A WAITER who stood up four couples when he or his staff failed to turn up for work at weddings and engagement parties has been ordered to pay almost $7500 in fines, compensation and costs.

Tyson Vacher, founder of Black Tie Waiters, now deregistered, was fined $1000 on each of four charges of accepting payment but failing to supply all required goods and services.

Magistrate Greg Smith said during sentencing that Mr Vacher had “ruined some big nights.”

Commissioner for Consumer Protection David Hillyard said compensation was little relief.

“Engagements and weddings are extremely important occasions and the no-show of the waiters created stress and anxiety for the clients who were celebrating a happy event in their lives,” Mr Hillyard said.

“For consumers, the lesson is clear. Do not pay the full amount ... until after delivery.”

The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation, Safety and Consumer Protection took legal action over four matters, but had received 13 complaints about Mr Vacher in three years. He was earlier issued a formal warning.

A Hillarys woman, who wanted to be known as Sophie, said Mr Vacher confirmed he had received her full payment and assured her two waiters would serve at her engagement party in January last year.

She said she called him repeatedly when staff failed to show at the party but he did not answer.

Sophie said he later texted her to claim no one had attended because he had not received payment from her.

“My friends and family all took turns having a shift in the kitchen that night,” she said.

“We had 100 people at the party, so it was difficult.”

The department claimed Mr Vacher told an Osborne Park woman that he would work at her engagement party on Dec-ember 31 last year, along with two staff, but no one turned up. She received a refund after Consumer Protection intervened.

A Subiaco woman received a refund after the three staff she hired from the company failed to attend her engagement party in November last year.

A Hillary’s woman said only two of the three waiters she hired attended her wedding in March last year.

Mr Vacher, once applauded as a teenage entrepreneur after setting up the company when he was only 14 years old , was contacted for comment.