Birchington Vale saved the date!

What do you do when your wedding reception venue suddenly shuts its doors just days before your big day?

For Neil and Linda, a couple who met and fell in love at Birchington Vale, that nightmare became a reality. But thanks to the incredible team at the park, their wedding turned out to be everything they dreamed of, and more.

Neil and Linda, both proud owners of holiday caravans at Birchington Vale, first met a few years ago in the park’s clubhouse. Their love story blossomed by the sea, leading to a Valentine’s season wedding planned for February 2025. They had booked their celebration at St Augustine's, a charming wedding venue in nearby Westgate-on-Sea.

But just one week before the wedding, disaster struck. The venue went into administration and abruptly closed, leaving Neil and Linda with over 100 guests invited, no reception location, and a lost deposit of £6,000.

Birchington Vale to the rescue

Enter Sam Gosden, Birchington Vale’s park manager and all-around hero.

When Sam heard what had happened, he wasn’t about to let the couple’s big day fall apart. He quickly rallied the team and came up with a plan: transform the park’s clubhouse, the very spot where Neil and Linda first met, into a magical wedding venue, all in just a few days.

And that's excatly what they did.

The staff decorated the space beautifully, dressed the tables, and even arranged a DJ. All at no extra cost. Neil and Linda were able to bring their own ingredients for the wedding meal, which the park’s kitchen lovingly prepared. And yes, there was a proper wedding cake too.

The result? A celebration that not only matched their original plans, but exceeded them.

"Everyone had the most amazing time, and other holiday home owners also put on their glad rags to to join the evening party and celebrate Neil and Linda's happy day," said Sam.

"The couple said they couldn't have imagined enjoying a more fabulous experience, and that it had completely surpassed their expectations of the wedding venue they had booked.

"They also reckoned that even their wedding breakfast of pie-and-mash and fish and chips probably went down better than anything else that could have been served up!

"I must admit that it did set us a pretty big challenge at such short notice, but it was a team effort which paid off magnificently," said Sam, who has been manager of the park for seven years.

Neil has been an owner at Birchington Vale for seven years, and his wife Linda for five years – and the couple are now living together in their London home while still enjoying regular visits to the park.

Birchington Vale is nestled in 100 acres of Kent countryside alongside miles of sandy golden beaches – and Sam says he's now confirmed in his belief that it really is Britain's most romantic holiday park!