Bride left dress-less as gown shop closes 2 weeks before wedding
She got her wedding bells rung with this shocking mishap.
A San Francisco Bay Area woman was shocked when the bridal store she bought a wedding gown from shuttered with no notice or fulfillment of her order.
Akila Yejide Mwongozi, who worked three jobs to afford her wedding, bought her nuptial attire last year from Bellisima Coutre in Pittsburg, California. She was supposed to pick up the posh attire at the owner’s house on August 20, two weeks before her San Diego-based wedding on Sept 1, reports KTVU.
But two days ago nobody came to the door at either the home or store and Mwongozi has gotten radio silence since.
“I guess I’m kind of in shock. I know about scams online, but I’ve been going to this place since October of last year,” Mwongozi said, noting that the stoor was filled a month ago.
“Kind of felt like I was in the ‘Twilight Zone.’ It’s just weird,” she told KTVU.
In total, she’s lost out on $1,000 for her dress, veil, and flower girl dress, according to the TV channel.
Fortunately, bridesmaid of the year Carlina Williams put out an SOS on social media and received an admirable welcome of help from friends and strangers.
“I have one person that didn’t even know me that saw a post on Facebook and sent a dress to UPS in San Diego,” Williams told KGO-TV.
“It’s just amazing how people come together and pull through and help people they don’t know,” she added.
Despite the last-minute drama, and almost losing her groom’s suit to alterations at the shop as well, the bride-to-be is keeping her mind in important places as the show goes on.
“I’m getting married. Two years, three years, dress is not going to be important,” said Mwongozi. “The marriage is going to be important, and how I’m going to build my family.”