Dozens of brides who requested their dream marriage dress from a glamorous boutique established up by a former model have been remaining furious following their robes in no way arrived – and they are nonetheless awaiting refunds.
It is claimed Abigail’s Bridal Boutique in Leeds, started by Lauren Stanley, 26, has remaining as quite a few as 50 brides in the lurch occasionally just times ahead of their wedding day.
Lauren, who has appeared on the cover of Playboy and also highlighted in other magazings together with FHM, has left brides in tears and in some circumstances hundreds of lbs out of pocket, they claim.
Bride-to-be Bianca Esterine, 28, requested a £1,300 robe by Stella York from the retail store to put on when she marries her partner Jessica Richards next yr.
But soon after calling the dress designer straight, she was informed they had not gained an buy from the outlet, inspite of her placing down £586 deposit with Abigail’s, which she claims she has now dropped.
Dozens of brides who requested their desire marriage ceremony costume from Abigail’s Bridal Boutique in Leeds, started by Lauren Stanley, 26, have been remaining furious following their robes by no means arrived – and they are continue to awaiting refunds
Bianca mentioned: ‘I loved the gown as quickly as I tried using it on in Abigail’s Boutique, it was accurately what I was seeking for and I was questioned for a £200 deposit to reserve it.
‘It was agreed I would then pay back the rest in instalments of £77.26 until finally our marriage ceremony in September up coming year.
‘I was thrilled that I’d located the costume I actually preferred and experienced a straightforward payment approach.
‘But in Oct I was sent a text telling me that the organization experienced altered its lender account, which seemed odd and suspicious but I failed to want to get rid of the dress so I paid it as questioned.
Lauren, who has appeared on the protect of Playboy and also highlighted in other magazings including FHM, has remaining brides in tears and in some circumstances hundreds of pounds out of pocket, they claim
‘While I was executing that I kept making an attempt to get in touch with the shop and recognized some truly detrimental opinions on the Fb webpage, which was then taken down.
‘Through remarks from other brides on social media I became informed of the group – but by then I experienced paid out £586 by financial institution transfer which I won’t be able to get back.
‘When I contacted the dress designer specifically they stated they experienced not received the order for me from Abigail’s bridal.’
Stella York wrote to Bianca to notify her that Abigail’s Bridal was no longer an authorised retailer and they would send her to another branch to satisfy her buy.
Bride-to-be Bianca Esterine, 28, requested a £1,300 gown by Stella York from the shop to dress in when she marries her spouse Jessica Richards up coming year
Bianca explained: ‘It was a shock to find the gown I imagined I was having experienced in no way even been purchased. I have noticed a different one I like, but I am £586 out of pocket and never know how I am going to shell out for it,’
For solicitor Carrie Pearson, 37, the trouble wasn’t her own gown, but the 7 bridesmaids’ dresses she discovered experienced in no way been requested.
Carrie explained three dresses ended up ordered in 2019 for her wedding, which was thanks to occur in April 2020, but was cancelled owing to Covid.
By August this 12 months she and her partner were able to reorganise their cancelled wedding day, by which time her bridal get together had greater to 7.
Even so, Carrie reported that the initial three attire ended up not in the shop as expected when she returned and she contacted Dessy – who confirmed they had not gained the order.
Bianca said she was ‘shocked’ to find the costume she had thought she was finding from the wedding day store had by no means been purchased (pictured ideal, with her companion Jessica)
Bianca claimed she has now observed a further dress which she likes but after dropping £586, she doesn’t know how to pay for it
Carrie finished up ordering all 7 attire immediate from the designer.
She reported: ‘The wedding was coming up and I just experienced to spend for all the attire, with Abigail’s agreeing to give me a £1,500 refund for the original ones.
‘That was agreed in August and it nonetheless hasn’t arrived, I’m pondering now no matter whether it ever will, offered other people’s activities.
‘Even right after I would requested them immediate from the designer I was nonetheless being explained to by Abigail’s that the attire would be arriving at their shop quickly, which I knew to be untrue.’
