JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville bride-to-be, who was forced to start the search for the perfect wedding dress all over again after Alfred Angelo Bridal stores nationwide abruptly closed, is able to move forward with her big days thanks to help from a local bridal boutique.
News4Jax spoke with Ty McKenzie after Alfred Angelo Bridal filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in Florida on July 14 -- just two months before her wedding.
McKenzie said Friday that the Alfred Angelo's legal team has since reached out to her with information on how she can get her money back. But she said she's not worried since the White Magnolia bridal boutique came to her rescue.
What seemed like a nightmare is now a happy ending for McKenzie.
"I was able to find a dress that exceeded my expectations. I loved it even more than the first dress, which I didn't think was possible," McKenzie said.
Two weeks ago, McKenzie found out she wasn't going to get her Alfred Angelo dress. But it wasn't until the White Magnolia stepped in that her fears were gone.
"I was absolutely worried that I wouldn't get my dream dress. I was worried that I would have to settle for something that I didn't really like. But I'm glad that's not my reality anymore," McKenzie said.
The bride-to-be said Alfred Angelo's legal team is also finally helping her figure out how she can get her money back.
"They gave us a deadline for submitting those claims, which is late November, so just going through the court procedures at this point," McKenzie said.
But she said she's not letting the legal troubles with the bridal retailer get in the way of her wedding day.
Now that she has an even better dress to walk down the aisle in, McKenzie hopes other brides can have the same outcome.
"I have my gown and things are working out for me," she said, "But I am hopeful that other brides will have the same outcome -- whether it's their dresses, their bridesmaid dresses -- that they will get that happy ending."
McKenzie said she's more ready than ever to wear her new dress in her wedding on Oct. 1.