Really, David's?

jferlenda

Buying my gown from David's I was completely ready for an impersonal, and possibly difficult, bridal experience from such a huge chain.  But, I loved my dress and you can't beat their prices, so I figured I'd roll with it.  So far, nothing too much to complain about that I wasn't already expecting.  But I went in for my first fitting yesterday and was really surprised by what the seamstress told me.  She said that my next fitting, and apparently also my last, should be scheduled for a little over a month before my wedding.  After they make any adjustments, they will steam it and I must pick it up and take it home.

Now, I used to work in a bridal shop (yes, a small, privately owned one - totally different) and we didn't have the brides come in for their final fitting until a week or two before the wedding.  We kept their gowns until a few days before their wedding and always steamed it last minute so that it would be nice and wrinkle-free for the big day.  Again, it's much easier to do this when you have a lot fewer customers than what David's has.

However, I've been losing some weight and I just can't imagine getting my final fitting so far from my wedding date!  My body could change a lot in that time.  Besides that, where the hell am I supposed to keep my dress, all steamed and laid out, for a month??  I don't have anywhere to keep it like that for so long!  And what if FI comes over and sees it?  I can't keep it hidden from him when it's all laid out.  It's not like I could shove it in a closet!  You should also know that I'm living with my lovely parents at the moment, so taking it to their house wouldn't be an option...

Anyone else who got their dress from David's run into this?  Anyone else find it at all strange?

FutureMrsSheeler

I wouldn't have gone to their seamstress... I know most girls that buy from DB's go to a local seamstress that is usually recommended to them from girls on your local board.

EmilyW416

Can you talk to them and see? Maybe if you let her know your situation and offer to pay more, they will work with you?

Wiscisbliss

That is the way DB works. 

I was very impressed with their alterations.  It was perfect in just one fitting, and all of the beading rework was impeccable. 

I got my dress a few weeks before the wedding and just put it in a garment bag and hung it on the back of a door.  It didn't get very wrinkled.  I used a garment steamer on the morning of the wedding. 

redheadfsu

I do not have any personal experience with DB. But my friends who did buy from them, did not use their seamstresses. One was going to but was told that they could not do any changes to the design of the dress (she wanted something like a small ribbon or small flower removed).

katyj25

I am using a DB seamstress. I will have my 4th fitting this Friday and I am 1 month away from my wedding today. On Friday, they will still have to do the hem. I am anticipating 2-3 more appointments. So when they tell you 2 appointments, that is not necessarity true. It depends on how much your dress needs to be altered. You can always schedule your appointments further apart. The BD I went to worked with me very much.

klynette84

I had my last fitting in December, and my wedding isn't for another month, BUT that's because my dress is in IL and I'm in KY, and because my dress has a corset back. I have tried it on whenever I've been back to IL to make sure it still fits alright though. As far as steaming the dress, I was told I could bring my dress in the week before wedding and they'd steam it then.

dannie134

In case it's helpful, I just wanted to add that I had to do my final fitting at the same time as my bridal shower, because the dress and I were in different states.  That happened to be a little over a month before the wedding.  The dress was steamed and my sister picked it up about 2 weeks later.

I was definitely nervous, but I wasn't actively trying to lose weight, and the dress fit perfectly.  So if it turns out that you're not able to do a fitting closer than a month out, it might turn out fine (it did for me).  And you could probably take it somewhere else to get it steamed the week before the wedding if you were really worried about that part.

jferlenda

Thanks for calming me a bit!  I think I'll just use Wisc's advice and hand steam it the day before.  If worst comes to worst with it fitting, I'll just bring it somewhere else if I need to.

Shannon1011

I got my dress and I have no complaints at all.  In fact I was so very happy with the way I treated.  I was engaged 8 years ago and a size 14 at the time.  I went to look at a dress in a private shop and was treated like I was a freak of nature because I was not a single digit size.  I even ran out crying.  I felt horrible.  So when I got to the whole thing over again I was scared.  I am a size 12 but scared that they would make me feel like a whale or slob.  But the girl was so kind to me and made me feel great.  I also told them I wanted my alterations as close to my date as possible, they said mo problem.

One a last note my co-worker/super could afford to go any where and she went to DB and said nothing but positive things about them as well. 

TiffannieF

DB nickel and dimes you.  It cost me over $100 to alter a bridesmaid dress and that was just the sides and straps (not length), the dress cost $80...

The one thing I really like about David's Bridal is they have a good inventory in all sizes of all dresses. 

However, I had a couple appointments there where I was forgotten about...as in they just left me hanging.  One was my alteration appointment...

klm03013

Maybe it differs by location. My final fitting is two weeks before, and I don't expect my body to change as it has been the same for a few years now. They also informed me that I was entitled to a free steaming, but could choose when I wanted to do that and do it right before the wedding if I wanted.

I would explain the situation, and if they don't seem like they will accommodate you, I would take the dress elsewhere.

Milsey32

How much weight are you hoping/planning to lose the month before the wedding??