Ordering a dress from online

jadedstarre

I am getting married next August 2013.  I have found a dress online that I just adore, but cannot find it any shops in my area.  More over the dresses that I have tried are just not my style.  Most shops have an over abundance of drop-waist corseted gowns, I must say I look better in them then I would have ever imagine, but this is not what I have ever imagined my dress to be. FIRST QUESTION: Does anyone know of someone that has ordered a wedding dress off the H!Bridal website (or another website)? How were the results?  SECOND QUESTION: When is the normal time to start thinking about your backup dress?   

ellie63

All I've heard is to be careful of the Out-of-Country knock-offs.  I ordered online from David's Bridal and the dress is PERFECT! Measure carefully!

QueerFemme

I reallllllllllly encoruage you to keep looking instead of buying online from a knockoff site. The chances of you getting a wearable dress that fits you will be pretty slim.

anglyn

One of my friends is getting married and she ordered off of a website similar to that. The dress came and it was huge and really inferior. She took lots of pictures and sent it to them and they didn't really want to do much. That being said, if you love the dress and have the money/time to look for a backup if the first one is bad - go for it. 

If you are not having luck at a store. Look online at the brands the store carries. If you find a dress you like on their website - you can ask them to see if you can get the sample for you. Some places can do that for a small fee. 

HeadsGal

I'm wondering this too.    I'm in rural North Dakota, bridal stores are accessable (within a few hours of me) but their selection for plus size is about as limited as you can imagine.  Also, I don't plan on spending more than a few hundred dollars for a dress so some of these sites...well...the price is right.  I fully understand you get what you pay for, I'm OK with tattered seams by the end of the night - I won't be wearing a wedding dress again

I have found a few I like at:
www.fashioninthebox.com and
www.lightinthebox.com

but haven't done the online research to see if where they are located or what their reputation is.  Both were recomended by a friend of a friend, haven't found out yet if that person purchased from them or what their experience was.  Will tho.

A friend bought from RomanticGowns.com and had good results, although she did complain about very strict return policy and I think she was out all the money for a second dress she purchased as a backup. 

CarolineandDean

The Attire and Accessories board has a post at the top with a list of known knock off sites.  If you lurk on that board long enough, there are horror stories ALL OF THE TIME about brides who have purchased their gowns from those sites.  Even if you aren't having any luck at a bridal store, why not research a good, reputable seamstress about having a gown made?  These knock off sites really shouldn't be an option...regardless of price.

cinderellasjc

There are many retailers that carry AA dresses, they are located in almost every state.  I would stay away from knock off sites, unless you have the extra cash to purchase 2 dresses. 

Remember you have a whole year to find a dress, Keep looking.  Most people end up with a dress they NEVER would have seen themselves in.  Good Luck!!

QueerFemme

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/avoid-wedding-dress-blues-14872390

watch this video.  And seriously, rethink your decision to buy from a knockoff site.

Lightinthebox gets TERRIBLE reviews.  If you google "lightinthebox complaints" you will (hopefully) change your mind.

If you find a dress that you like on one of the knockoff sites, try to find the original designer and look for a used/preowned version of the dress on any of the used sites

preownedweddingdresses.com
recycledbride.com
oncewed.com

jadedstarre

In Response to Re: Ordering a dress from online:
I know it would be better to have it made but it's just not in the budget.  Not to mention after looking on Yelp and no seemstress in the area getting anything higher than 3 stars. I would rather spend $350 on a dress that I adore versus giving someone $1200 for just the deposit on to make the dress and hope they can make the dress I love.  Either way I'm feeling like getting married is just way to costly.

QueerFemme

Davids bridal has some beautiful dresses for less than 300.

jadedstarre

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_plus-sized_ordering-a-dress-from-online?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:973cdc6f-961e-4fb0-a628-bef2bb559697Discussion:76c130fc-f2e5-4f00-a9d9-d857cb24e1a5Post:aedf2a47-5c55-49be-b45f-c84e299e400a">Re:Ordering a dress from online</a>:
[QUOTE]Davids bridal has some beautiful dresses for less than 300.
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]
David Bridal was the first store that I hit.  Being a national brand I thought they more plus size options and I know their pricing is reasonable.  I showed the consultant my pictures and the first words out of her mouth was "We don't have any of these dresses".  I thought 'OK she is just trying to prepare me that I won't see these specific dresses'.  She didn't ask my price point, she just started pulling dresses.  She put me in a corseted off the shoulder that felt like a straight jacket.  I said, "I don't like this one."  Her response was, "It's off the shoulder like the pictures." But in reality most of the pictures were chiffion flowy dresses.  After putting me in a third dress that was nothing like I wanted, she started helping another bride.  I will be really surprised if I buy a dress from David's Bridal just on principal alone. 

Corgnilias

I must have gotten lucky. I ordered online and had a good experience. Here's my description with photos:  http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_attire-accessories_dress-comparison-pics-from-inweddingdress-does-this-work-on-me 

I bought online for two reasons: I got engaged in June and we planned our wedding for this August, so I basically have had just two months to plan and I already had a separate family trip planned during that time, I have a full-time job, I have a part-time job, and I'm a doctoral student taking night classes, so life is REALLY hectic sometimes and I didn't have time to go to other cities and look at dresses, since my area did not have a lot. The other reason was to save money. 

I read pretty extensively online and found that the site I bought from seemed to have some of the lowest number of negative reviews, and it actually had quite a few positive reviews. Some of the positive reviews were suspect (i.e. not in great English and probably written by the company) but others were like mine, seeming to be pics and stories of real people. Last of all, I don't seem to fit regular shapes and sizes, and I liked that this site let me enter custom measurements at no extra charge. It fits perfectly.

QueerFemme

Just FYI, there have been two or three horror stories on the A&A board in the last couple days of chinese knockoff gowns.  I seriously wouldnt' risk it unless you have plenty of money and time to buy a replacement dress.

And given, that you say your budget is around $350.00, it doesnt sound like that is the case.

I would try another David's Bridal.  Their dresses aren't the highest quality, but they don't suck either.   I know i went to the one in Milpitas (In the bay area) and it was HORRID, but the one in Colma was much nicer and had more sizes.  Pick some of the ones you like online, and call the store ahead of time to see if they have a sample in your size.

If you do the legwork ahead of time, you won't have such a miserable experience in the store.

QueerFemme

PS.  what is the dress that you found online that you absolutely adore?    

smartn2sexy08

Be careful of ordering from unknow sources. Its okay to order from well know companies, but I have heard nightmare stories from people ordering both premade and hand made items from online unknown places. In fact my bff just had a one of these experiences this year with her wedding. Stick with reputable companies

Could you tell us what you are looking for, or post the link to the dress you like and maybe someone here could help you find something you like, but from a more know source.

jadedstarre

Here is the dress I love.  My fiance is so nervous about ordering it on-line that he has given me $1,500 budget for a dress if we buy it from a shop.  But I can't get this dress out of my mind.