A Georgia woman is accused of taking nearly $9,000 from wedding customers who paid for flowers and other supplies they never received, with investigators alleging she used the money for personal expenses.
Lauren Taylor Bogardus, 27, of Coosa, was arrested in Floyd County on two felony counts and seven misdemeanor counts of theft by conversion, according to arrest-warrant and jail records cited by local news outlets.
At least eight customers across Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio and Colorado were affected, with some paying thousands of dollars for floral arrangements intended for their weddings.
The transactions described in the reports stretch from 2025 into June 2026. Investigators allege that Bogardus failed to purchase the promised flowers and wedding supplies and could not return customers’ money after spending it.
One Wedding Customer Paid $2,885 for Flowers That Never Arrived
Among the largest transactions was a $2,885 wedding-flower order. According to Coosa Valley News, the customer paid Bogardus between Sept. 3 and Oct. 17, 2025. Investigators allege that the arrangements were never purchased or provided.
Another customer allegedly paid $1,882.71 on Oct. 26, 2025, for wedding flowers and related items. That payment also became part of the investigation after the promised purchases were not made. Coosa Valley News separately identified a $553 payment earlier in 2025, bringing the three reported transactions from that year to $5,320.71.
The complaints were not limited to customers near Bogardus. CBS Atlanta reported that the affected customers lived across six states. The Georgia complainants included residents of Rome and Acworth, while another customer was from Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to local reporting.
Five More Payments Were Reported Between January and June 2026
The allegations continued into the following year. One woman reportedly paid Bogardus $264 on Jan. 27, 2026, followed by another customer’s $907.67 payment on Feb. 23. A third customer allegedly provided $1,182.40 on March 16.
Two additional payments were identified later that spring. Investigators accused Bogardus of accepting $497.49 on May 13 and $785.23 on June 10 without providing the promised wedding items.
Those five payments totaled $3,636.79. Combined with the three transactions described from 2025, the eight itemized amounts come to $8,957.50. The figures represent payments described in published reporting based on the allegations, not a court-established loss or restitution award.
Investigators Allege Wedding Payments Went Toward Personal Expenses
According to WRGA, the Floyd County arrest warrants accuse Bogardus of using money entrusted to her for floral arrangements and other wedding purchases for her own benefit. Investigators also alleged that she was unable to provide refunds because the funds had already been spent.
The charges concern theft by conversion, a Georgia offense that applies when someone lawfully receives another person’s money or property for an agreed purpose and knowingly diverts it to personal use in violation of that obligation. Under Section 16-8-4, the central issue is the alleged misuse of funds entrusted for a specific purpose, rather than simply whether a vendor failed to complete an order.
Georgia’s theft sentencing statute generally treats theft involving property worth less than $1,500.01 as a misdemeanor unless another statutory exception applies. For property valued from $1,500.01 to less than $5,000, the law provides a potential prison term of one to five years, with judicial discretion to impose misdemeanor punishment.
The reported jail records list two felony and seven misdemeanor theft-by-conversion counts. The charges remain allegations, and a conviction or other final disposition in the current case has not been established through the reporting reviewed.
What Couples Should Check Before Paying a Wedding Florist
Wedding flowers often need to arrive at a specific time and location, making a missed delivery difficult to correct on the day of the ceremony. The Better Business Bureau recommends checking previous customer reviews, asking for referrals and getting a detailed written contract before making a deposit. That agreement should identify the arrangements being purchased, the total price, delivery expectations and payment terms.
The BBB also advises couples to avoid paying the entire cost in advance and to use a credit card where possible because of its dispute protections. Customers should confirm their orders and delivery arrangements well before the event, leaving time to find another florist if a problem arises.
If a florist fails to provide paid-for services, couples should preserve their contract, payment confirmations and communications, then contact their card issuer promptly about a possible dispute. Suspected fraud can also be reported to local law enforcement or through the Federal Trade Commission’s ReportFraud website.