Chitchat 'The Aisle Bridal' Suddenly Run Road! 26 Sinkie Couples Lost Deposits! Wedding Company So Unprofitable?

JohnTan · Jan 31, 2019

SINGAPORE - Singapore's consumer watchdog has issued an alert against The Aisle Bridal after receiving 26 complaints since November last year over its sudden closure.

Brides- and grooms-to-be have lost at least $56,770 in prepayments to The Aisle Bridal Boutique and The Aisle Bridal Studio, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 31).

The 26 complaints were made between Nov 7 last year and Thursday.

Consumers claimed that the bridal boutique's previous owners and representatives had become uncontactable all of a sudden.

Then, they were told that a new company had taken over the premises of The Aisle Bridal, and they would have to pay an additional amount of between $900 and $2,250 to proceed with the original wedding packages they had signed up for.

The registered office address of The Aisle Bridal is at Townerville at 59 McNair Road.

A check of what appears to be its official Facebook page showed that the company was started in 2005. The last post was made on Sept 25 last year.

Its services include wedding packages, gown rental, pre-wedding photography and videography, and "Korean concept" photoshoots.

Case said in its statement that affected consumers may file a claim at the Small Claims Tribunals while the business is still live on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority's register.

Case also encouraged consumers to consider buying insurance that covers business insolvency when they take up bridal packages.

This will ensure that their prepayments are protected if the bridal agency closes down abruptly, it added.

In addition, consumers should also do their own research on whether the bridal agency has a good track record of delivering its services promptly and effectively.

The public can visit the Case website for more tips on what to look out for when engaging a bridal agency.

Those who require further assistance may approach Case at its hotline on 6100-0315 or at www.case.org.sg

The Straits Times' attempts to contact The Aisle Bridal have been unsuccessful so far.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-against-the-aisle-bridal-over-sudden-closure

sweetiepie · Jan 31, 2019

JohnTan said:
Then, they were told that a new company had taken over the premises of The Aisle Bridal, and they would have to pay an additional amount of between $900 and $2,250 to proceed with the original wedding packages they had signed up for

KNN did they checked the face of the new owner whether is the same person before paying the 2nd sum KNN

no_faith · Jan 31, 2019

Car shop run road
Tour agency run road
Marriage agency run road
Many run road and who get conned? :biggrin:

More goon years to come

Scrooball (clone) · Jan 31, 2019

That’s why I always say that consumer protection in Singapore is a fairy tale.

No need to maintain a custody business deposit and can just run road as and when they want.

laksaboy · Jan 31, 2019

I saved some wedding photos from the website, hope you all enjoy. See how happy the Sinkie couples were.

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

Why cant people just have a normal wedding etc? and DIY,,,book restaurant and church or void deck wedding,,,why need all these full integrated crap? and wedding is a day, marriage is forever,,,focus on the marriage, go thorugh all this grand wedding and 2 years later divorce,,,,what the point?

laksaboy · Jan 31, 2019

Hypocrite-The said:
Why cant people just have a normal wedding etc? and DIY,,,book restaurant and church or void deck wedding,,,why need all these full integrated crap? and wedding is a day, marriage is forever,,,focus on the marriage, go thorugh all this grand wedding and 2 years later divorce,,,,what the point?

Weddings are like funerals: if you try to save money, people will say this and that.

And for weddings, it depends if your woman is one of those high maintenance princesses or comes from a well-heeled family.

Most Sinkies love to keep their 'reputation' intact on such matters.

Scrooball (clone) · Jan 31, 2019

Couples left stranded after wedding caterer For You Wedding shuts

Complaints were lodged against wedding planner For You Wedding after the company abruptly closed down. (Photo: Facebook/For You Wedding Services)
31 Jul 2018 11:19AM (Updated: 31 Jul 2018 02:10PM)

SINGAPORE: At least six couples have been left stranded after their wedding caterer abruptly cancelled their packages and became uncontactable.

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads
The couples had paid monthly instalments for their wedding packages with For You Wedding amounting to about S$108,000 in total, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said on Tuesday (Jul 31).

The six couples lodged complaints with the consumer watchdog between Jul 22 and 30.
According to the company's Facebook page, it also offers services such as wedding decor, photography and entertainment.
A check on social media by Channel NewsAsia found several complaints against the company, with one customer saying that he could not reach the company after he had paid 80 per cent of the cost of his wedding package.
A few customers also posted negative reviews on For You Wedding's Facebook page saying they were unhappy with the services rendered by the company.

