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At least 17 Missouri brides say stylist scammed them out of hundreds of dollars

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) – At least 17 brides, some out more than $500, are upset with a Kansas City hair and makeup artist who has a reputation as a no-show on wedding days.

It was only after Miranda Reeves booked the stylist back in March for her October wedding that she started seeing the negative reviews.

"I keep seeing more reviews like, 'Do not book with her. She did not show up to my wedding,'" Reeves said.

She had already paid $500 to stylist Annie Devol of Annie Devol Artistry. She was supposed to do hair and makeup for Reeves and her four bridesmaids.

But weeks before her wedding, there were serious signs of trouble. Devol was difficult to get in touch with and never showed up at a trial hair and makeup session at her home.

"I tried calling her through Facebook and no one answered," Reeves said.

Three hours passed before Devol called Reeves to explain.

"She was crying. She was upset," Reeves said. "She said her phone was acting up. Her wallet was stolen, all these crazy things."

Reeves was worried about whether Devol could be trusted to show up on her wedding day, but Reeves didn't have enough money to hire someone new.

When the big day came, Devol couldn't be found.

Annie Devol

"She never arrives, never texted, nothing," said Reeves who has asked for a refund but doubts she'll ever see her money again.

Then there's bride Jailene Whitaker.

"I really don't care about the money," said Whitaker, who paid Devol $100. "I just don't want it to happen to any other bride."

On Whitaker's wedding day, Devol was supposed to arrive at 7 a.m. to do her hair and makeup. Devol was a no-show.

"I was very upset," Devol said. "I didn't know what I was going to do."

WDAF tried repeatedly to talk to Devol. She never answered the door of the Kansas City home she's renting.

A reporter, however, did reach her by phone. She refused to answer questions, however, insisting she was about to take a shower and could only talk later that evening.  Devol didn't answer any calls, however, but she texted the next day.

She blamed her multiple no-shows on bad record keeping, adding that she planned to repay every bride, but wasn't sure when.

In many ways, Devol appeared to be in hiding. Several of her clients had no idea where she lived or even if she had a cellphone number. Their only contact with her was on Facebook.

Unbeknownst to her customers, Devol has a criminal record under another identity.

She used to go by the name Analee Roche and has been convicted of multiple drug offenses, according to court records. She completed her last sentence in 2016.

Despite a troubled past, former clients said Devol is a talented hair and makeup artist – when she shows up. Instead, she appears to be sabotaging her own career, they said.

"As of two weeks ago, she was still meeting with clients," said Melissa Blayton who is also a bridal stylist.

Blayton and her staff have stepped in multiple times to help brides left stranded by Devol, including Whitaker and Reeves.

"I don't want to see brides suffer and miss out on what is to be the most important day for them," Blayton said.

"She did fantastic, and she was awesome with all my girls," Reeves said.

That's all Reeves said she wanted, someone to trust with her hair and makeup. That's exactly what Devol was paid for but allegedly never delivered.