Jacksonville bride-to-be said her wedding dress was ruined at local alteration business

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local bride-to-be said her wedding dress was ruined after she took it to a seamstress. Just weeks before her big day, she said she took it to a local business to get it altered the way she wanted it.

“When I got there to pick up the dress, this is what it was,” said J’Shondria Dexter, bride-to-be to Action News Jax reporter Amber Krycka.

There weren’t tears of joy coming from the bride-to-be.

“I have less than a month until my wedding, so it’s just frustrating,” Dexter said.

Dexter said she bought her wedding dress in July, and later decided she wanted to change up the style. She said she went to Sew Innovative Fashion Academy to get the work done.

“And she told me it was no problem. She understood the vision. We went over it. She took measurements,” Dexter said.

Dexter showed Action News Jax the receipts she said she gave the business for a deposit. Dexter said she met the woman in person a couple of times and she said she was told the work would be done in two to three weeks. But things changed.

“Every time I would text her she would text me back 24 hours later, 72 hours later. She might’ve never text back, I have to call her, leave messages,” Dexter said.

Dexter said she kept getting the runaround and text messages show the seamstress changing the times for Dexter to pick up the dress. Last Wednesday, a text said the dress would be available around 8:30-9 p.m. that night.

“At 8:30 at night, I went to her house, she never came, I sat outside for two hours with my mom and my baby in the cold. She never came,” Dexter said.

Dexter eventually got her dress, after she received another text from the woman who runs the business that said she was in an accident and the dress would be in a truck for Dexter to pick up.

“I really don’t believe this is the dress that I purchased. If you see the original, it was an eggshell white. This is almost yellow. This dress could fit somebody who is 7 feet tall, I’m 5 feet and 2 inches,” Dexter said.

According to Florida’s business licensing website Sun Biz, the license for the business expired in 2018. Action News Jax stopped by the listed address for the business, and it’s an apartment complex. When ANJ stopped to get some answers, we were told by management to leave immediately.

Action News Jax also tried calling, but it said, “Your call can’t be completed as the call’s party is temporary unavailable.” We also emailed and messaged the woman on Facebook and she replied, “HI, after receiving harassing and threatening texts, calls, emails and voicemails this has become a legal matter; (Defamation/Slander). Under advisement of legal representation Wagner & Associates we are unable to comment at this time.”

“I will definitely make sure I check for a valid license, and get more references,” Dexter said.

Dexter said she had to buy a new wedding dress. Her wedding is Feb. 7.

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