Alanna Lamarche paid Amy Conibear a $500 deposit in exchange for a discount on her wedding-linen rental bill last summer, but instead what got she was swindled, she claims.
Conibear was hired through Amour Decor in February 2011, and when Lamarche tried contacting her to confirm details in April, it’s alleged she started rescheduling meetings.
“She made multiple excuses, from ‘My child’s in the Stollery hospital’ to ‘My grandmother died,’” said Lamarche, adding Conibear eventually stopped returning calls.
When she realized she’d lost her money, she created a Facebook page and learned she was one of dozens of brides in the same boat, she says.
“Some people were out $3,000. One girl had to cancel here entire wedding,” said Lamarche.
Christina Frizzell of Sweet Bliss Weddings says she got a lot of panicked calls from brides left in the lurch and rental companies out of inventory who’d dealt with Conibear.
She and other planners banded together to link the would-be wives with new vendors and decorators, Frizzell says.
The RCMP have been investigating since May 27, 2011, says Const. Barb Roy, adding investigators needed time to speak to 78 alleged clients.
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