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A bride-to-be has spoken of her devastation after the company behind her wedding venue went into administration just months before her big day.
Charlotte Rickwood, from Rough Common, Canterbury, was due to marry her fiancé Jordan Collins at St Augustine's in Westgate-on-Sea on April 19.
The 31-year-old described it as her dream venue and was left in “floods of tears” after days of mounting speculation and uncertainty became a shattering reality.
Last week, couples booked to be married at St Augustine’s had been left unsettled after a wine-tasting evening and Burns Night celebrations were axed.
Then on Friday, KentOnline revealed St Augustine’s College Ltd had gone into administration.
Charlotte and Jordan did not get wedding insurance and now fear they could be left thousands of pounds out of pocket.
“It was a massive shock to both of us,” Charlotte said. “We had heard the rumours but when we called the venue we kept getting vague responses from them.
“They just kept telling us that they didn’t know what was going on.
“They even admitted that some staff weren’t turning up because they didn’t know if they were getting paid.
“I asked if that could happen on our wedding day, and they said, ‘Yeah, it’s a possibility.’”
Despite the couple’s repeated calls, they received no direct confirmation from St Augustine’s about the collapse. Instead, they found out through a link sent by friends.
“I just cried my eyes out,” Charlotte added.
“We’ve paid nearly £3,000 towards the wedding, and we’re worried that money is lost.
“We stupidly didn’t think about wedding insurance.
“It was our dream venue and we are both absolutely heartbroken.”
A spokesman for accountancy firm Kreston Reeves told KentOnline earlier this week it had been appointed as administrator. More details are set to follow in the coming days.
Charlotte and Jordan have been together for almost two years and got engaged on April 17, 2024.
Despite being devastated about their venue being lost, they are determined to not cancel their big day.
With the help of friends and family, Charlotte and Jordan, 39, are now tying the knot at Grove Ferry Inn in Upstreet, Canterbury.
While they were fortunate to secure a new venue, the mum-of-two says the added costs have been a “heavy blow”.
“Grove Ferry has been very generous and offered us everything at half price,” she said.
“We’re paying just over £4,000 instead of £8,000, but we’ve lost all the deposits we paid to St Augustine’s. Maybe we’ll get some money back, but we’re not expecting to.”
The couple’s excitement for their wedding has been overshadowed by the heartbreak of losing the venue that meant so much to them.
“I had my prom there when I was in secondary school, and I always dreamed of getting married there,” Charlotte went on.
“Jordan fell in love with it too when we visited. So when I found out it had gone under, I was heartbroken.
“I could barely breathe. I was having miniature panic attacks - I was just so devastated.”
The stress has taken a toll on Charlotte’s health, as she has recently been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and fibromyalgia, conditions that can be exacerbated by stress.
Some companies have offered to step in and help couples who have lost out.
Baypoint Events, which organises weddings and other gatherings at Baypoint Club in Sandwich, said in a statement on social media: “If you have been affected by the St Augustine’s situation, we understand how challenging this situation must be for those impacted.
“If you have proof of deposits paid for a corporate event, wedding, gathering or party, we would be happy to help by subsidising any additional costs to support you in securing our venue.”
The Racing Greyhound pub in Ramsgate also put forward their function room as free to hire.
A more detailed statement on St Augustine’s is expected in the coming days.