WEST WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) – Local brides, calling for help: They claim a West Warwick bridal salon is breaking its vows when it comes to designer gowns. That’s when the brides banded together and Called 12 For Action.
It’s stressful enough to plan a wedding that goes smoothly, but throw in a gown glitch, and now you’re talking major bridal meltdown.
Every bride hopes for a picture perfect wedding day.
“I found a picture in the catalog and I wanted something just like that,” said Keri Hicks.
And for most brides, it starts with the gown. Wanting to feel like a princess for their big day, brides Andrea Esteves and Keri Hicks both went to Cinderella’s Bridal Salon in West Warwick.
“I love the dress, I love Liz Fields, and the design was perfect for me,” says Andrea.
Both women told us they chose gowns by designer Liz Fields. Andrea also says she ordered seven Liz Fields bridesmaid dresses from Cinderella’s.
But as their wedding dates neared each decided to contact the designer herself to check on the dresses.
“She said she had my dress since July and my bridesmaids’ dresses since September,” says Andrea. And why wasn’t she sending them to Cinderella’s? “She wasn’t sending them because she hadn’t gotten paid for them,” says Andrea.
Shortly after that phone conversation, Andrea received this letter from the designer that says, “Due to Cinderella Bridal Salon’s financial standing with Liz Fields, and inability to pay for your gowns, we are forced to send the below dresses directly to you.”
“My gown was never ordered, and she advised me to get my money back,” says Keri.
I spoke with the designer and she confirmed these statements. Both brides say they contacted Cinderella’s owner, Scott Grady. Keri says he provided her with a purchase order number. But Keri says the designer told her that P.O. number was a fake. The designer said the same to me when I called her.
In a statement to Eyewitness News, the designer says, “Liz Fields has not been doing business with Cinderella’s Bridal Salon in Rhode Island since September 2011.” She goes on to say that “We have been alerted to cases of bridesmaids’ dresses and wedding gowns ordered which we have no record of.”
Call 12 for Action, of course, wanted to hear the owner’s side of the story, so we went to Cinderella’s Bridal Salon. I guess they were expecting me, because right on their front door was a letter addressed to Susan Hogan!
It’s a doctor’s note, letting me know Scott Grady would be unavailable until mid-March, due to a medical emergency.
I did reach his mother by phone, who identified herself as a business partner. She tells me they’ve done nothing wrong, and said they’ve had no other complaints from any other designer. I offered her the opportunity to speak to us or fax relevant information, but she has not done so. Regardless, she says they’ve refunded all of the brides — but at least one bride tells us that she has not received anything.
I tried once again to reach out to Scott Grady, his mother and the store, but my messages have not been returned.
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