HOUSTON – The romantic proposal with a big sparkly ring. Finding just the right dress, church and reception hall.
For brides, it’s all about having everything go just right when their big day arrives.
But for some couples in the Houston area, one of the central elements of their wedding receptions didn’t go right at all.
They didn't get the big, extravagant and expensive cakes they paid for in advance from Edible Designs Cakery and Desserts in far West Houston.
What brides said
Kenisha Johnson told Channel 2 Investigates her cake was not delivered, so her family had to shell out more money to buy a last-minute replacement.
The $1,600 cake Johnson ordered from Edible Designs was a wedding gift from her grandparents, she said. The incident sparked her to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
In another case, the bride was stunned to discover an undecorated fake cake made of Styrofoam and plaster ...
along with a lumpy sheet cake ...
were delivered to her reception instead of the extravagantly decorated five-tiered cake she had paid for in advance.
Adria Scheet had been super excited about the cake for her special day.
"This girl likes some cake," she said. "I ordered my cake before I ordered my dress!"
What the owner said
Channel 2 Investigations' Bill Spencer spoke with Edible Designs Cakery and Desserts operator Adam Longoria by phone.
"I’m completely stressed out," he told Spencer.
He said he was going to do his best to get these brides their money back.
He also told Spencer his lawyer advised against doing an interview for our story.
What if this happens to you?
You can file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General’s Office. You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
BBB alert
The BBB started getting complaints about Edible Designs Cakery and Desserts in early June, said Denisha Maxey, the senior director of dispute resolution with the BBB in Houston.
"A lot of the complaints are stating that they paid for services, for wedding cake, some up to almost $4,000," Maxey said. "The smallest amount may have been $700, and the orders are not being delivered, or they are not able to get in touch with the owner, they’re delivered late and they have not been able to obtain a refund."
Maxey said the BBB has tried contacting the business to get a response to the complaints.
"We have not been able to get in contact with anyone directly at the business. However, they have read all the notifications we have sent regarding all of the complaints," she said. "They’ve been read."
Now, the BBB has posted an alert regarding the business on its website.
“We have posted an alert for consumers so they are aware of the type of complaints that we are receiving so they will not continue to place orders or go onto the website and place orders with this company and also (to) try to give consumers that have ordered and not received anything and (have) not filed a complaint to come to us, so that way, we can send our file to the district attorney," Maxey said.
3 steps consumers can take to try to get their money back
Contact the business, or its owner, to see if they are willing to make things right.
If the first step doesn’t work, contact your financial institution to file a dispute. Your bank may be able to help get your money back.
And, if that doesn’t work, you have the option of taking the business to small claims court.