The firm's website also appeared to have been taken down.
According to CASE, the company's registered address is 31 Woodlands Close, #08-33, Woodlands Horizon, Singapore 737855.
CASE said it encourages couples making pre-payments for their wedding packages to purchase wedding insurance that covers business insolvency.
"Consumers should also do their own research on whether the bridal agency has a good track record of delivering their services promptly and effectively," it said. "They should minimise their deposit payment as much as possible and should never make full payment upfront to the company."

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...es-company-closed-uncontactable-case-10576018

Scrooball (clone) · Jan 31, 2019

76 couples hit by abrupt closure of bridal salon

As of 6pm yesterday, the Consumers Association of Singapore has received 76 complaints against Sophia Wedding Collection for failing to honour contractual agreements. The highest contract value among the cases lodged with Case was close to $8,000.ST PHOTO: YEO KAI WEN
PUBLISHED
OCT 13, 2015, 5:00 AM SGT
FACEBOOK TWITTEREMAIL

Their wedding packages total $130,000; 35 police reports have been lodged
Aw Cheng Wei

Janice Tai
Social Affairs Correspondent

At least 76 couples with wedding packages amounting to more than $130,000 have been left in the lurch after the abrupt closure of bridal salon Sophia Wedding Collection, which has been in business for more than 10 years.
As of 6pm yesterday, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) has received 76 complaints against the company for failing to honour contractual agreements. The highest contract value among the cases lodged with Case was close to $8,000.
The Straits Times understands that about 35 reports, involving more than $130,000, have been lodged with the police.

Related Story
Other businesses selling prepaid packages that shut down without notice
Victims said they could not reach the owners by phone and the shop in Amoy Street had been shuttered and cleared out since Saturday.
Photography studio 50 Media, a vendor of Sophia Wedding Collection, assured couples in a text message on Sunday that it will continue with their "unfinished albums". But this arrangement applies only to couples who took their wedding shots with the studio between Aug 6 and Sept 31, said its spokesman on Sunday. The company said it will contact the affected customers.
In the text message, the spokesman said the photography studio will continue its service out of "goodwill" even though the bridal salon still owes it money.

Calls to 50 Media went unanswered yesterday. Its office in Bukit Merah was also closed.
Executive director for Case Seah Seng Choon urged customers to buy insurance when they sign up for pre-paid packages. "Consumers cannot assume that businesses will be around forever," he said.

The consumer watchdog said the number of complaints against bridal studios has been on the rise since 2010, when it received 15 complaints. So far this year, Case has received 21 such complaints - the same number as the whole of last year. In 2013, it received 10 complaints. The numbers do not include the abrupt closures of wedding salons, said Case.

Complaints include not delivering video montages as promised, offering fewer photos than promised and poor-quality gowns.
A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority showed that the directors of Sophia Wedding Collection are Chen Hui Chin, 47, and Tu Chuan Yu, 37. Another search showed that the latter used to be 50 Media's director until Mr Gary Wong, 31, took over in August.
When The Straits Times visited the salon's former office in Tanjong Pagar Road yesterday, its mailbox was full and had letters from two law firms addressed to Sophia's directors dated from early last month.

In Amoy Street, a neighbour who declined to be named said he last saw the duo last Friday, a day before they disappeared. He did not see them moving out when he left that night. "Everything was normal," he said. He added that he did not know the owners well as they moved in only a few months ago.
Some industry players say the closure of the relatively well- known bridal salon reflects the mounting pressures they faced.
"The market has become saturated with the opening of more and more bridal boutiques and Taiwanese companies have also been coming here," said Mr Jonathan Goh, director of wedding consultancy Wedding Acts.

But Mr Tony Goh, manager of wedding services provider Suite Success, said the latest case is an isolated incident. "The bridal studios we work with have always been prompt with payment or services rendered," he said.

Affected customer Cheryl Poh, 25, a customer service coordinator, and 10 others lodged complaints at Case and the Small Claims Tribunal yesterday. She paid $2,800 up front for a $3,688 package that included a local pre-wedding photo shoot, bridal wear rental and photography services for her wedding in December.
Ms Poh said: "At least (the court) can schedule a court hearing, but whether or not the owners turn up is another matter."

