Katrina Gentle (centre) fears she will be without a dress due to the closure of The Wedding Centre in Sydney’s North West.

But brides across Sydney claim they have been left in the lurch and are demanding their money back, after a popular wedding boutique suddenly shut up their shopfront, sending their big day into turmoil.

The Wedding Centre, which was located in Sydney’s north west suburb of Windsor, has left more than 20 brides and grooms angry and confused after the closure of their George Street shop.

On Sunday, customers received a group text sent by the business telling them of the shopfront closure, but reassuring them the business was “not in receivership” and not to be concerned by the change.

“The Wedding Centre is STILL TRADING and is NOT in receivership. Your dress has arrived at The Wedding Centre. You will be contacted in the next 48 hours regarding final payment and shipping,” the text seen by news.com.au said.

Website for the Wedding Centre, which has now closed its shopfront.Source:Supplied

But according to the grooms and brides-to-be, they have been told the only way to receive their order is to transfer all “remaining funds to an online bank account, and their items will be shipped to a nominated address once received”, according to one bride.

Bride-to-be Katrina Gentle, who has ordered a $2000 dress, is just one of the women affected and said her whole pre-wedding experience has been ruined.

She told news.com.au said she was angry and disappointed by the situation.

“I have paid $1700 towards my dress, and from the one email correspondence I’ve received from the owner, the only way I’ll be able to get my dress is by paying the remaining $300 online, and receiving my dress via shipment,” Ms Gentle said.

Katrina and her fiance have been left angered and upset, and hope to get their money back for her dress.Source:Supplied

“I was supposed to go in for fittings, try my dress on with my shoes, and that’s been ripped away from me, from everybody involved.”

Ms Gentle, who is getting married in September, said when she received the text message on Sunday, she felt “sick” and followed up with a call and email to the owner.

She said the owner told her to “just make the final payment for your dress and I will courier to you”.

“I replied and told her that I will not make the final payment, and that I want to meet with her in person to see the dress.”

Ms Gentle, who has not received a follow up response, said she contacted the maker of her wedding dress, who claimed they had not received any payments for her order.

“That’s when I started feeling sick. I still have a little time compared to others but it’s still not acceptable. This is supposed to be a great experience in our lives and now, I am furious.”

Part of the dress that was marked.Source:Supplied

Camilla Tym beat the closure and picked up her ordered dress just hours before the store closed its doors on Saturday morning. But she claims the dress was “off the rack and stained”, and not the one she ordered.

“The Wedding Centre took $2,195 off me and gave me a dress off the rack,” Ms Tym said.

“As soon as I saw the damage, I called and emailed and still no replies. All I want is my money back. I contacted the maker of my dress, and they said they never received my order.”

Ms Tym has a few months to go before her wedding in October but groom-to-be Matthew Austin has just a week to sort out suits for his groomsmen.

Mr Austin is “furious” and “stressed out” that he and his party may be without clothing on his wedding day next Friday.

“I’ve ordered five suits, and paid over $1200 to The Wedding Centre already,” Mr Austin said.

“After receiving that text on Sunday, I got on to the owner, finally, who said I had to transfer the remaining $1100 to her bank account in order to receive my suits by courier.

“I said I will meet in person and pay cash and actually see the suits before I pay, but was told that isn’t an option. It’s online transfer only.”

Mr Austin, who stands at 6’5” saidit will be a hard task to find alternative outfits if the wedding boutique fails to deliver.

“If it was further down the track, I would just cut my losses. But my wedding is next week, so I’m worried, and really stressed out.”

The Wedding Centre in Windsor is now closed, with the local council saying the owner vacated the premises without notification. Picture: Google Maps.Source:Supplied

After several voice messages and emails, the owner of The Wedding Centre returned our call, saying the accusations from brides and grooms-to-be about not getting their garments are untrue.

“I promise all the people who have an order with me, they will get their items,” she said.

“I have not shut the doors and run away. This is a great emotional cost to me. I’m doing the best I can on my own.

“There’s no way I can run around and personally deliver all these dresses, because my car was stolen. I am one person doing this on my own, so a courier service is the best way each person can get their orders.”

Speaking through tears, the owner said people who think she is taking the money and running are mistaken, and assures customers that she will get every order to their respective owner. All she asks is for a “little patience”.

“I don’t have any funds left, which is why I shut up shop. I’m not stealing money or running away. I’m trying to pay suppliers, and get the girls their dresses. The easiest way to do this is to transfer the remaining money to the account they have used all along, and I will send them their dresses,” she said.

Some of the dresses on offer at the Wedding Centre. One supplier, Kalvin Chow, claims “not all invoices had been paid” by The Wedding Centre.

NSW Fair Trading said they had received several complaints about The Wedding Centre and were “currently assessing the circumstances around the reported closure”, a spokesperson said.

“Consumers who are unable to resolve their issue with the trader, or have not received their goods, should lodge a complaint with Fair Trading.

“Consumers who paid for goods by credit card may also choose to contact their financial institution to enquire about disputing the payment and request a chargeback.”

Under Australian Consumer Law, goods and services purchased in relation to a wedding come with automatic Consumer Guarantees, including that products must match any description or samples, must be of acceptable quality, and must be free from defects. Goods must be supplied within a reasonable time, if no time frame is specified.

Kalvin Chow, a wedding dress supplier in Perth who stocks dresses to The Wedding Centre among other boutiques said any customer who ordered one of his dresses “will be contacted” by his office from this point forward. Mr Chow also claimed that “not all invoices had been paid” by The Wedding Centre.

Do you know more about this story? Email vanessa.brown@news.com.au