Brides pick up gowns from bankrupt Alfred Angelo chain

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (WPVI) -- It was a huge relief to many brides-to-be and their bridesmaids in Cherry Hill, New Jersey Thursday.

Two weeks after shuttering down all locations and declaring bankruptcy, this Alfred Angelo store opened the doors to allow anxious bridal parties to retrieve the dresses and gowns they had spent hundreds to wear down the aisle.

This was a good day for brides-to-be like Sarah McGuire of Runnemede. She got a wedding dress from the now-shuttered Alfred Angelo bridal store. Not exactly the one she wanted, but it's something rather than nothing.

"They ordered the wrong one, but I took this one anyway." she said.

When asked how did she feel? McGuire said, "Overwhelmed, you know. Just glad I got a dress."

Midday today, hundreds of brides and bridesmaids stood in a long line hoping they would have the same outcome.

"We got here a whole hour early just cause we figured the line was going to be crazy," Erin Smith of Medford Lakes said.

Two weeks ago bridal retailer Alfred Angelo shut down all its stores nationwide and filed for bankruptcy protection. Bridal parties were sent into a panic.

"I was freaked out, definitely," Ashley Beideman of Cherry Hill said.

Dave Weber of King of Prussia said, "My wife called me. She was freaking out because we had paid everything in full. It wasn't like we had a balance or anything like that."

Wednesday, a judge ruled that stores in Cherry Hill and a second in Florida could open Thursday to allow customers to retrieve their dresses. As part of that order, security- in this case police- were on hand to maintain order. Within two hours everyone with a dress here - had it. It didn't work out for everyone, but for most.

Maryann Hatfield of West Deptford said, "We're so glad they did open the store and they're very nice inside."

Some people did pay money and don't have dresses. That's supposed to all work out during bankruptcy proceedings.

And customers who purchased dresses at other locations may get a similar opportunity to retrieve their dresses.

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