A couple from Merseyside have described their dream destination wedding as a 'nightmare' after their wedding planner announced she was filing for insolvency less than a fortnight before the ceremony. Kayleigh Billington and Phil Golding had paid £14,700 to Claire Lopez, who runs Weddings in Tenerife, for their wedding on the Spanish island on Saturday, June 6.
The couple, who live in Southport, had been planning the event since 2023 after getting engaged in Tenerife the previous year. They said Ms Lopez had promised to handle everything from the venue to food and music. Ms Billington, 39, told the ECHO that she and her fiancé had made regular payments and had travelled to Tenerife several times to meet the planner and finalise details.
However, on Friday, May 22, Ms Billington received a message from the hotel's events co-ordinator asking if she had heard from the planner. Minutes later, an email from Ms Lopez said her company had notified the Commercial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife that it would be filing for insolvency as soon as legal documents were prepared. The email stated: 'We are no longer allowed to perform any activities regarding Weddings in Tenerife S.L, which means we will not be able to deliver any products or services for your wedding.'
Ms Billington said she had been unable to obtain further information from the planner and later discovered that most of the money paid had not reached suppliers. 'The only thing that has been paid for is a one thousand Euro deposit for the venue,' she said. 'We don't know where all our money has gone. Because we went through a third party wedding planner, our insurance doesn't appear to cover it.'
Despite the setback, the couple have been helped by the hotel and several suppliers who offered discounts and support, allowing them to go ahead with a wedding on Saturday at additional cost. Ms Billington praised the hotel: 'They have been absolutely amazing and have offered us lots of discounts and a few freebies.'