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

laksaboy said:
Weddings are like funerals: if you try to save money, people will say this and that.

And for weddings, it depends if your woman is one of those high maintenance princesses or comes from a well-heeled family.

Most Sinkies love to keep their 'reputation' intact on such matters.

I have seen soo many of this 'wedding emphasis' crap. Like in the desire for 'face' the couple spend a bomb on the wedding, have wedding photos in korea, etc etc ( like this bridal company specialisation). And the time and stress and running around etc. Than put all the crap on FB to show off etc. Than when divorce, quietly remove postings etc,,,and slowly fade into the background,,,what a joke,,,so who cares what others think? Its more like the couples themselves want to show off,,,

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

Scrooball (clone) said:
Couples left stranded after wedding caterer For You Wedding shuts

Complaints were lodged against wedding planner For You Wedding after the company abruptly closed down. (Photo: Facebook/For You Wedding Services)
31 Jul 2018 11:19AM (Updated: 31 Jul 2018 02:10PM)

SINGAPORE: At least six couples have been left stranded after their wedding caterer abruptly cancelled their packages and became uncontactable.

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads
The couples had paid monthly instalments for their wedding packages with For You Wedding amounting to about S$108,000 in total, the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) said on Tuesday (Jul 31).

The six couples lodged complaints with the consumer watchdog between Jul 22 and 30.
According to the company's Facebook page, it also offers services such as wedding decor, photography and entertainment.
A check on social media by Channel NewsAsia found several complaints against the company, with one customer saying that he could not reach the company after he had paid 80 per cent of the cost of his wedding package.
A few customers also posted negative reviews on For You Wedding's Facebook page saying they were unhappy with the services rendered by the company.

The firm's website also appeared to have been taken down.
According to CASE, the company's registered address is 31 Woodlands Close, #08-33, Woodlands Horizon, Singapore 737855.
CASE said it encourages couples making pre-payments for their wedding packages to purchase wedding insurance that covers business insolvency.
"Consumers should also do their own research on whether the bridal agency has a good track record of delivering their services promptly and effectively," it said. "They should minimise their deposit payment as much as possible and should never make full payment upfront to the company."

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/new...es-company-closed-uncontactable-case-10576018

This incident will cause the couples to divorce,,,,

Scrooball (clone) · Jan 31, 2019

As usual, CASE the toothless tiger didn't do much. Tell u to be careful!

Fucking scums.

red amoeba · Jan 31, 2019

Why do ppl get married and throw money to entertain ppl ?

greedy and cunning · Jan 31, 2019

no_faith said:
Car shop run road
Tour agency run road
Marriage agency run road
Many run road and who get conned?
More goon years to come

heng ahh
CpF neber run road,
at least the outer shell still there.

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

red amoeba said:
Why do ppl get married and throw money to entertain ppl ?

Smart couples with smart parents can actually profit from a wedding,,but as costs increase and wages stagnate,,,most distant relatives and friends hate to attend weddings,,,because of the high cost,,,,better to just sit it out. those that turn up, will just give the bare minimum. So the couples in turn get less guest to sponge on. Its actually a spiral downwards. And just imagine, the out of pocket expenses can be easily 50K,,so before the new life start,,50K already fly away,,,why cant put the 50K into the flat payment etc? save it for a rainy day.

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

Scrooball (clone) said:
76 couples hit by abrupt closure of bridal salon

As of 6pm yesterday, the Consumers Association of Singapore has received 76 complaints against Sophia Wedding Collection for failing to honour contractual agreements. The highest contract value among the cases lodged with Case was close to $8,000.ST PHOTO: YEO KAI WEN
PUBLISHED
OCT 13, 2015, 5:00 AM SGT
FACEBOOK TWITTEREMAIL

Their wedding packages total $130,000; 35 police reports have been lodged
Aw Cheng Wei

Janice Tai
Social Affairs Correspondent

At least 76 couples with wedding packages amounting to more than $130,000 have been left in the lurch after the abrupt closure of bridal salon Sophia Wedding Collection, which has been in business for more than 10 years.
As of 6pm yesterday, the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) has received 76 complaints against the company for failing to honour contractual agreements. The highest contract value among the cases lodged with Case was close to $8,000.
The Straits Times understands that about 35 reports, involving more than $130,000, have been lodged with the police.

