Dozens of brides have had their dream weddings in Tenerife ruined after losing thousands of pounds to a wedding planner who abruptly went bankrupt. The women had all paid Weddings in Tenerife SL, run by British national Claire Lopez, 48, to organise their nuptials on the Spanish island, with some handing over as much as £30,000.
However, the brides-to-be received an email on Friday informing them that the firm had suddenly filed for insolvency, with little to none of the items paid for having ever been booked or purchased. This has left an estimated 20 couples' ceremonies in jeopardy.
Devastating Impact on Couples
One bride, who wished to remain anonymous, had been set to marry in Tenerife next October, paying in instalments to afford their £29,000 wedding weekend. Despite having paid nearly £13,000 towards the total bill, the couple discovered that their planner had only paid a £400 deposit for one of their venues, leaving the rest of the cash unaccounted for.
"We're cancelling our wedding in Tenerife now because we've lost £13,000. We are just going to do a registry office ceremony here," she said. "We can't even think about planning another wedding right now because what's happened is so awful."
In a devastating twist, the couple chose to forgo IVF treatment to afford their nuptials, leaving them still struggling to conceive. The bride added: "I could have been pregnant by now and spent that £13,000 on IVF. Now I don't have a wedding, nor do I have a baby."
Other Affected Couples
Ella Hudson, 22, and her partner Sam Tuck, 23, from Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, had been looking forward to their wedding since they began dating aged 14. After paying a £16,000 bill to Ms Lopez for their 50-person wedding on June 6 this year, they found that only their reception venue, wedding meal restaurant, and pool area had been booked. "Nothing's been paid, literally nothing. It will be another £10,000 to actually try to afford everything again," Ms Hudson said.
Charlie Mitchell, 39, and her fiancé Danny Williams, 42, from Northwich, Cheshire, handed around £3,000 to the planner for their 18-person celebration in September. Only a £500 deposit for the ceremony venue had been paid. "Everything was on course, as far as I was aware – that's why the absolute shock and terror of that email falling out of the sky to me on Friday really hit me," said Ms Mitchell.
Financial Decline of the Company
Company accounts reveal a drastic decline in fortunes between 2023 and 2024. Turnover rose from €505,518.32 to €864,840.37, but the firm made a loss of €8,679.69 in 2024. Assets fell from €619,478.72 to €204,563.72, while the company owed €242,903.62 to customers in 2024, a major sign of decline. Costs also skyrocketed from €494,858.91 to €872,822.84 in the same period.
Ms Lopez, born in Devon, is also listed as sole director of Tenerife Package Holidays SL. The business's website and social media pages have been deleted, and affected couples have been unable to contact the firm. Spanish police have said brides cannot report the incident unless they are on the island in person, leaving many with little recourse.
