SPRING, Texas – Two brides, Lindsey Board and Krystal Underwood, share their agonizing experiences of being left stranded by the same wedding planner who failed to show up on their wedding days, leading to significant financial and emotional distress.
Lindsey Board, who found the wedding planner through a Facebook group, had planned an intimate beach wedding in Rockport, Texas. Despite initial positive interactions, the wedding planner stopped communicating days before the wedding.
KPRC 2 is not identifying the wedding planner because they haven’t been charged with a crime.
“A little closer to the towards the day it seemed like she was getting the venue mixed up with another venue,” Board said. “I sent [the address] to her over and over and over again, all the way up until the day made it, and made sure she did not forget.”
On the day itself, crucial services like photography, DJ, and decorations were missing, forcing Lindsey’s family and friends to scramble and set up the venue themselves. Lindsey recalls sitting in her maid of honor’s car, trying to stay calm as her wedding day turned into a nightmare.
Despite spending over $2,000 on services, Lindsey only received a partial refund for tablecloths and chair covers.
“We barely heard any music,” Board said. “[I] actually stopped. When I got to the ceremony, because I stopped and I was like, ‘I’m not hearing my song because that’s my song. I walked down the aisle to.’”
Board tried warning other brides through the Facebook group, ‘Texas Brides on a Budget.’ This is how she and Krystal Underwood connected.
Underwood saw the warning post and with her wedding days away she was worried.
She shared the disturbing post with the venue coordinator, who told Underwood, she would stay on top of communicating with the wedding planner.
“Then Saturday morning she was supposed to be there at 10 a.m., the coordinator didn’t see her, and so she contacted her, and she texted her and said she was at a funeral, that she will be there later. And that’s when we all started panicking,” Underwood said.
The wedding planner didn’t show up.
The Underwoods estimate paying $6,000 to the planner for a DJ, caterer, and decorations.
Krystal’s husband said he and his groomsmen spent the rest of the day looking for decorations and a DJ.
The couple, who had waited 30 years to marry, were left to rely on friends and family to pull together a last-minute celebration.
“That day we had to pay another, probably around $5,000 or more to get everything there so quickly to at least have a wedding,” Krystal said.
KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun called the wedding planner and left a voicemail. His calls weren’t returned.
The planner did respond to Balogun’s text message.
“Yes, I have an agency, the money doesn’t go to me at all, the money is paid to the responsible vendors as their information can’t be released without their permission,” the planner sent Balogun in a message.
Balogun responded back asking if there’s any way, she could provide the vendors names.
“I will send them a message,” the planner responded. “I’m just a local coordinator but the vendors themselves are the ones who are actually responsible.”
Both brides emphasize the emotional toll of the experience, with Krystal noting that her husband was unable to enjoy their wedding day due to the stress of organizing last-minute arrangements. They urge others to thoroughly vet vendors and share their stories to prevent similar situations for future brides.