Lynette Procter, 50, was livid that five appointments created for her daughter Ashleigh Sheppard, 26, to have her last dress alterations were being cancelled at Abigail’s.
Lynette Procter, 50, was furious that 5 appointments manufactured for her daughter Ashleigh Sheppard, 26, to have her ultimate costume alterations had been cancelled at Abigail’s (left). In the meantime for solicitor Carrie Pearson, 37, the issue was not her individual robe, but the seven bridesmaids’ attire she identified had under no circumstances been ordered (right)
She stated they ended up compelled to shell out an additional seamstress and have been promised a £300 refund by Lauren Stanley’s boutique, which has not been compensated.
She mentioned: ‘We received justification soon after justification about why the appointments were being being cancelled, like that her seamstress had Covid, which we knew not to be accurate because we asked her.
‘The wedding day day was obtaining nearer and closer and Ashleigh’s costume was nonetheless no nearer to currently being ready.
‘It was very stress filled and upsetting for Ashleigh and for me. In the method of all this tension she fell out of appreciate with the costume and it cast a shadow about her major day, which is heartbreaking.
‘The previous information I received from Abigail’s on Oct 18th stated their financial institution account experienced been ‘blocked’ so they couldn’t ship or obtain payments. I have no self esteem I will at any time see this cash.’
Cathy Hateley, 44, who runs her individual bridal boutique, became aware of the plight of the brides when she started to do enterprise with Ms Stanley’s store final year.
Design Lauren, who has over 60,000 followers on Instagram, mentioned Covid and the lockdown was to blame for challenging buying and selling problems
She explained: ‘I started off to get incredibly suspicious of the way she was doing business and when I seemed into it additional I learned there ended up dozens of furious ladies who had dropped out.
‘These are folks making ready for the most important working day of their lives and they’ve been remaining heartbroken for the reason that the costume they’d set their heart on and imagined themselves going for walks down the aisle in merely has not materialised.
‘In some instances brides have uncovered this in times of their weddings.
‘We established up a team which is obtaining bigger by the day. It so significantly has 52 people in it and all of them have a grievance from Lauren Stanley and her business enterprise.’
Cathy specials in ex-sample marriage ceremony attire – those that have been beforehand tried out on by brides-to-be – and agreed to obtain some from Abigail’s Boutique.
At 1st enterprise commenced nicely but then Cathy realised attire she experienced ordered weren’t turning up.
She stated: ‘I did not want to chunk the hand that was feeding me so at initial I failed to say something, but then far more and far more attire were not turning up as promised.
‘At 1 issue I was owed £2,000 and 21 dresses but each individual time I rang the store I’d get a distinct person and could never get hold of Lauren.
‘I’m at this time owed six dresses and I’m contacting the shop 5 to 10 times a day but hardly ever get an answer.’
Having said that Lauren has strike back – blaming Covid lockdowns that have decimated the funds of these in the wedding day sector for her cashflow difficulties
The brides have organised them selves into a force team to press for refunds and to alert other future consumers to be wary of utilizing Abigail’s Bridal Boutique in Leeds.
Nevertheless Lauren has strike back – blaming Covid lockdowns that have decimated the funds of all those in the marriage sector for her cashflow complications and insisting she is working flat out to meet orders and make confident no buyer loses dollars.
Lauren said Covid and the lockdown was to blame for hard investing situations.
She explained to MailOnline: ‘Covid has put numerous smaller enterprises on the brink together with us. We have experienced no support from the federal government.
‘However we are open up to fix challenges for our shoppers since we have a responsibility of treatment.
The product, who has posed for Playboy, explained to MailOnline her shop had been ‘closed for months’ since of Covid
‘We have been closed for months but the payments still have to be paid and we have experienced provide problems due to the fact opening.
‘However we are targeted on staying open up and servicing our consumers the most effective we can, that is due to the fact we have a responsibility of care.’
She explained she was unwilling to comment further more for the reason that the predicament had induced her depression and illness.
Irrespective of this assurance the dissatisfied buyers in the group remain fiercely crucial – stating the store need to not have continued to acquire orders that it experienced no hope of meeting and clamouring to get their money back again.