Bridesmaid dresses don't fit

Knottie01000651

What is your recourse against a bridal shop when none of your bridesmaid's dresses fit? The wedding shop is saying that it is not their responsiblity.

manateehugger

How did they measure your ladies? And how do the measurements they recorded match up to the sizing chart of the dress designer?

What has been your communication so far? I would be showing up at their door.

[Deleted User]

That's awful. What happened? Could you give more info?

If they ordered the dresses based on your bridesmaids' wishes (i.e. "I need a size 10"), you have no legal recourse.

If their policy was printed on your receipt or any other document you received from the, you have no legal recourse (unless you live in a state with strict consumer protection laws). 

Your best bet may be to negotiate a solution with them, but you're at a disadvantage because you've already given them money...

redoryx

manateehugger said:

How did they measure your ladies? And how do the measurements they recorded match up to the sizing chart of the dress designer?

What has been your communication so far? I would be showing up at their door.

All of this. I feel like we need more information regarding what the process was to determine what sizes to order. 

jacques27

Knottie01000651 said:

What is your recourse against a bridal shop when none of your bridesmaid's dresses fit? The wedding shop is saying that it is not their responsiblity.

It may not be their responsibility.  Like others have said, it depends on what was said/done during the ordering process and to what degree the dresses aren't fitting.

1) Did the bridesmaids call the order in to the shop or did they actually come in to get measured?
2) Did they actually order off of measurements or just give a street size? 
3) Did the bridesmaids order smaller in hopes they would lose weight, by any chance?
4) Have the bridesmaids gained/lost weight in the intervening time period?
5) Do the dresses drastically not fit (as in could your order have gotten mixed up with someone else's) or is it just "Yup, you're going to need alterations" not fitting?

Bridal sizing can be different - or even just sizing amongst brands.  I routinely order dresses from ModCloth, but if I just went by what my size usually is in the normal brands I usually wear I would be hosed.  Their dress sizing tends to run a bit smaller than what I normally buy in store (and the sizing varies between brands).  I sometimes get clothing tag shock and go "Is that really the size I am?" when ordering from them because I have to measure myself and go based on the measurements and not the sizing to get an accurate fit.  I know lots of people who would tend to go "Oh, but that's not really my size, what do they know?" and then order the size they think they should be instead. 

Likewise, you have to order the size for the biggest measurement.  So, if based on hip measurement you'd be a size 10, but based on bust measurement you'd be a size 14 - you have to order the 14.  I used to be more busty than hippie and every dress I tried that fit the bottom half of me was too tight on the top and I'd have to size up.  I've recently lost weight and lost a higher percentage from my bust than my hips, so now it's the opposite - dresses that fit my bust don't fit my hips and I have to still size up and get alterations to the bust area so it fits properly.  That's kinds of just how it goes.

novella1186

I'm also curious to know how bad the dresses don't fit. 

Last time I ordered a bridesmaid dress, I went into the shop to get measured. They ordered the size that matched my measurements, my weight didn't change, but when my dress came in it was huge and definitely needed a lot of alterations. 

Since bridesmaids sizes run so weird, it's normal to need some alterations. Especially since body types can be so different from standard sizing. 

Or is that all of the dress are too small? Are they WAY too small? This happened to a friend of mine (but it was actually because all of her BMs gained some weight after they ordered) so the bridal shop had the seamstress add a panel of fabric to every dress. It was not ideal but the problem was fixed, so no big deal. 

So what are the details on this problem? 

climbingsingle

Yeah, we need more info to help you. 

levioosa

We need more info.  Did the BMs order without getting measured?  Were they measured?  Are the dresses too big or too small?  Did your girls' weight change in between getting measured and ordering the dresses, and the dresses coming in?

theartistformerlyknownas

If it's a matter of them all being a little big... them's the breaks. BM dresses often need to be tailored, especially if it's an unforgiving, non-stretchy fabric like satin. If they're drastically different from what was expected, you'll need to go back and look at the order paperwork. My girls all had to get measured and sign off on a sheet comparing their measurements to the designer's size charts with the salon's recommendation of which size to order. If they went against the recommendation and ordered a smaller size, that was signed off on as well with a stipulation that the salon was not responsible.

If your girls just called in and said "I'm a size 6!" without getting measured or trying anything on, ya'll should have known/researched better. BM dresses do not follow standard mall sizing. That's not the salon's fault though.

PrettyGirlLost

Yeah I'd love to know more about how this happened.

Bubblegum5586

Need more info.

I have noticed when ordering BM dresses they tend to size up, so then you need alterations and can make more money on that. I was standing there when a consultant was looking at the chart and my measurements and was going a size larger then the chart said I needed. We argued about it until she finally ordered the smaller size like I said I wanted, and even that was a bit big when I got it.

mikenberger

Knottie01000651 said:

What is your recourse against a bridal shop when none of your bridesmaid's dresses fit? The wedding shop is saying that it is not their responsiblity.

Clearly, you are allowed to burn down the building.

delujm0

Agree with PP.  We needmore information here.

 

If your BMs just ordered their street size without measuring, that's on them.  BM dresses are notoriously jacked up in size.  My street size is a 4-6 in literally everything i've ever bought, and even my wedding dress measurement was a 6, yet in almost every BM dress i've had to get i've needed a 10-12.  It makes zero sense, but it is what it is.

 

If the dresses are too big and it's because the shop intentionally ordered a bigger size than the measurements dictated, you might have legal recourse.  But if the dresses are too big and the sizes were from the manufacturer's size chart, you just have to get alterations.  90% of the time a BM dress requires alteration.  it's like a wedding dress.  the only times i haven't needed alterations were when i got the dress at David's Bridal (and actually i wore my street size there as well).

 

If the dresses are too small and it was your BMs who authorized the sizing, ignoring the dress maker's size chart, yes, that is on you, and unfortunately there is very little that can be done about it.

MadHops21

Hello? OP? 

novella1186

I'm thinking she realized the mistake was on their part and disappeared.