Related Story
Other businesses selling prepaid packages that shut down without notice
Victims said they could not reach the owners by phone and the shop in Amoy Street had been shuttered and cleared out since Saturday.
Photography studio 50 Media, a vendor of Sophia Wedding Collection, assured couples in a text message on Sunday that it will continue with their "unfinished albums". But this arrangement applies only to couples who took their wedding shots with the studio between Aug 6 and Sept 31, said its spokesman on Sunday. The company said it will contact the affected customers.
In the text message, the spokesman said the photography studio will continue its service out of "goodwill" even though the bridal salon still owes it money.

Calls to 50 Media went unanswered yesterday. Its office in Bukit Merah was also closed.
Executive director for Case Seah Seng Choon urged customers to buy insurance when they sign up for pre-paid packages. "Consumers cannot assume that businesses will be around forever," he said.

The consumer watchdog said the number of complaints against bridal studios has been on the rise since 2010, when it received 15 complaints. So far this year, Case has received 21 such complaints - the same number as the whole of last year. In 2013, it received 10 complaints. The numbers do not include the abrupt closures of wedding salons, said Case.

Complaints include not delivering video montages as promised, offering fewer photos than promised and poor-quality gowns.
A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority showed that the directors of Sophia Wedding Collection are Chen Hui Chin, 47, and Tu Chuan Yu, 37. Another search showed that the latter used to be 50 Media's director until Mr Gary Wong, 31, took over in August.
When The Straits Times visited the salon's former office in Tanjong Pagar Road yesterday, its mailbox was full and had letters from two law firms addressed to Sophia's directors dated from early last month.

In Amoy Street, a neighbour who declined to be named said he last saw the duo last Friday, a day before they disappeared. He did not see them moving out when he left that night. "Everything was normal," he said. He added that he did not know the owners well as they moved in only a few months ago.
Some industry players say the closure of the relatively well- known bridal salon reflects the mounting pressures they faced.
"The market has become saturated with the opening of more and more bridal boutiques and Taiwanese companies have also been coming here," said Mr Jonathan Goh, director of wedding consultancy Wedding Acts.

But Mr Tony Goh, manager of wedding services provider Suite Success, said the latest case is an isolated incident. "The bridal studios we work with have always been prompt with payment or services rendered," he said.

Affected customer Cheryl Poh, 25, a customer service coordinator, and 10 others lodged complaints at Case and the Small Claims Tribunal yesterday. She paid $2,800 up front for a $3,688 package that included a local pre-wedding photo shoot, bridal wear rental and photography services for her wedding in December.
Ms Poh said: "At least (the court) can schedule a court hearing, but whether or not the owners turn up is another matter."

Singkieland is indeed a good place to do business,,if cannot survive just declare bankrupt and run away. Its a commercial case not a criminal case. So mata also bochup. There is no criminal liability for management and business owners...so cheat all they want..and see u in court

Johnrambo · Jan 31, 2019

https://tinyurI.com/ydbgfbop

laksaboy · Jan 31, 2019

I recommend McDonalds for wedding parties, their packages are cheap.

Unlike those fly-by-night bridal studios who're only hell bent on ripping you off then vanishing, McDonalds is reliable and won't run away.

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

laksaboy said:
I recommend McDonalds for wedding parties, their packages are cheap.

Unlike those fly-by-night bridal studios who're only hell bent on ripping you off then vanishing, McDonalds is reliable and won't run away.

I think just elope is the best. Cheaperer betterer fasterer

Hypocrite-The · Jan 31, 2019

Skip to main content

Gorgeous ideas for a cafe wedding

Award-winning hotel venues!

15 Bali wedding photographers

Auspicious wedding dates in 2019

A Halloween-themed wedding

Her World Brides Wedding Show 2019

11 local wedding dress designers!

Customised wedding decor vendors

How to get your own JP

Ang bao for your wedding helpers
Next

WEDDING ADVICE

HOW TO AVOID HEARTACHE IF YOUR BRIDAL SALON CLOSES DOWN: TIPS TO NOTE!

What to look out for before you book your wedding packages, and solutions if (touchwood!) your bridal salon closes down before your wedding day, says Steve Thio, Contributing Editor for Her World Brides and Female Brides.

