JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville wedding company is under fire over claims that it's scamming thousands of dollars from local brides and grooms to be.
One woman, who's wedding is next month, reached out to Channel 4 about her problems with Alpha and Omega Event Consultants.
"After I started doing more and more research because things didn't add up, it seemed more like a scam as opposed to event planners who are supposed to make this one of the happiest days in your life," said the Jacksonville bride-to-be.
The bride-to-be didn't want her identity revealed, but said she needed to warn any other couples who may try to hire Alpha and Omega Event Consultants.
The woman claims the company suddenly shut its doors and disconnected their phones Tuesday and now she said she's out nearly $10,000.
"We're still having to find, you know, caterers, DJ's, flowers. We literally have nothing at this point," the woman told Channel 4. "We are basically planning a wedding in 32 days."
The 31-year-old said her trip toward holy matrimony is taking her and her fiancé through financial hell.
"The vendors that we do have, their payments are due in two days and I'm trying to explain to them, 'Hey, we don't even have a wedding planner at this point.' We don't know where they're at. I was informed that they had an eviction notice on the door," she said.
A former employee with Alpha and Omega Event Consultants told Channel 4 that the store was cleared out and the phones were disconnected Monday afternoon.
According to the Better Business Bureau, the company lost its accreditation in 2011 and despite having a B+ rating, has had a series of complaints.
"It's obvious that they've tried to use that money to try to keep the wolf away from the door so to speak, and the wolf has probably won at this point in time," said President of the Better Business Bureau Tom Stephens.
The BBB is encouraging anyone with a similar story to file a complaint.
"I would just say to anyone out there who is thinking about using this company to definitely think twice, and make sure everything that's done is done in writing," said the woman.
Channel 4 called the owner of Alpha and Omega, Zandra Bryant, for comment Tuesday night. When Bryant answered, she said she was not the owner and that she didn't know anything about the company.
Bryant then told Channel 4 that she needed to get off the phone because she was in the hospital.
The couple Channel 4 spoke with Tuesday night said they plan on filing a police report, issuing a complaint with the BBB and contacting the State Attorney's Office to try to recoup some of their money.