Last weekend, Heidi Lumax returned home from her bridal shower, loaded Facebook, and discovered some surprising news.

Word was spreading through Waterloo Region’s bridal community that Parlour Soiree, a company which provided chairs, flowers and other items for weddings was going out of business.

Tuesday, the rumours got a bit of confirmation as Parlour Soiree’s website was updated with a post saying the company would be “taking a leave of absence” and moving out of Ontario.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the post reads.

The sudden closure leaves Lumax unsure if she’ll ever again see the $750 deposit she gave the company – and having to suddenly locate a new source of chairs for her September wedding.

“To some people it’s just chairs, but that was my entire vision – and now it’s just falling apart,” she said.

Other brides-to-be also say they’re concerned that promises made by the Conestogo-based business won’t be kept, and deposits won’t be returned.

Parlour Soiree’s owner, Amanda Seymour, sent her clients an email saying that the company’s inventory and assets were in the process of being liquidated, with funds from those sales being used to pay back deposits.

Kayla Neves says she’s out a $430 deposit for chairs, but has heard from other future brides whose potential losses are in the thousands.

“I’m panicked, and angry that somebody would do that,” she said.

“I’m two months before my wedding, I have no chairs, and I’m out the money.”

Other vendors and bridal shops are stepping up to try and help out clients left in the lurch by Parlour Soiree’s departure.

Ron Thompson, general manager of the Betroth wedding store in Cambridge, says businesses were quick to put aside their usual competitive spirit.

“It didn’t have anything to do with what transpired, but ‘What could we do for the brides?’” he said.

Prospective bride Cynthia Lean says she had a deposit of more than $900 with Parlour Soiree, and is grateful for the help she’s being offered by other companies.

“It really helps, having some people behind you,” she said.

Thursday morning, the Parlour Soiree storefront on Sawmill Road was sitting empty, with a ‘for rent’ sign in the window.

Contacted by CTV Kitchener, Seymour said in an email that getting refunds to her clients was her first priority.

With reporting by Nadia Matos