Police seize wedding gowns as complaints pour in

FORT COLLINS - Jami Jonckowski's fairytale wedding turned into a nightmare last month when she realized her $2,000 designer Manuel Mota gown would never arrive.

Neither would her veil, maid-of-honor or mother-of-the-bride dresses, and the wedding was just weeks away.

Jonckowski is among a number of soon-to-be brides scrambling to find new bridal gowns after Mountain Avenue Bridal, 3710 Mitchell Drive, Suite 108, abruptly closed last week.

On Sunday, the shop was empty. A typewritten note taped to the door said the store had closed due to unforeseen circumstances.

Owner Patty Burling is not answering her home or cell phone numbers. The store phone has been disconnected. Messages for a store employee were not returned.

Now, Fort Collins Police have seized 50 wedding gowns from the shop and are trying to match the gowns to receipts.

Police spokeswoman Rita Davis said the department received 17 complaints against Mountain Avenue Bridal for dresses that were paid for but not delivered or for money that was not refunded.

During the investigation, police discovered that some dresses were never ordered, but had been paid in full, Davis said.

The shop shut down Aug. 4 leaving brides with no gowns for their impending nuptials.

Jessica Link of Windsor postponed her Aug. 27 wedding largely because her wedding dress had yet to arrive.

She paid $1,700 for the Pronovias gown and had been given several excuses from Mountain Bridal for the delays.

With two weeks to go, the dress was a no show.

During the investigation, Davis said employees reported being told to sell the dresses at a trunk sale at Edgewater Pavilion in Windsor or sell them on eBay.

There is no indication that any of them were sold that way, Davis said.

As for Jonckowski, she will be ready to walk down the aisle Sept. 12 after getting a new dress and all but about $500 back from Burling.

Her new gown from Bridal Collection in Denver is equally beautiful, she said, but it was the store sample, tried on by dozens of other brides. She's grateful Bridal Collection bailed her out of a bad situation but furious she was forced into the situation in the first place.

"Patty has made the process of buying a wedding gown an absolute nightmare," Jonckowski said. "It has by far been the most disappointing and frustrating part of the wedding-planning process. Patty has single-handedly ruined the entire process."

According to Jonckowski, the gowns were never shipped from the manufacturer because they froze her account. The gowns were being held as collateral and were not being released and have since been shipped back to Spain or are being held in New York.

Emilee Rumer bought five bridesmaid dresses from Mountain Avenue Bridal in July for a total of $800. Last Tuesday, her mother went to the shop to find it empty.

At the same time, a girl walked up to the door, started crying and fell into the arms of Rumer's mother. She had spent $2,000 on a dress and was getting married next month, Rumer said.

Rumer went to the Bridal Suite in Windsor where she bought her gown and ordered new bridesmaids dresses.

Even with a rush on the order, she has barely enough time to get the dresses and have them altered before her Sept. 26 wedding date.

"I'm just thankful I didn't get my wedding dress there. Otherwise, I would be very worried right now," Rumer said.

She's still out $800, but she said she'll worry about that after "things settle down."

"I just don't understand how someone can do this to someone on one of the most important days of their lives. She knew she couldn't do this [get the dresses], so she should have been more honest with everyone," Rumer said.

The Bridal Collection in Denver is doing what it can to help at least a dozen other brides fill their orders, Jonckowski said.

Jonckowski also had to order a new veil from Bridal Collection. "I fell in love with the [original] veil, but at this point, I have to go with the flow."

The Mountain Avenue Bridal Web site is filled with angry postings from brides who did not get their dresses, accessories or jewelry and are now fighting to get refunds.

One bride said she got a refund, but the check bounced.

Mountain Avenue Bridal and its sister store, Simply Elegant, were members of the Colorado Wedding Association, Northern Colorado branch.

"Prior to two weeks ago, it was supposed to be the best" of wedding businesses, said Mat Dinsmore, owner of Wilbur's Total Beverage, 2201 S. College Ave., which is on the list along with Palmer Flowers, RC Events and others.

"It sounds like everything fell apart two weeks ago," said Dinsmore, who said he has known Burling for a long time.

Jonckowski ordered her dress in February, plenty of time for a September wedding. The May arrival date was repeatedly delayed as Burling explained it as problems with the supplier.

Her gown would arrive in June, then July and then August, she was told.

Now, it won't arrive at all.

But come Sept. 12, her wedding day, Jonckowski hopes to put it all behind her.

"After working with the gals at Bridal Collection who have gone above and beyond, I really think when Sept. 12 comes, everything will be all right," she said.

Anyone who ordered a dress that has not been delivered is asked to contact police investigator Kennyburg Araujo at 970-221-6555.

If you were one of the many who didn't get a wedding dress you ordered, we want to hear from you. E-mail adam.chodak@9news.com.