Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Wednesday that his office will be defending brides who have been mistreated by the wedding dress stores Posh Bridal Couture and Elizabeth Bridal.
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“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. 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,” Attorney General Ellison said in a press release.
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The announcement from Ellison’s office comes after a local report depicted several experiences with the wedding shop Posh. In addition, Ellison’s office received several complaints from consumers sharing similar stories.
The Attorney General’s office alleged that two jointly-owned-and-operated wedding dress shops told their buyers that they could expect their gowns within six months. However, the companies delivered the orders late, leaving some brides without dresses on their wedding day; other brides received their dresses just days before their ceremonies resulting in rush alteration fees.
The office also alleged that Posh and Elizabeth falsely represented delays on the dresses, saying that late deliveries were on international customs or dress designers. However, delays resulted from the stores’ failure to pay the gown manufacturers for the products.
The store owner was also alleged to instruct her employees to tell customers incorrect information.
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Ellison’s office urged Minnesotans to report the incidents like this to hold retailers accountable.
“This case highlights how the media, Minnesota consumers, and your elected officials can work together to bring accountability to businesses in our state,” Ellison said in the press release. “If you have a problem with a business, you might not be the only one, contact us. We may be able to help not only you, but many others.”
The office has an online complaint form for anyone to fill out here.
The Assurance of Discontinuance filed in Hennepin County District Court on Tuesday has the stores agreeing to make significant changes to their business practices; they will no longer make misleading, deceptive, false, or fraudulent statements to consumers; it will allow the Attorney General’s Office to review its books; and pay $50,000.
The settlement funds could then be distributed to residents by Ellison or remitted to the general fund of the State of Minnesota.