online Wedding Dresspurchase..YES or NO?!!?

FutureMrsTait88

So, I found what looks like the PERFECT dress!!! It has every little detail I want all rolled up into this GORGEOUS gown, and the BEST part is .....it's only $400!!!! Only catch is that it's online.....Should I get it? What if I buy it and once I try it on, it doesn't look like I imagined it would on me? What if something goes wrong? Has anyone bought their wedding dress online? I've tried looking at other dresses, but NOTHING else compares to this dress! HELP!?!?!?

mrsmagicgeek

From what site? Some are legit, many are just Chinese knockoff sites.

mrsmagicgeek

(Double post, sorry!)

sarawifenow

I personally would never purchase a wedding dress that I did not get to try on first. I do think that there are some brides on here who have ordered online and loved their dress. I just don't think I would risk it.

FutureMrsTait88

It's on Tidebuy.com...and yeaaaa, it's such  risk in my opinion but I can't find any other dress like it! I've tried but can't.

FutureMrsTait88

tidebuy.com

anjemon

You should definitely go over to the Attire Board and look at the discount/knockoff bridal dress sticky they have. It lists many different internet companies and some reviews of having worked with them.

Personally, I cannot imagine buying something as important as my wedding dress online. I want to know how it looks on me, so see if you can try that dress on first. Find it in a bridal salon. Also, I totally changed the idea of what I wanted in a dress after I started trying stuff on. So that might happen to you too.

 I also get very worried when something normally expensive gets discounted so much. What if the dress is so discounted because it's bad? I've had experiences where the discounted version of a thing is so much cheaper because it's not as good.

ETA: Here's the title of the post I'm referencing because it's not as easy to find as I thought: FAQ for Attire and Accessories

http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/979709/faq-for-attire-and-accessories

 

vulpiepop

I was looking at websites to purchase dresses from too when I was dress shopping. The prices were attractive and my mother kind of pushed me into looking online. I fell in love with a pretty lace gown. 

I had an appointment with David's Bridal the next day though so I put off buying the dress and I'm glad that I did! The consultant had a dress that was pretty similar but once I tried it on, it wasn't at all what I pictured it to look like on me. I hated it! I ended up getting a different dress that I tried on and loved.

The models in the pictures can be misleading. Your body isn't the same as theirs and you'll probably wear the dress differently than they do. Something you thought you loved you might end up hating like I did. I'd suggest trying on some dresses at bridal salons, they may have one that's similar (bring a picture for the consultant) or you may end up falling in love with a different dress. I wouldn't suggest buying a dress online since you can't try it on first.

larrygaga

Make sure it's not a knockoff site. Look at reviews of the dress and of the site. Also, check out return policies!!! IF all of that works out, you will probably be fine. 

I have a weird body, so I wouldn't want to order without trying on, but if you are comfortable with it I don't see why not. 

slothiegal

I'm going to move this to Attire, you may get more responses from other ladies who have ordered dresses online.

CMGragain

I think buying a wedding dress from a Chinese knockoff site that also sells tattoo machines and cheap wigs is a terrible idea.  You are begging to get ripped off.  Go read the sticky I wrote about how to buy a wedding dress at the top of the Attire and Accessories board.

cowgirl8238

Can you post a picture of the gown so some of us can help you look for something similar from a legit source???  Sorry but that site doesn't seem like a quailty site!  You know the saying if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't!

doeydo

cowgirl8238 said:

Can you post a picture of the gown so some of us can help you look for something similar from a legit source???  Sorry but that site doesn't seem like a quailty site!  You know the saying if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn't!

This.

theartistformerlyknownas

Definitely not legit. 

FWIW, I wouldn't purchase any item of clothing over $200 without trying it on first, even if it was from a legitimate, legal business. DEFINITELY not a wedding dress.

badbnagdway

Knottie22044984 said:

So, I found what looks like the PERFECT dress!!! It has every little detail I want all rolled up into this GORGEOUS gown, and the BEST part is .....it's only $400!!!! Only catch is that it's online.....Should I get it? What if I buy it and once I try it on, it doesn't look like I imagined it would on me? What if something goes wrong? Has anyone bought their wedding dress online? I've tried looking at other dresses, but NOTHING else compares to this dress! HELP!?!?!?

