Botched Alteration - Dilemma

meandem1

My poor bridesmaids dress is so messed up.  We traveled 45 min last week for her appointment for 1st fitting after measurements taken.  The seamstress "forgot" the dress. When I said we'll hang around, just go home and get it, she admits it wasn't done.  Ok....breathe deep..  So arrangements are made to have a "dress drop" in a parking lot a week later, meeting up with an employee of the bridal shop who would be in my area.  So we'll pick up the dress, try it on and return if there are any problems.  This is how it looked!!!  you could tell on the hanger that the hem was all off!!  I can't even believe they'd hand this to me but now I have a dilemma.  Even out the hem and risk her dress being too short?  or leave as is?  

~trying hard not to turn into a bridezilla~

Maggie0829

What shoes is your BM planning on wearing?  Are they heels?  If so maybe offer to buy her some flats so that when the dress is fixed  then there won't be a huge gap between the floor

The hem should be evened out, IMO.  Do not let the bridal shop alterations lady fix it because apparently she sucks.  Demand the money back and take it elsewhere.  A simple hem should not take a local seamstress that long to do.

What does your BM want to do about this?

climbingsingle

I'm also wondering if you can maybe put her in flats. Was the dress hemmed to a pair of heels she was planning on wearing? 

I can't believe they gave the dress to you like that. I'd be pissed. And I'd find another seamstress. 

meandem1

She was in her shoes that she'll be wearing when she was measured.  they are a very low heel, maybe 1".     I haven't talked to my bridesmaid this morning yet.  Last night was full of anger, lol.   

Maggie0829

I would have her try the dress on again without shoes or in flats to see how it falls.  Having the dress slightly off the floor is fine (helps with the whole not tripping aspect), but once that hem is fixed I think any heel will cause the dress to be a lot higher then will look good.

atlastmrsg

I'd take a look...there are few things I hate the look of in clothing more than someone in a long dress with her entire foot and shoe showing.  Gowns should come to the floor and show no more than the tips of toes when walking.

blabla89

I think you have every right to be upset with the seamstress, but in the grand scheme of things, I don't think anyone at the wedding will notice that the hem isn't right. If it were me, I would definitely be demanding a refund.

princessleia22

I'd see if you can have her wear flats (maybe flip flops) and fix the hem.  Lower shoes gives you a little bit of extra play to shorten it, although not much.

Or, like blabla89 said, it's very unlikely that anyone will notice the hem, and even if they don't I doubt it would be a big issue. If it's not possible to fix it without it looking weird (more than maybe an inch off floor will start to look weird), then just leave it. It really won't be that big a deal... as long as you let yourself accept that it is what it is.  You and BM will likely notice it every time you look at wedding photos.  And if you can't just accept it and move on, it will probably bug the hell out of you every time you look at photos and bring back the frustration. At my brothers wedding, I was MOH, but I had just had surgery and had a pic line in my arm at the wedding.  We wrapped my arm in an Ace bandage, figuring it would look better than everyone seeing an IV line, and the dress had a shawl thing that I used to partially cover it.  I noticed it every time I see photos. But, it was just a second of frustration, then I'd get over it.  On the bright side, you generally don't frame or often look at photos with your wedding party.  You usually frame one or two photos of just you and DH, then the rest go in an album and rarely get seen. So, it's not that big a deal.

Either way, definitely get a refund from the horrible seamstress that butchered your dress.  And leave a review on Yelp, to warn future brides.

graciegra

Don't have her wear flip flops! I can only imagine the sound her walking down the aisle. It would be better to have her in her original shoes than shoes that make noise. Original shoes I'm going to be checking out the flowers/makeup/hair and only really looking at the top of the dress. Loud shoes I'm checking out the bottom for sure. Get a refund, see if you can even the hem elsewhere but otherwise, don't worry about it. Just get your refund!