12 OCT 2015 BY STEVE THIO

Gowns from Calla Bridal, who closed down in early 2015. Brides were invited to the salon to choose their gowns as compensation for the loss of their wedding packages.
With so many bridal salons in Singapore offering affordable and competitively priced wedding packages, it was a matter of time before some of them would be unable to sustain their business costs and close down.
Before you confirm your wedding package, here are some pointers to help avoid heartache if your salon closes down
The price is not always right
Quite a few bridal salons offer wedding packages at cut-rate prices to reel in as many customers as they can; with cheap prices, these salons need the numbers in order to make a profit. If they cant get the minimum number of couples based on a certain price, the salons will make losses.
Couples have to be realistic: Cheap packages are cheap because of a reason; besides inferior quality goods and sub-standard services, cheap packages come with the risk that the salon may not be able to fulfil their promises to you.
If the packages prove to be such a hit with many couples signing up, another problem would arise as overwhelming demand will cause service and standards to drop.
So be realistic in your expectations when you purchase a cheap wedding package.
Wedding insurance
Though uncommon, we've found a few companies who offer wedding insurance coverage. It may not cover every detail in your wedding but it can help you recover some of your losses.
Do your research
It may be easier to chase for some compensation if local bridal salons closed down, but it would be almost impossible for you to chase for money if the bridal salon owners were based overseas.
So it's best to do some research on the bridal salon and read some of the comments online from their customers. It’s always good to be a cynic when it comes to purchasing your wedding packages - best to know all the shortcomings and bad press about a shop before you sign on the dotted line.
Stagger your payments
Although this is a policy for most bridal salons here, there have been cases when some bridal salons, and bridal designers, have asked for full payment upfront. They would cite various reasons (e.g. we need more cash upfront to purchase the expensive fabric for your dress) or make empty promises just to persuade you to cough up the full amount of your package.

Never, ever pay the full amount upfront. A bridal salon asking for full payment upfront would indicate a cash flow problem - which is not a good sign of a stable business.
If possible, try to have as many instalment payments - you pay for whatever is delivered of fulfilled based on your contract. Work out a payment plan with the bridal salon.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BRIDAL SALON CLOSES DOWN?
With most of your bridal wardrobe budget gone, you will have to be money-smart to get your wedding prep back on track:
Cheaper dress alternatives
Opt for off-the-rack wedding gowns - available either at retail stores or online - or ask around friends and family if they have a wedding gown you could loan for your big day. You can also scour other bridal salons for inexpensive rental gowns; just rent the dress and don't sign up for another wedding package!
Forgo your evening gown
With a simple change of accessories, hair and makeup, your wedding gown can look glamorous enough for your evening celebrations. For a bit of colour, try adding colourful crystal accessories or satin sashes with crystal brooches to your dress.
Friends with benefits
Get your friends to help take pictures of your wedding day. If you have pals who are photography buffs, they can be the main photographers for the wedding. But also get your guests to help out: they can take pics with their handphones or you can provide them with disposable cameras.
If you've always admired your friend's flawless makeup, get her to help out with your hair and makeup styling. Don't go for dramatic or trendy looks that would require makeup experts. Stick to a simple and pretty look that you, or your friend, can achieve easily.
DIY fun
If your wedding package includes car decor and the bridal bouquet and you don't have any budget left to hire another florist, do it yourself! Buy some flowers, props and rolls of ribbons and get your friends to help decorate the car and create your bouquet. It may not look professionally done but it would be a lot more personal, meaningful and fun.
Not sure how to start? Google is your best friend. We found these nifty tutorials on how to put together your own wedding bouquet on www.videojug.com, The Bride Link's Youtube channel, and tips from Rubina Tiyu of Inside the Knot.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Are these 7 skincare habits ruining your skin? Derms and aesthetic doctors weigh in

6 bridal boutiques to get your dream wedding dress from international designers

Customise the perfect cheongsam at these 7 local boutiques

6 simple ways to avoid being a Spendzilla for your wedding!

HOW TO HAVE A HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE WITH THESE TIPS
HOW TO BECOME A PRINCESS BRIDE FOR YOUR WEDDING

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

Great news for brides

Gown shopping

Shopping for your wedding dress?

Get the perfect wedding dress!

LATEST IN WEDDINGS

How to have a hipster wedding

10 helpful wedding prep tips