AG Goes After Bridal Stores After Multiple Reports Of Delayed Wedding Dresses
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced that his office has secured relief for brides who did not get their wedding dresses in timely measure.
The office identified Posh Bridal Couture and m. Elizabeth Bridal as the stores in question.
Earlier, WCCO reported on a number of brides across the Twin Cities who said their wedding gowns were delayed. They told WCCO late timing and a lack of customer service resulted in immense stress and even forced three women to buy another gown.
Following this report, Ellison's office said that they received a number of complaints from other brides-to-be sharing similar stories.
This case shows how media, govt & consumers can work together for justice. This @WCCO story generated many complaints into our office that helped us hold these shops accountable. If you have a prob w a business, speak up bc you might not be the only one.https://t.co/FRaYfD1pKz
— Attorney General Keith Ellison (@AGEllison) August 18, 2021
The office says two jointly-owned-and-operated wedding dress shops told buyers they would receive gowns in six months or less, but often missed that deadline.
"You should always get what you pay for when you pay for it. The days leading up to your wedding day should be filled with joy and excitement, not dread and anxiety about whether you'll have something to wear down the aisle," Ellison said. "Minnesotans trust shops like this with some of the biggest purchases we'll ever make. When companies violate that trust by failing to deliver, my office is here to make sure Minnesotans are protected."
Ellison said Posh, which is located in Hopkins, and m. Elizabeth falsely represented the reasons for customers' delays, blaming dress designers or international customs hold-ups, when the actual reason was those stores' failure to pay manufacturers for the dresses. Ellison's office said they have evidence store owners told employees to lie to customers.
The stores have agreed to make changes, not mislead customers in the future, to allow the attorney general's office to review their books, and pay $50,000 in settlement funds.