Brides-to-be left in limbo over Primrose and Finch closure

Wedding dresses hang on a rack in the display room of Primrose and Finch wedding dress shop on Khyber Pass Road in Auckland. Photo / Supplied

Several Kiwi brides-to-be have been left in limbo after Auckland bridal boutique Primrose and Finch shut up shop without so much as a word to its clients.

One bride, who didn't want to be identified, said it wasn't until the designer of her dress contacted her via email that she was made aware of the situation.

The woman, who's due to be married six months from now, said it was lucky she'd found out now.

"Otherwise I'd have gone to the store in November, not knowing any better, and found it gone."

She'd paid an $1800 deposit on a $4500 Claire Pettibone dress at the store in Newmarket earlier this year.

"That was with a 20 per cent discount if I paid before February."

The bride said fortunately her bank had agreed to return her deposit and the designers were helping ensure she got her dream dress in time for her wedding.

"You are putting all your faith in someone for the most important day of your life and they rip the rug out from under you."

There was no one inside the store when the Herald visited about 4.30pm today.

A neighbouring business owner said the liquidator had visited today.

The owners had only been at the site for a few months.

The business owner, who did not want to be named, had heard the owners were "back in the UK".

One customer had come to the bridal shop trying to find out what was going on, the business owner said.

"She was just confused ... it's terrible."

Another neighbouring business owner wouldn't comment, but indicated they were not surprised at the liquidation.

"Look at their reviews."

The bridal company's Facebook pages and its websites have been pulled down, and it's been listed with the New Zealand Companies Office as being in liquidation.

The store, on Auckland's Khyber Pass, was closed, and another store, in Melbourne, had closed earlier this year in May.

Auckland woman Rachael Harper, 32, was crossing her fingers her dress designer would still be able to help her out.

She'd ordered her gown, through a different designer, and had only heard of the liquidation through the media.

"My bridesmaid called me and warned me, she said 'I don't want you to panic - but is this where you bought your dress?'

"But yes it was."

Harper said having spent two days with her mum and sister in February searching for the ideal dress, she felt a "pissed, sick and devastated" when she saw what had happened to the store.

"They could at least have had the guts to email through their database and explain."

While her wedding day wasn't until next March, she said it was frustrating that she might have to go hunting for her perfect gown all over again.