ZEELAND, Mich.-- Most brides can agree planning a wedding is stressful and expensive. One family felt they were duped out of one of the most important part: the transportation to her big day.
A company named Royal Party bus never arrived to pick up a West Michigan bride on her big day, and the owner never returned her deposit. Then he vanished completely, cutting off all communication and the family unable to locate him.
Jenny Smith wanted the wedding of her dreams, but there was one thing standing in her way: a tight budget.
“You can plan it and you can plan it 100 times over until your blue in the face. You're still going to have unexpected expenses come up,” said Jenny Smith.
Smith did her best to make sure that didn’t happen.
Her dress was $800 at David’s Bridal. We went to Goodwill in Holland. They had the exact dress she wanted for $25.99,” said Smith’s mom, Kara Hillard.
They got her wedding cake from Wal-Mart, and even managed to cut costs from accessories.
“We made all of our bouquets by flowers we got at dollar tree,” said Smith.
Even her retired father decided to pull his weight to make it work.
“He went back to work and he transferred money every week into an account,” said Hillard.
As the wedding got closer, Smith wanted one thing to make the day perfect. She wanted to show up in style, of course.
As Jenny was about to give up, she found Royal Party Bus, and the company was in her price range. She went to go check it out with her family. They all went for a ride in the bus, and checked it out for themselves.
“It was beautiful. It was very clean,” said Hillard.
That sealed the deal for them, and they put down a deposit, signed a contract, and left satisfied.
“I was very surprised, because he returned calls and he returned text. It was downright disheartening,” said Hillard.
“I don't want some bride to come up with the same situation, because he claimed to be running a business and he doesn't want to give the monies back when I have texts from him saying he will,” said Hillard.
Kara and Jenny wanted to send out a message for brides everywhere to beware, and look for reliable transportation they can trust.