Pittsburgh –
An East Bay woman is getting married in less than two weeks, but the wedding dress she bought is gone. The bridal shop where she bought it has closed its doors without notice.

Akila Yejide Mwongozi said she was not angry, just frustrated. She was unable to reach the shop owner. Mwongozi had been planning her big day for a year.

Her party favors, table decorations and other things are ready. Now she has to decide what dress she will wear to her wedding.

Mwongozi bought her dream dress last fall at Bellisima Coutre, a bridal shop in downtown Pittsburgh. She went for a final fitting in July.

Mwongozi said she had arranged with the owner to pick up the dress on the afternoon of August 20. The owner had invited Mwongozi to meet at his home, but no one answered the door.

Mwongozi initially thought there was a misunderstanding and went into the bridal shop. There she saw an empty shop.

“I think I’m a bit in shock. I know there are scams on the internet, but I’ve been coming here regularly since October last year,” Mwongozi said during her last visit in July. The shop was full of clothes and jewelry.

“I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. It’s just weird,” she told KTVU.

Mwongozi said she has now spent about $1,000 on her dress, veil and flower girl’s dress. When KTVU went to the store, a local resident said she saw the owner move out about two weeks ago.

“I only saw one woman working alone, clothes racks being moved and clothes being cleared out,” said Stefanie Blakely. “I thought it was kind of sad: another store moving out.”

Mwongozi’s bridesmaid Carlina Williams posted on social media that her friend needs a wedding dress. Offers of help are pouring in from friends and strangers.

“It’s just amazing how people come together, persevere and help people they don’t know,” Williams said.

Mwongozi worked three jobs to finance her wedding, but she says she is focused on what is really important: marrying her best friend.

“I’m getting married. In two or three years, the dress won’t be important. What will be important is marriage and how I start my family,” said the bride-to-be.

Despite not having the dress she had purchased, Mwongozi said her wedding will go ahead as planned. It is scheduled to take place on September 1 in San Diego.

Amber Lee is a reporter at KTVU. Email Amber at [email protected] or text/message her at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU