David's Bridal - vent

cwill6212

So today, I realized the wedding is exactly 4 months away!  In light of this, I decided to call David's Bridal to get a better idea of when my dress would arrive. (When I placed the order, they just said Feb)  To my surprise (and not in a good way) the representative told me that my dress had been at the shop since the end of Dec. Seriously??? I talked to them in Dec to ask about the procedure and how I would be notified when my dress came in. They told me, in Dec, that items are scanned in which triggers an email. If after that I did not contact them, they would call me. The rep today said emails had been sent (which I never received) and she said they called a few times last week... Of course... after my phone number was changed... Then she suggested that I needed to pick it up asap (like I wasn't already thinking that)  When I asked about alterations, she said, "You need to pick up the dress. If you want alterations, you have to callback and make an appointment". Well, just for that snoody comment and just for the fact that everything with David's Bridal-from making the appointment to the shopping day to financing to the pickup--I will take my dress someplace else to have it altered. What a nightmare!! I am guessing all of their shops aren't this incompetent or they would be out of business.

Ok, I'm finished now. :P

Maggie0829

I agree with MilkDuds on this one.  I realize you are upset but emails tend to not send or are sent to some random folder that you don't check, and since you didn't update your phone number with them you really can't be mad at the fact they couldn't get a hold of you.

As for alterations, I would suggest going to a local seamstress whether you were mad with DB or not.  There have been many horror stories when it comes to alterations (my sister has one herself) and it may be less expensive to go to a local seamstress as well.

MyUserName1

Wanna hear my David's bridal vent?

No?  Too bad.

My first wedding I ordered a dress from David's bridal.  I called several times to find out when it would arrive and was always just told they'd let me know when it got there.  Four weeks before my wedding (i ordered eight months out) I stop by.  The woman tells me it'll be in in EIGHT weeks.  i.e. a month AFTER my wedding.  She informs me that there is nothing she can do and that I should have thought of that when I ordered the dress...well clearly they didn't tell me that my dress wouldn't be until a month after the wedding or else I wouldn't have ordered it!  Then i discover that they ordered the wrong dress!  The consultant starts to argue with me that I did in fact order the one with pink flowers embroidered all over it.  After a few minutes of arguing, she sees in the notes the dress that I had wanted, and that this one was not, in fact the correct dress, but there isn't anything she can do to help me at this point. I told her that she needed to get my dress there ASAP and she said that she didn't know what to tell me and there was nothing that could be done.

I start yelling that she needs to fix this and now.  She starts screaming back at me and curses at me! 

After a few minutes of this, another employee takes over and starts making phone calls. She finds a sample in another store and arranges to have it overnighted.  She was completely nice, but David's Bridal never did anything to make it up for the whole situation or that I had a sample instead of the new dress I paid for.

I hate them.

jagore08

When you go to pick up your dress, try it on to make sure there's nothing wrong with it.  Give it a good once over because once you leave it's very hard to get them to correct any issues.  Also, it's a good thing you're going with an independent seamstress because DB alterations are extremely overpriced. 

firsttimersluck

Sorry you had a crappy experience. DB is not known for its customer service, but no one likes to be treated like a burden. I would suggest you not use them for your alterations, as usually a local seamstress will run MUCH cheaper, MUCH faster, and often, much better quality. Good luck picking up your dress! 

cwill6212

@ MyUser-My shopping experience with them wasn't great either. And I had to stop by the store in Dec to even find out that my ordered sash was there.  I repeatedly asked them how I would be notified when my dress came in and got the standard answer every time. I just should have known to call them sooner and keep on them---but they are SO rude everytime I call. One girl even dogged out her coworker saying that she could answer my question better, even though the other girl was nicer to me. Hmph.

@ the other postings-I get ALL KINDS of sales pitch emails from Davids Bridal so I don't know why the most important one about my dress would go to spam. That doesn't make sense. Also, my phone number just changed the previous week so that really doesn't excuse them either. What do other businesses do when they can't get you on the phone? They drop a card or letter in the mail. I know I am responsible for not updating my number but that's why I called today. I shutter to think of what would've happened if I hadn't....

cwill6212

@ Firsttimer-Thanks! I have heard that several times now from my FB posting and other people I have vented to! Already found a shop to take it to!

kaos16

I got my dress at DB too, but i'm getting it altered elsewhere.  When I picked it up and tried it on I was holding it up (it's strapless and their smallest size) when i went to alterations and the woman matter-of-factly told me that it didn't need to be taken in. . . . that kinda sent up red flags to me since if i moved my arms away from my sides Iwould have been topless!

maribeth721

I am in a BM in a wedding this year and the BM dress is from David's. Similar situation. They said they sent me an email - I never got anything from them. And I am on their mailing list (from some bridal show I went to) so there is no way it went into my junk folder. And I checked my spam. Not there.

mbe

Since they don't special make your gown, just call to other stores and get their samples off the rack (which they fully admit), ordering only takes a few days anyways. Just go over it to make sure they washed the sample correctly. Yep, washing machines in the back too.

rahanne81

I went to there to try on dresses to get an idea of what I wanted. I made the appointment, pre-registered online and saved options to my favorites so I could try on different styles and so on.  I got there, they didn't have any on my information even the what I had given them over the phone. I offered to make another appointment and come back they said "no they could help me"  Help was not the right term, they could try and sell me things. My "consultant" called me by the wrong name 4 times, and half way through brought me a dress that was so big on me I could step in and out of without undoing any fastenings, 2 of me could have fit in this dress.  I found a dress I liked but wasn't sure about and they kept pushing me to buy it.  I left with out ordering it.  I was then phone and email stalked, I found a dress I loved at a little bridal shop.  I called DB and said I wasn't interested in the dress, but wanted to scheduled appointment for my bridesmaids.  Again, they didn't have my appointment and are still calling me to buy a dress even though I've told them no. I did take their survey about my experience and I've heard nothing back from them, they probably lost it along with my appointment reservations. Seriously, how is this place still in business?

cwill6212

@ rahanne - Had a similar experience when I went there to dress shop.  I have NO idea how they are still in business.

Even picking up my dress yesterday was a hassle.  I obviously spoke to someone at the store yesterday who told me my dress was there (per my initial vent). But when I got to the store, the lady at the front counter basically argued with me for 15 minutes over whether I'd even ordered a dress since she couldn't find me in her computer for whatever reason.  I spelled my name for her twice but she kept insisting that I'd either ordered from an online company or placed my order under a different name. Sure, that makes sense! NOT! I don't know how but finally she found my information. Then she wanted to try to sell me a garment bag and bridesmaids dresses. DB can kiss my #@%$#^. I wasn't giving them one more penny.

beautifulmama28

DB was the first place I tried on dresses....i was not impressed in the least, my consultant was nice but clueless. I ended up going to a private local salon...so sorry you had a bad experience, I can't imagine what a headache that must have been

kennazebrowsky

We got the bridal dresses there. My moh dress had a stain on it but they were very nice and hot her a New dress right away. you really can't be mad if you didn't update your contact information with them though. And I think the email possibly went to a spam folder. It happens all the time.

Hilraythebride

mbe I never hear of this nor did I see any washing machines in the back.  I think girls would know if their wedding dress has been machine washed! 

They could be lying to me when they tell me to order it early on so that they can make it but why would they?  Also that really doesn't make any sence because they have far more people ordering dresses from DB then they could have samples in state.  What would they then replace these dresses with?  The dresses that are being made?  I am just not buying it.  People hate on DB so hard and I do agree it varies store by store and clerk by clerk but I had a great DB experience thus far!!

francienyc

You guys are terrifying me!  I just bought my dress at David's Bridal last week--I love it, and I had a great experience buying it.  The receptionist lost my appointment but they were able to help me anyway, and were lovely.  No pressure, and they worked to get me exactly what I wanted.  So I bought the dress, but now I'm really worried about when it comes in.  Has someone out there had a good experience, or at least one which isn't nightmare inducing?

ehoenke

I guess I'll vent too, haha. The original dress I got for my wedding was from David's.  My dress was mailed to me and when I opened the box, it had a large run/snag down the front of the dress. I brought it back to the store and they said that never happened and they would order in a new one for me. Unfortunately my dress was discontinued so they had to order a size up since there was none left in my size. They also told me I would have to pick it up in the store or pay for shipping (which I thought was odd considering the run in the dress was not my fault). When the new dress came in, the cut seemed completely different than my original dress (I'm not sure if it was just because it was a bigger size or not). It also had pin marks all up and down the taffeta waistband where it must have been pinned for another bride. I was trying to convince myself that it wasn't too bad, but my mother-in-law was horrified and also found a bunch of loose threads on the back of the dress. The material inside the folds of the skirt was unhemmed and hardly stitched on. I took the dress back and got a credit (no refund) which we used for our bridesmaid dresses.

They definitely have some pretty dresses at David's (Vera Wang White, Galina, and there is a new lace dress with buttons up the back and cap sleeves that's gorgeous) but my experience was obviously not good and I think there is a quality difference. It might have been because my dress was discontinued and had been sitting in their warehouse or another store for a while, but still, it is your wedding dress! I have been happy with our bridesmaid dresses from there, no complaints on the quality and theyre cute and a great price.

stephaniesch

francienyc - I had a great DB experience- my consultant was very helpful, they had all my paperwork filled out and ready to go when I arrived for my appointment.  And I ordered my dress that day.  They told me it would be in at the end of February/ beginning of March (I'm getting married in August) and about 12 days after I placed the order they emailed me that it was all there.  Pick-up was simple and the staff at my location was great. 

I have heard plenty of horror stories about them, but it just seems to depend on what store you are shopping at and who the saleswomen are.  I guess I lucked out having a good experience with them!