Bride ponders legal action against local bridal shop

One bride is considering taking legal action against a local bridal shop, after she had to get married without her bridal party.

Sophia Haynes, who resides in Canada, visited SEARCHLIGHT recently to express dissatisfaction with the service she received from VSP Bridal Shop, {{more}}after the outfits she ordered for her bridesmaids and groomsmen were not delivered on time.

According to Haynes, she gave VSP Bridal Shop 13 yards of fabric to make dresses and waistcoats for the men and women in her bridal party. However, in the weeks leading up to her wedding, Haynes said she began to have issues with the proprietor, Susan John.

“In July, I came down and I bring nine yards of cloth to VSP Bridal. A friend told me about her and I took the material there, so I called up all the ladies who I asked to be a part of it and the guys, so we went there and they take measurements,” the Vincentian-born woman explained.

“Only two girls were missing. She said that the nine would not [be enough] so I would have to send some more…so when I went back I bought four more yards of the cloth again.”

Haynes told SEARCHLIGHT that while in Canada, she repeatedly sent friends to follow up on the progress of the outfits.

Haynes claims that on separate occasions in October and November, John told persons that “she still have time” and “she don’t have time to do that now.”

“I said to my friend you know what…those people in St Vincent don’t know how to do business because if you doing business with someone and you don’t have time for that?” the newly married woman said.

Haynes explained that she arrived in St Vincent on December 2 and went to see John two days after. She said that she was assured that everything was going well and that she would receive the outfits soon.

“She said ‘Oh Sophie I’m sorry. I get caught up with stuff,’ which I understand, because you can get caught up, but the wedding was Saturday and I still calm,” Haynes told SEARCHLIGHT.

However, Haynes said when she went to pick up the dresses on December 12, John never showed. She managed to reach John by telephone and they arranged for the dresses to be picked up the following day, December 13, the day of the wedding.

Haynes explained that she was scheduled to collect the dresses from John at 10:30 a.m, but as had happened the previous day, the store owner never turned up.

“I had to get married without my bridesmaids. If you doing business, how can somebody be in business for so long …

“She gave me this confidence; ‘Oh yea everything ok.’ For me, I already get a lawyer to do what I got to do. I’m not leaving it like that, but I need her to [be exposed] because … if you are a business person, you cannot be doing stuff like this to people. On my wedding day, I was two hours late to my wedding because of that lady,” said an upset Haynes.

When John, the proprietor of VSP Bridal spoke with SEARCHLIGHT, she was very emotional and emphasized that she was not intentionally late with the bridesmaid dresses.

“I was a little late but the dresses were finished. The guys got their waistcoats yes; it’s only one person who didn’t pick up,” she said.

“I am really, really sorry. It wasn’t something willfully done. I was a little late because I helped out three brides who were in distress. How can I say no to a bride who is in distress? I helped out three brides, they came and they had problems. I stayed till two, three in the morning trying to help them because I know what it’s like.”

The bridal shop owner is of the opinion that Haynes is out to destroy her business and declared that she will continue to pray to God because he “favours” her.

“Sophie did not deposit as much as a penny on her stuff. Not as much as one cent was deposited on her stuff. I make them,” John declared.

“I would not cease to bruise my knees because I wasn’t expecting this from Sophie. She is going all out to destroy my business, but my God; I am serving the true and living God, Jehovah Jireh, the great Almighty God. I know my God so I leave Sophie at the foot of the cross.

“I’m up to my head with work and if a bride should walk in here now with her wedding gown… I need help; ma’am if I have to take night and make day, I will help that bride. The bride is the most important person of the day.”(BK)