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Vows by Bridal Power. Totally devastated by my experience. Please read before you commit.

missdelilahmissdelilah member
First Anniversary 1000 Comments First Answer 250 Love Its
Hi: I just wanted to let any you ladies who are considering buying from Vows about the experience I have had with them, before you commit to anything.

I wanted to purchase something off the rack, because, let's face it, the deals on sample dresses are great!  Also, I wasn't sure that I was going to have time to place an order in the traditional way.  In May I found an absolutely gorgeous gown at Vows and fell in love at first sight.  The women were really helpful, and even sat patiently through me trying on a million other dresses just to make sure.  

After I bought the dress, they sent it off to the cleaner and said it would take four weeks.  Six weeks later, I called, and they said it would be back the following week.  After a few more calls and a few more promises that it would be back in a few days, we stopped by the store.  After talking to one of the ladies there they finally chased up the cleaner and had the dress returned to them.  Do you know why it took so long and they were so evasive about the dress?  Because the cleaner ruined it!  I'm devastated!  Surely they should be using a reputable cleaner.  And why did it take them four weeks to come clean with me about the situation.  This leaves me with very little time to find a new dress, a deposit my fiancé is going to have to try to get back, which the store will want to convert in to credit, but aside from the fact that I didn't like any of their other dresses, I'm absolutely not going to have any further dealings with them after this.

Clearly, there are many people who have had fantastic experiences with this store, but I wanted to be honest about my experience in the hope that it might save some other ladies some heart ache.
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Re: Vows by Bridal Power. Totally devastated by my experience. Please read before you commit.

  • That sucks. I'm really sorry about your experience. Have you found another dress yet? I'm not sure what your style/budget is, but you can order dresses from bhldn.com and they have some really beautiful ones, which you can return for a refund if you don't like. 
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  • I'm so sorry you had to go through this. Have you considered reporting them to the BBB? if I were you I'd consider doing that if they don't give you your deposit back.

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  • Thank you for your kind responses. I hadn't considered reporting them to anyone, but considering that this dragged on for such a long time, it might be worthwhile. I have a couple of back up dresses, but I'm running up against a pretty tight deadline to order something (although it can be done). I loved the dresses at bhldn.com! One of theirs is definitely an option. Otherwise there was one by Mikaella that I loved, and a few by Justin Alexander. Thank you again. It's so nice to feel supported when something like this happens. Can't wait to see FI give them a piece of his mind though!
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  • Thank you.  I think my response to this will depend on how well they manage the situation from here out (so far, obviously not well, but there could have been communication issues with the cleaner).  I'm not keen on wearing a damaged dress to my wedding.  If it were simply a formal dress, I might feel differently.  I'm hoping for a full refund, and if they treat us well, I might consider buying some of my accessories there.  
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  • Update: I was finally able to go and look at the dress.  There was a big pull in the fabric.  The sales assistant kept insisting that it was there when I bought the dress, and the I knew that it was sold "as is."  I agreed that I knew that the dresses were sold as is, but that this particular flaw wasn't there when we looked at the dress.  You'd think three people eyeing it over would have noticed it - not to mention that they only brought it up with me once it had come back from the cleaner.  The lady then told me that she wanted me to be happy and would refund my money if I wasn't.  I told her politely that this was not my error, and I wanted my deposit back.  She agreed, called another lady over to help me, and left very abruptly.  So I guess she wasn't that interested in me being happy.  But at least I've got that drama over and done with.  Definitely going to have a put a rush order in through a boutique.  Not trying off the rack again.  It seemed like such a great idea at the time!
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  • msuprincess04msuprincess04 member
    500 Love Its Name Dropper First Answer 1000 Comments
    edited July 2014
    There's nothing wrong with buying off the rack, so I wouldn't let this spoil that for you. Sometimes, shit happens. Now, I agree that it's crap that they tried to pawn it off as a lack of attention to detail on your part. that shouldn't have gone down that way. I guess that's why a million pictures when you buy the dress comes in useful. But, in the end I'm glad it worked out.  
    "There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." -Friedrich Nietzsche, "On Reading and Writing"
  • When I bought off the rack, they were very careful in looking for anything that might be a deal breaker. There were some, but most just needed cleaning. Don't be put off, it is one of the better ways of getting a dress quickly.
    Happiness is an inside job
  • Thanks ladies. I've decided that off the rack dresses should come with a little diagram, like the ones they give you when you rent a car. You and the attendant go over the dress and mark out all the visible flaws, then you both sign off on it. Well, off to look at more dresses today! Thanks for your help.
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  • @missdelilah how many weeks months do you have left till your wedding? i suggest you visit morilee.com she is an inexpensive wedding dress designer and most salons can get her gowns in very fast. i ordered my moril ee  gown in November it came in the first week of december 
  • Thank you @hyechica81.  I did visit a store today that carried a bit of Mori Lee stuff, but it seems like I'm going to have to call around to find the styles I really like.  I don't need the gown until the beginning of February, there's time to order from most designers, I just know I'm going to be in a constant state of slight panic until it arrives.  That's just me though.  Thanks for your advice!
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  • You might be able to challenge it to your CC company as well.  I am sorry that you had such an issue with them!
  • Thanks @stephhilde1000 but I'm reasonably satisfied with how the situation turned out.  I don't want this to become any more complicated than it has been.  Thank you again.
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  • Oh my god! That's terrible. And completely ridiculous! I'm sure you'll find something amazing though, that you'll end up liking even more than the first one. Also, I am totally going to take a million pictures of my dress before I take it in to get altered and steamed. I wouldn't have even thought of this. Jesus.
  • Thanks @jenijoyk!  I have found something else that I absolute love.  Total opposite of original dress, and much more seasonally appropriate.  

    I hadn't thought about taking the pictures before alterations and steaming.  Thanks for suggesting it.
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