LAKE STEVENS, Wash. — A Lake Stevens woman is heartbroken after learning her wedding caterers closed shop and left town with just three months before her big day.
Amanda Olson's wedding is coming up on August. 1.
"It's just devastating," Olson said tearfully.
She just learned her wedding caterers, Aaron and Kimi Brown, left town and her $738 deposit is gone with them.
"Now we have to start over and try to recoup what we can," Olson said.
"It's another challenge for Olson and her fiance David. They have two kids together and have been trying to get married for the last few years, but have had to put it off because of family and financial emergencies.
"It just puts knots in my stomach," Olson added.
She signed her contract with the Browns last August.
In December, she grew concerned after a couple of the Brown's businesses, First Pick Produce and First Down Catering, shut down. She sent them an email and immediately heard back.
In his response, Aaron Brown wrote back "Yes, we are still on. We are still in Monroe, opening a new place called the Junction Company."
That was the last time she heard from him.
After calls and emails went unanswered, she went online and found out why through a story KIRO 7 had done back in March about a similar situation in which a woman was out $500 after renting the venue for her baby shower.
Monroe police said there are at least seven victims, who are out a total of more than $5,000.
"I trusted the fact that they told me everything was fine," Olson explained. "They shook our hand, they took our money."
KIRO 7 spoke with Aaron Brown over the phone. He said he and his wife lost everything when they invested in Junction Co. He said he never planned to scam anyone and intends to pay everyone back. He declined to share where he relocated.
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