedding gifts. However, if the bride or groom has a change of heart and cancels the wedding, the policy doesn't cover that.

The typical cost for a basic policy is between $125 and $350 with a $25 deductible. Like any other insurance coverage, the premium varies depending on the amount of coverage needed. But unlike other coverage's, the premium is a one-time payment even if the policy is purchased well in advance of your date. In most instances, a policy can be purchased two weeks to two years prior to the event.

Many insurance companies that offer property/causality coverage can underwrite wedding insurance. However there are two specialty companies that have become well known as providers of wedding insurance. Roger and Karen Sandau, founders of WedSafe (www.wedsafe.com), began their company in 2000 because they couldn't find wedding insurance for their own wedding. Purchasing a policy and making a claim are conducted online. Robertson Taylor (North America) Inc. underwrites the actual coverage.

The Fireman's Fund offers wedding insurance through their program administrator R.V. Nuccio & Associates (http://www.firemansfund.com/servlet/dcms?c=personal&;rkey=31). President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Nuccio has been in the insurance business for over 28 years, and has personally designed more than 23 professional liability products. You can log on to (http://www.rvnuccio.com/applications/pec/index.htm) to find the online application.