If a proposal is supposedly a contract, what recourse does a woman have when he changes his mind?

I saw a question recently that asked if the woman should give back the ring once the engagement is off. Several people said that a proposal (according to Judge Judy, et al.) is a verbal contract, thus if the engagement is off, the female is obligated to give back the ring. However, what about situations when the guy asked, she accepted, and has gone through the trouble of preparing for a wedding, and he changes his mind or never intended to really marry her in the first place? So does he reimburse her for spending her money to prepare for the wedding, since it was a "verbal contract"? What if, heaven forbid, he waits until the day of the wedding and leaves her at the altar...can she sue him for breach of contract, or emotional distress?