So just an update from last week's drama with my dress being the wrong color --- at everyone's suggestion, I ended up calling up Party Dress Express, where the dress came from, mid-week last week. I explained that I knew it was my fault and that they'd done everything right, but I just wondered if I had any options in terms of exchanging for a whiter color (even though the receipt of course was paid in full/no refunds/exchanges etc).
Well, they were sooooo nice and understanding, and ended up calling the manufacturer to see if it could be done, and it could. They said if I came in over the weekend, I could see other Maggie dresses in the "bright white" color, and, if I liked that better, they'd take back my current dress for just a $50 restocking fee, and they could have the new one in by mid-August, which is when I need to start doing alterations anyway. Perfect, right? Just the fact that they were willing to work with me and were being so nice about it made me feel a MILLION times better about it.
So, cut to yesterday, I went in to see the white dress and brought my aunt and close family friend to see the diamond white one on me. And you know what? Seeing it again, without any pre-set notions this time of what it was supposed to look like, I LOVED it. The bright white was too stark for my skin tone (which is why I had never ordered it in the first place), and the longer I wore the diamond white one, the more I remembered why I loved it originally. Everyone agreed that that color was better and suddenly I forgot all of my complaints from last week. I guess I just needed to know I had options, and once I did, I remembered why I picked it in the first place.
So, all's well that ends well. I think I may be a tiny bit insane, and have definitely now had my first Bridezilla moment, but I once again LOVE my dress and truly couldn't be happier with the customer service at Party Dress Express. They were SO wonderful and accommodating - I highly recommend them!
Thanks to all of you for the encouragement as well!