Police investigate Airdrie bridal boutique after abrupt closure leaves brides-to-be in the lurch

AIRDRIE -

Scores of brides-to-be are scrambling to find new dresses after a wedding boutique in Airdrie suddenly closed its doors.

In a Facebook post that has now been deleted, Taffeta & Tulle Bridal announced to its customers it was facing insolvency.

"To the brides of Taffeta & Tulle Bridal: It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I have to close the business' doors. Taffeta & Tulle Bridal is insolvent," read the post, apparently written by company owner Marisza Cottam.

"Moving forward, I will be liquidating all of my inventory to pay debtors what they are owed. Once this process is completed, you will be contacted."

Becky Ryan is one of the women who say they are now out thousands of dollars and without a wedding dress to show for it.

Ryan originally planned to get married this September but has pushed back her wedding to next year.

She says she paid Cottam $4,500 for a custom-designed wedding dress in the fall of 2022.

Then, early this year, she says communication with the boutique became difficult.

"I was supposed to have the mock-ups back in June. That is what she had said, and then I didn't hear anything," said Ryan.

"Then, I got the text message from her on Tuesday, July 4, saying that she was no longer operating ... she said she'd be in touch with me to either try to figure out an alternative solution or to have somebody else take over that dress."

The next day, she saw the Facebook post.

"I don't expect to see any return on my investment," she said.

In a Facebook post that has now been deleted, Taffeta & Tulle Bridal announced to its customers it was facing insolvency.

Amanda Lewis also chose Taffeta & Tulle to design her custom wedding dress.

She says it wasn't coming in mid-June and tracked the owner down to demand a refund.

After multiple meetings, she says she got most of her money back but was still left scrambling to find a new gown for her August long-weekend wedding.

"This is what you dream of as a girl growing up -- the dress. She's taken that away," said Lewis.

"My maid of honour, Toni, came all the way out from Toronto to experience me getting a wedding dress from Taffeta & Tulle and I feel like it's all been taken away from me."

Amanda Lewis' maid of honour, Toni, travelled from Toronto to experience her getting a wedding dress from Taffeta & Tulle Bridal.

Brooke Gerard spent $2,500 on a gown from Taffeta and Tulle.

"About April, I hadn't received a contract or kind of any communication from her. And then I sent an email because I'd lost a bit of weight and I was just worried about fit and if I could, like build that into my mock-up version of my dress, and I didn't hear back from her," she said.

Gerard says she kept trying to contact Cottam but heard nothing in response.

"And then I saw on Facebook, there's just dozens of women (with similar concerns). So I reached out to her again, and she's like, 'No, we'll take care of you no problem.' Then, the next day, I get an email about her shutting down her business."

Gerard scrambled to find a new dress for her Aug. 26 wedding.

"So now, after buying a new dress, I've spent almost as much on dresses as the whole rest of the wedding," she said.

CTV News went to the location of the business, a rented attached garage at a west Airdrie house.

The signs are still on the door, and in the darkened interior, several wedding dresses still hang on racks.

In Taffeta & Tulle Bridal's darkened interior, several wedding dresses still hang on racks.

CTV News reached out to Cottam for comment but she refused, writing in a text:

"I am currently under legal representation and am unable to speak about the current situation."

Ryan and Gerard, as well as several other women CTV News spoke to, have filed complaints with police over their interactions with Taffeta & Tulle.

Airdrie RCMP confirms there is an active investigation.

No Charges have been laid.