Industry rallies to support couples as wedding planner’s creditors are owed thousands of dollars

The extent of the collapse of a large wedding planner in one of the state’s most picturesque regions has been revealed.

ALMOST 40 couples planning their dream ceremony in the Whitsundays have been left in the lurch after the region’s largest wedding planner unexpectedly shut its doors.

Wedding Planners Whitsundays was put into liquidation on October 4 with 39 weddings on the books.

About 30 suppliers, staff and the Australian Tax Office is understood to be owed thousands of dollars, but an exact figure has not been revealed.

Liquidator Dennis Offermans of Offermans in Townsville had the unenviable task last week of contacting couples to deliver the news of the company’s collapse.

“The key was doing it as early as possible and obviously they were very upset,” he said.

“Most were extremely polite and we’ve just tried to keep them informed.

“That was our main focus, to try and ensure the weddings would go ahead.

“It hasn’t been our easiest assignment.”

Jordan and Jesse Beattie were affected by the liquidation of Wedding Planners Whitsundays. The couple married at Earlando on Wednesday as planned. Pic: Summer Rain Photography

But what might have turned out to be a disaster for affected couples wasn’t to be, with generous suppliers and Tourism Whitsundays rallying to facilitate the weddings.

Last week three ceremonies went ahead, almost as planned, thanks largely to the work of Airlie Beach company Fish D’Vine.

“It was through enormous cooperation through suppliers and this particular party we’ve made it happen pretty quickly...within a week,” Mr Offerman said.

“They (couples) won’t be out of pocket one cent.

“We thought that was a fairly good outcome.”

Fish D’Vine director Kevin Collins said there were about $100,000 in lost deposits his business would have to cover.

Despite the hardship, Mr Collins said it was vital out-of-pocket suppliers honoured payments and didn’t “burn the couples”.

“Weddings in the Whitsundays are big business,” he said.

“It’s too big an industry to let fail.

“It’s saved the poor brides and grooms.

“It would have been a horrendous experience for them.”

Kevin Collins of Fish D'vine at Airlie Beach.

Mr Collins said he was shocked and disappointed when the region’s largest planner went under, but said he didn’t give a second thought about helping the couples.

“Thankfully we are big enough we can recoup the losses over a few years,” he said.

“It’s a blip on our financial radar but it’s the right thing to do.

“We’re in the business of being nice to people.”

Mr Offerman said his early investigations suggested the company’s overheads were not commensurate with revenue, but a debt to creditors had not been determined.

“It’s too early to crystallise a figure,” he said.

“The director is extremely upset about it all.”

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Tash Wheeler said the industry “has proven its determination to save the industry they love and have rallied to support each other”.

Liquidators or administrators were appointed to 113 Queensland businesses in September.

Read the Courier-Mail’s full list here.