Brides fury at being left in lurch after Chesterfield-based wedding firm goes bust

Frilys Boutique ceased trading last month after filing for insolvency on September 24.

The Hasland-based firm, which once provided services such as venue dressing and photography, has since directed couples to the Government website “for further information on what to do next.”

The news came as a shock to its customers – many of whom say they are still awaiting refunds for balances paid towards their big day.

Jess Bygrave, 27, from Heath, is due to marry her fiancé Josh next year and is among those who fear they will never get their money back after forking out over £1,200 to Frilys Boutique.

She said: “My friend is getting married in a couple weeks and he’d used them for his wedding cake. He put a status on Facebook asking for recommendations for someone to make a wedding cake as the company they’d used had gone bust.

"Me not knowing actually tagged Frilys Boutique and he replied saying it was them that had gone bust.

"They’d had no contact with me themselves...I sobbed for two days.

"I’d got so much with them – my photography, my cake, my dancefloor, my sweet cart, my decorations… the list goes on.

Jess said the couple initially put down an £130 deposit for something called ‘the ultimate wedding package’ and later paid an additional £200 for an LED dancefloor before settling the bill in full this June.

She added: “If you’ve taken over £1,200 of someones money you’d think they’d have the decency to message people directly before they have to find out through a friend or Facebook.

"That money is a lot of money to us. I’ve not got enough to go ahead and rebook thingss so now I’ve got to scrimp and go without all the things I’d originally purchased through Frilys.

"It’s supposed to be the best day of your life but already all this has happened.”

Claire Louise Bax, 36, from Holmewood, is marrying her partner Steve in a little over two weeks time and had paid Frilys Boutique £300 for items on the day, which has already been postponed twice.

She said: “I found out last Saturday night as I’m part of a Facebook support group of Covid couples who have had to postpone their wedding and someone had posted a screenshot from the Frilys website.

"I was shocked. Obviously with the postponements it’s been stressful anyway.

"I knew at that time I had four weeks until the wedding I was wondering if everyone was going to be booked up.

"I didn’t even think about the money I just wanted to have those things that I’d ordered for the day because it’s been planned for so long.”

She added: “Luckily, my wedding coordinator has sorted two of the items for me and I’ve managed to find someone else to do another item. It’s costing a bit more but at the end of the day we want them for the wedding so we’ve done it.

"As for the refund, I haven’t got a clue where to start. It’s a bit cold not to let anyone know, it’s not like it would happen overnight.”

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