“We went along on Monday to pay and everyone was all smiles – they must have been completely unaware,” said Mr Carder, 29.

“When I saw the posts on social media I thought it was a really distasteful April Fools’ joke. When I told my partner about it she was really upset.”

He said they had spoken to the bank and they were hopeful to recoup their deposit.

Sarah Capstick, 48, booked the venue with her fiance Phillip King, 46, for their wedding on 25 May.

When Miss Capstick, of Kendal, saw social media reports of The Villa Levens having ceased trading, she decided to go there after being unable to reach them on the phone.