Imagine my shock when I accompanied my daughter and three friends on a quest for the perfect wedding dress on January 16th and had an extremely distasteful experience at LaReine Bridal.
After struggling to park in a crowded lot full of potholes, puddles and mud, we made our way into the lobby of La Reine Bridal, located in an old home. It became abundantly clear that the place was disorganized. Several people addressed us as they walked to a computer in the lobby but they ignored what we said. At no time did anyone give us eye contact, a skill I teach my fourth and fifth grade students as a necssary behavior for a successful life.
There are other accounts of this experience on The Knot so I won't reiterate all of the specifics. Suffice it to say that all statements made in those posts are true: rude behavior, lack of grace, knowledge and inventory. I believe that most people in the bridal business understand that the purchase of the bridal gown becomes an important memory in the wedding process. I believe that the salespeople have an obligation to provide a positive experience for the future bride, family and friends. This establishment defied us to get through it without getting angry. The one positive was the conduct of my daughter's friends who tried so hard to mitigate any hurt feelings she developed on this day that was supposed to filled with joy and excitement.
I have reviewed the experience in my mind over and over again and frankly can't come up with a reason why we were treated so poorly. We came looking for the perfect dress with a large budget, a great attitude and a checkbook. The ultimate slam was when the slovenly salesperson asked what time it was 20 minutes into the process. I could only think that the employees were having a contest to see how quickly they could get rid of their potential customers that day.
My last comment resides in a warning to all other potential customers. This store assured my daughter that they had a particular dress that she was interested in. In fact, they did not. I'm not sure that they had many dresses. There were a few hanging on cheap racks in the room that we were in but they couldn't seem to find any dresses that fit our request. We were looking for an elegant, understated a-line gown. If every customer's experience mirrors the one we had, I would presume that the doors of La Reine Bridal will soon close. DO NOT GO THERE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE INSULTED AND DISAPPOINTED!