It is not the perfect dress until you put it on your body and love the way it looks. 

I did a quick search and tidebuy.com looks like a knock off site. It is unlikely, based on what I have read, that you will get a dress of very good quality on that website. I did a search of reviews of the site, and they are mostly negative, with some very glowing ones thrown in that I suspect are fake: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tidebuy.com. I would not buy a dress from this site, I suspect you'll be out your $400. If you can afford to gamble $400, by all means, but that is what you are doing. 

What I would recommend is this: take the picture of the dress from the website with you to a bridal store, or email it around to some stores, to see if they have something similar. Also, actually try some dresses on your body. 

I did actually by my wedding dress (and a whole bunch of others) online. But none were from China, they were from retailers (like Ann Taylor, BHLDN, and J Crew). I ended up with a Badgley Mischka dress I found on Zappos for $700. All of the sellers I used in my mail order search are very reputable and have great return policies and I barely paid any shipping (only on BHLDN, but I don't live near a store, so this was the only way to try on those gowns). I did venture into a bridal store once, and while the experience was pleasant, a simpler gown was really for me in the end. It did my shopping in a way that is a little unconventional, but it worked for me. 

blabla89

badbnagdway said:

Knottie22044984 said:

So, I found what looks like the PERFECT dress!!! It has every little detail I want all rolled up into this GORGEOUS gown, and the BEST part is .....it's only $400!!!! Only catch is that it's online.....Should I get it? What if I buy it and once I try it on, it doesn't look like I imagined it would on me? What if something goes wrong? Has anyone bought their wedding dress online? I've tried looking at other dresses, but NOTHING else compares to this dress! HELP!?!?!?

It is not the perfect dress until you put it on your body and love the way it looks. 

I did a quick search and tidebuy.com looks like a knock off site. It is unlikely, based on what I have read, that you will get a dress of very good quality on that website. I did a search of reviews of the site, and they are mostly negative, with some very glowing ones thrown in that I suspect are fake: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tidebuy.com. I would not buy a dress from this site, I suspect you'll be out your $400. If you can afford to gamble $400, by all means, but that is what you are doing. 

What I would recommend is this: take the picture of the dress from the website with you to a bridal store, or email it around to some stores, to see if they have something similar. Also, actually try some dresses on your body. 

I did actually by my wedding dress (and a whole bunch of others) online. But none were from China, they were from retailers (like Ann Taylor, BHLDN, and J Crew). I ended up with a Badgley Mischka dress I found on Zappos for $700. All of the sellers I used in my mail order search are very reputable and have great return policies and I barely paid any shipping (only on BHLDN, but I don't live near a store, so this was the only way to try on those gowns). I did venture into a bridal store once, and while the experience was pleasant, a simpler gown was really for me in the end. It did my shopping in a way that is a little unconventional, but it worked for me. 

I've done the same. It's fine if you're ordering from a reputable company with a flexible return policy. If the site doesn't meet both of those criteria, then I wouldn't buy from there.

Post a picture of the dress - the ladies here are great at finding dresses and I bet they could help you.

bumbletiger88

badbnagdway said:

It is not the perfect dress until you put it on your body and love the way it looks. 

I did a quick search and tidebuy.com looks like a knock off site. It is unlikely, based on what I have read, that you will get a dress of very good quality on that website. I did a search of reviews of the site, and they are mostly negative, with some very glowing ones thrown in that I suspect are fake: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tidebuy.com. I would not buy a dress from this site, I suspect you'll be out your $400. If you can afford to gamble $400, by all means, but that is what you are doing. 

What I would recommend is this: take the picture of the dress from the website with you to a bridal store, or email it around to some stores, to see if they have something similar. Also, actually try some dresses on your body. 

I did actually by my wedding dress (and a whole bunch of others) online. But none were from China, they were from retailers (like Ann Taylor, BHLDN, and J Crew). I ended up with a Badgley Mischka dress I found on Zappos for $700. All of the sellers I used in my mail order search are very reputable and have great return policies and I barely paid any shipping (only on BHLDN, but I don't live near a store, so this was the only way to try on those gowns). I did venture into a bridal store once, and while the experience was pleasant, a simpler gown was really for me in the end. It did my shopping in a way that is a little unconventional, but it worked for me. 

