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As if planning a wedding on a budget wasn't stressful enough, these days it's vital to guard against dishonest vendors looking to make a fast buck on everything from your rings to your ride to the altar.
"Because of the economy and the way it is right now, con artists are on the rise," warns Ed Magedson, founder of RipoffReport.com, a free online archive of consumer complaints which includes a number of wedding vendors, from photographers to limo companies.
On Nov. 1, Meaghan Buchan of Hoboken was due to pick up her $3,700 wedding gown from Calvary Bridal in Livingston, N.J., only to discover the dress had never even been ordered.
"I chose them because they were so nice and helpful, and she didn't push anything on me," says Buchan, who paid for the gown in full in July. "The owner said, 'If you pay upfront we'll waive the rush fees,' " she recalls.
Despite being reassured that the dress was on its way by the store's owner, Elga Koehler, Buchan dug deeper and discovered that Calvary Bridal had filed for Chapter 11.
"She treated me like a bank to give her a loan to keep her business afloat and ultimately admitted that there was never going to be any dress," exclaims Buchan, one of several brides left high and dry by the store, which recently closed its doors and could not be reached for comment. Fortunately, Buchan acted quickly and was able to get her credit card charges reversed and appeal directly to the designer of her chosen gown to arrange a rush order in time for her New Year's Eve wedding.
But not all brides are so lucky.
Gemologist Jennifer Rosenthal Ganz, who runs jewelry concierge service 27facets.com says she often encounters newlyweds horrified to discover their wedding jewelry is worth just a fraction of the price they paid. "A woman recently brought in a diamond ring to be appraised. It came up as a diamond simulant called Moissanite. Unfortunately, she had paid for a real diamond. It had been a few years after the fact and she was unable to return it," explains Ganz, who charges $250 per day to accompany shoppers making major jewelry purchases. She suggests couples going it alone to stick to reputable stores and carry a $5 loupe to analyze gems for flaws before purchasing. Dodgy diamonds and ripoff dresses are among the most common complaints heard by Jeff Ostroff, CEO of consumer advocate Web site BridalTips.com, which receives about six complaints daily from shortchanged newlyweds across the U.S.
"We're also hearing about a few photographers who don't supply the number of proofs or number of pictures as promised," he adds. Written By ELOISE PARKER |
