Sassy Chic Boutique Closure Has Brides in a Panic

Imagine finding the wedding dress of your dreams, ordering it from a bridal shop and placing a hefty deposit, and then...never hearing from that shop again.

It sounds like a nightmare, but it's become a reality for many customers of a local bridal shop.

Sassy Chic Boutique on Monmouth St. in Red Bank recently (and quietly) closed its doors without warning, leaving brides in a lurch, some just weeks before their weddings.

There are several stories from angry customers now on Sassy Chic's Yelp page. The theme seems to be similar: they purchased dresses, and when they showed up for dress fittings, or called about the status of their dresses, they found no response.

The store's phone number has been disconnected, and attempts to contact the business and/or owner Donna Orecchia for a comment via social media and email have gone unanswered.

I first saw the shop had closed when I happened to be out dress shopping in Red Bank on August 8th, and found the store closed during business hours, with mail piled up under the door.

Today, there is an eviction notice on the door, with a sign telling brides to call Red Bank RiverCenter for assistance.

Luckily, the two other bridal shops in Red Bank, The Barefoot Bride and Mustillo's, have stepped up and are trying to help these ladies get the dresses they ordered through the various vendors.

In the meantime, Amanda Lynn, Program Manager of the Red Bank RiverCenter says any brides who placed a deposit or paid for a dress via credit card can call their credit card company to contest the charges.

They can also contact Sassy Chic's lawyer John Feggeler at (732) 583-6700.

As a fellow bride-to-be, I can't imagine the added stress that this is causing these victims, and it seems impossible that a business like this would be unable to warn these brides in advance that there might be an issue and attempt to help them.

It's understandable for a business to go under, but it's reprehensible for an owner to completely abandon these customers, especially when it's in regard to such an important life event (and pricey purchase.)

These brides deserve not only full refunds on their purchases from Sassy Chic, but also some form of restitution.