This. I went to a few stores and tried on dresses first to get an idea of what styles/materials I liked and what was flattering to my body, but ended up purchasing my dress from BHLDN (the odessa gown). It was on sale for $600 and I knew that if it didn't end up working out I was only losing roughly $25 for shipping it back. Keep in mind that even if you do decide to purchase online, it's likely you'll still need alterations so do some research about experienced bridal tailors in your area.

Good luck!

esstee33

I ordered my dress for my first wedding on eBay without ever having tried it on. It was brand new, with the tags still attached, in perfect condition. I just took my measurements, looked up the designer's sizing chart to determine the correct size, and it ended up working out perfectly. It's been a long time so my memory isn't the best, but I honestly don't think I even tried on any other gowns. 

That said, from what PPs are saying, that specific website doesn't seem very trustworthy, so maybe try to find that dress elsewhere. Just make sure you can return it if you hate it. 

badbnagdway

bumbletiger88 said:

badbnagdway said:

It is not the perfect dress until you put it on your body and love the way it looks. 

I did a quick search and tidebuy.com looks like a knock off site. It is unlikely, based on what I have read, that you will get a dress of very good quality on that website. I did a search of reviews of the site, and they are mostly negative, with some very glowing ones thrown in that I suspect are fake: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/tidebuy.com. I would not buy a dress from this site, I suspect you'll be out your $400. If you can afford to gamble $400, by all means, but that is what you are doing. 

What I would recommend is this: take the picture of the dress from the website with you to a bridal store, or email it around to some stores, to see if they have something similar. Also, actually try some dresses on your body. 

I did actually by my wedding dress (and a whole bunch of others) online. But none were from China, they were from retailers (like Ann Taylor, BHLDN, and J Crew). I ended up with a Badgley Mischka dress I found on Zappos for $700. All of the sellers I used in my mail order search are very reputable and have great return policies and I barely paid any shipping (only on BHLDN, but I don't live near a store, so this was the only way to try on those gowns). I did venture into a bridal store once, and while the experience was pleasant, a simpler gown was really for me in the end. It did my shopping in a way that is a little unconventional, but it worked for me. 

This. I went to a few stores and tried on dresses first to get an idea of what styles/materials I liked and what was flattering to my body, but ended up purchasing my dress from BHLDN (the odessa gown). It was on sale for $600 and I knew that if it didn't end up working out I was only losing roughly $25 for shipping it back. Keep in mind that even if you do decide to purchase online, it's likely you'll still need alterations so do some research about experienced bridal tailors in your area.

Good luck!

The Odessa is so pretty! I didn't try that one but it was on my list of potential dresses! 

southernbelle0915

No. Not legit. You get what you pay for. If you pay $200 for a chinese knock off of a dress that normally costs $2,000, there's something seriously wrong with that. They're cutting corners, cheaply sewing stuff, and using cheap materials. Not worth it.

PhoneCardLady

Unless they have a brick and mortar store here in the United States, I wouldn't.  I do however, like the fact that there are sites that offer used or sample dresses, as mentioned in previous answers.

Be safe - a lot of these questionable sites steal pictures from legit sites, but what you get is poor construction, glued beads and so forth, plus the loss of your money.  Just don't do it.

CTYankeeBride

I bought my dress online, but not from a China knockoff site.  I bought it on Amazon, and it was eligible for free returns backed by Amazon's guarantee.  I figured this was a low risk.  I saw it online on another bride and went for it. It's exactly what I wanted (a simple white satin ball gown).  I ordered two of them- I was in between sizes on the size chart- and had absolutely no problem returning the one that didn't fit. I don't recommend this to everyone but it wasn't a disaster for me. 

I agree pp's- be safe, know where you're buying from, and don't try to buy a copycat dress somewhere. Be prepared for alterations difficulties- in my case the dress needed to be taken in very slightly so it was fine but if it had needed to be let out anywhere it did not have much of a seam allowance for that. 

hyechica81

show us a photo of the dress we can find the ligit dress and tell you who makes it and such dont waste your time on that website the dress will look nothing like the photo