Wedding Chat with Sande | Alfred Angelo – What Happened?
This past Friday, Alfred Angelo filed for bankruptcy and closed all its stores without prior notification to anyone. What a nightmare! There are thousands of brides who have paid for Alfred Angelo dresses who don’t know when, or if, they will get their gown.
So what can the brides do? I did some research online and found the following:
Jack Gillis, the spokesman for the Consumer Federation of America, a non-profit research and advocacy group, offered these tips for brides and bridesmaids left without dresses:
Call your credit card company. Now. If you paid for your dress with a credit card, you may be able to get a refund, he said. “If they have paid with a credit card, they need to immediately contact their credit card company and refuse payment,” Gillis said. “That is the first thing.”
Keep an eye on your local the store. In bankruptcy situations, stores will often for a period of time for “liquidation sales,” Gillis said. “It is important that if you live near one of these stores, keep your eyes open,” Gillis said. “If one’s dress is in there, theoretically it can be marked as such.” There may also be a chance to pick up a new dress for at a deep discount during one of these sales, he added.
Don’t count on a refund. “What consumers can do is attempt to get in line for any proceedings as a result of the bankruptcy,” Gillis said. “However, consumers or buyers of the product are usually the last in line. Other creditors are going to eat up whatever money or value may be left in the company.”
Alfredo Angelo apologized in a statement, and urged those who want to check their order status to email alfredangelo@mjstrustee.com. “In your email, please include your order number, name as it appears on your order and the location of your purchase. We will post additional information regarding the status of pending orders on this website as it becomes available or otherwise contact you as we receive more information regarding your purchase. We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event. We appreciate your patience. Thank you.”
Patricia Ann Redmond, a Miami bankruptcy lawyer representing Alfred Angelo, told The Miami Herald that she received more than 7,300 emails by Friday. "I’ve been prioritizing them by the dates of their weddings," Redmond told the news station.
This is the information on Patricia Redmond:
StartFragmentPatricia A. Redmond, Esquire Stearns Weaver Miller 150 West Flagler Street Miami, Florida 33130 Phone: 305-789-3553 Fax: 305-789-3395 predmond@stearnsweaver.com stearnsweaver.comEndFragment
Many bridal stores are offering discounts to Alfred Angelo brides so shop around. My heart goes out to all the brides who don't know if they will get their dream wedding gowns. I can't imagine!!
