text: In February of this year, bride-to-be Adele McKenzie found the dress she had dreamed of wearing when she married her partner of nine years, David Elliot. Little did she know she would never get the chance to wear it, despite already paying for half. The 31-year-old said when she slipped into the white lacy gown, she instantly saw herself standing in front of her friends and family and exchanging marriage vows with the love of her life. ‘I had dreamt about this princess dress since I was a little girl,’ she told Daily Mail Australia. Adele McKenzie was set to marry the love of her life, David Elliot, when she was devastated to learn the bridal company she had paid around $1,000 to for her dress had closed down . Ms McKenzie said she wasn't able to buy the $2,000 dress outright so she organised a payment plan with ‘The Bridal Centre’. She started paying in February and planned to pay off her dress by July - around three months before her wedding - giving her time to make alterations. In early April, Ms McKenzie’s dress dream was shattered when she opened an email from the bridal company that said they were going bankrupt. Ms McKenzie told Daily Mail Australia she was left feeling ‘panicked’ and ‘anxious’ when she was faced with the news that she would need to find a new wedding dress for her big day. ‘My first reaction was to call The Bridal Centre and it was consistently busy across the long weekend. Their Facebook was active and we were putting up posts without a response.' The Bridal Centre's Facebook page was inundated with messages from disappointed brides who already had their hearts set on a wedding dress . Ms McKenzie was one of around 140 brides who received the same ‘generic’ email informing them their dream dresses may not be coming, some of them with their weddings only weeks away. She tried to go onto the Bridal Centre's website but it was deactivated and that's when she realised she had no way of getting in contact with the company she already paid $1,000, which was meant to go towards paying off her dress. The happy couple have been together for nine years and plan to wed in November 2015 . ‘It was stressful and pretty upsetting,’ she said. Ms McKenzie was one of around 140 brides who received the same ‘generic’ email informing them their dream dresses may not be coming, some of them with weddings only weeks away. Amid the devastation, the brides-to-be banded together to create a Facebook page that would allow them to 'connect' and 'support each other' through the confusing time. Ms McKenzie said the group called ‘Where’s My Dress?’ became inundated with ‘generous offers’ from ‘lovely ladies’ and ‘amazing bridal companies’ who offered them free ‘pre-loved’, and even brand new, wedding gowns. While some women have received their money back, unfortunately Ms McKenzie said she is still waiting to hear from the Bridal Centre about whether she will be one of the lucky ones who can use that money to buy another dress. Ms McKenzie revealed she would need another $1,000 deposit to move forward with a different dress, however at this stage, with all the financial pressure that comes with planning a wedding, she isn't sure she can afford it. ‘It’s very difficult financially, I can’t take the next step to get another dress. I don’t know if I’m going to get it back.’ ‘I am six months out of my wedding and I’m anxious and stressed out,' she said. Amid the devastation, the brides-to-be banded together to create a Facebook page that would allow them to 'connect' and 'support each other' through the confusing time. Ms McKenzie is expecting around 70 guests at her wedding that will be held in Sydney's Terrey Hills, with some travelling from interstate and overseas. 'There’s a lot of planning and  it’s added pressure on top.' 'It’s getting more difficult as the weeks draw closer,’ she added. Ms McKenzie said the trusting brides had no idea the company was facing financial difficulties as they continued to take payments from their clients right up until the day before they sent the email that notified them of their money woes. ‘[It] is just disgraceful. They knew what was happening. If they didn't want to tell us the truth, that’s fine, but don’t take our money,’ she said. ‘At the end of the day, I’m marrying the man of my dreams so I’m trying to not let it affect it too much.’ After thinking she had secured the dress she had dreamed of since she was a little girl, Ms McKenzie said she was devastated she was going to have to fight to get it back. ‘You find this dress and you fall in love with it. Now I have to go through this process, it’s so upsetting. ‘I don’t want this,’ she added. Ms McKenzie said despite her awful experience she is trying to move forward and instead focus on  on the man who will be standing at the end of the aisle, regardless of what she is wearing. ‘At the end of the day, I’m marrying the man of my dreams so I’m trying to not let it affect it too much.’
target: The Bridal Centre, in Brisbane, shut down unexpectedly earlier this month .
  Around 140 brides were left out of pocket and without a dress .
  They created a Facebook page called 'Where's My Dress' so the women could connect and try to find alternative ways to get their dream dress .
  Ladies and bridal companies started to donate dresses to the women .
  Adele McKenzie was one of the women who have been left without a dress .
  She said the way the brides have been treated is 'disgraceful'
  Many brides have taken to social media to slam the bankrupt company .