Hi everyone! Haven't been around for a while but I'm back now and married. I will do my vendor reviews eventually, but wanted to post this here because I'm really upset and need some support.
A lot of things went right at our wedding, but a couple of things went wrong. One is that it rained, but it truly did end up being very special and more intimate than it would have been. I was kind of upset that we didn't get more pictures outside, because the reason we chose Metro Beach was because of the amazing view of the lake. BUT that's ok.
The main thing that went wrong was my dress. Because I currently live in Texas, when we ordered the dress in December, I told them at the time when I would be able to do fittings. LE SALON (in Royal Oak) decided that I would end up doing one fitting (my first and last) a week before the wedding, and that it would be no problem. They said they planned enough ahead of time that they would work around it without charging me a rush fee, which was very nice of them. They were always extremely courteous and friendly, sometimes to the point of butt-kissing, but that was ok.
Well, things kind of went crazy. I was supposed to get fitted exactly a week before the wedding, but they cancelled the appointment. I got fitted instead on Monday, and because I'd lost 15 pounds, I needed my dress taken in. I am plus sized and have very large breasts -- I was always excited because every time I went in (and tried it on in the store when it came in, etc.) they mentioned that because there was a corset inside I wouldn't need to wear a bra with the strapless dress. The dress was loose and needed to be taken in. The seamstress pinned me, but my mother and I said that it should probably be even tighter than the pins were, because it seemed there was still some extra room. I also decided on a double french bustle (which did turn out great).
People, I had never been warned about the cost of alterations. My dress was specifically made to my measurements and cost around $1300. The alterations cost
$700. My mom and I both looked at each other in shock, but ended up paying the money anyways. We wanted the dress to be perfect and beautiful, like most brides do.
They said the dress would be ready on Wednesday, but it wasn't. They called and left a message saying to call them back, but they never answer their phone or return their emails. Part of the reason for this is that they do appointments only, but it would be nice if they had someone answering the phones. A bride two days before her wedding does not want to hear that her dress isn't done yet. I stopped in and was told it would be ready on Thursday -- Alexis was supposed to text me on Wednesday night when she picked up the dress, but she didn't. She did text the next morning to let me know that she would be 10 minutes late, but again, that was fine.
I tried the dress on and it seemed ok. Still not as tight as it originally was, but still ok.
The real trouble started on the wedding day. It became very clear by the time the ceremony started that the dress was stretching. My breasts were sagging, and because of all of the fuss of "not having to wear a bra," I didn't bring one with me to the ceremony. By the end of the ceremony, I was having to pull on my chest constantly, and asking my bridesmaids to do "cleavage checks." I couldn't move my arms too much because when I did the fabric would fall down quite a bit. I then realized that it was stretching and too loose in the stomach area too -- it kept bunching up instead of laying flat, which caused the chest situation to get worse.
By the time dinner was over, I was really embarrassed and couldn't take it anymore. I asked the kitchen if they had any big safety pins or double sided tape -- they had safety pins. After $700 worth of alterations, my bridesmaids and I worked in the bathroom for almost half an hour to help it a little bit. It got a tad better after that, but I still had to constantly be messing with my chest in front of everyone (or just miss a lot of my wedding being in the bathroom). I've received some pictures back from friends and I just cry. My chest looks ridiculous and unflattering, and if I just would've known to be prepared it wouldn't have been so bad.
My mom, being a mom who doesn't like seeing my upset with my wedding pictures (like any mom), decided to call Le Salon to let them know what had happened. Her goal truly was not to get any money back from the alterations (although that would have been a nice gesture on their part), but to warn them that the dress was slightly stretchy, and to let other brides know this when doing alterations or choosing the dress. Of course no one answered, so she sent an email with the same concerns. The only part that could maybe be construed as rude was when she said it was "a shame" that I was so upset about it.
Jonas, who had always been sweet before, responded to my mother with a VERY VERY long email, basically tearing her a new one. He called her "unprofessional" and rude because she came into the shop to get a new hanger after the one I was using broke. He said that she walked in on another bride's appointment (which my mother didn't know, they don't lock the doors), and that my mother should have gone out and bought her own hanger (we had picked up the dress literally 5 MINUTES before it broke). He also mentioned that *I* was the one who said I didn't want it taken in more (not true), and that I should have worn a bra if I was so worried about it (which I hadn't been because the fittings had always been great
and they said I didn't have to). Furthermore, he stated that we should be grateful because they hadn't charged us a rush fee on top of the alterations, and that they only did that because my neighbor got her dress there as well (again, not what they had always said before). My mom was extremely insulted that someone would respond to her email in this way, after she was stating her concerns in a polite manner.
I'm simply shocked by the rudeness of the email -- my mother read parts to me, but I asked that she not send the whole thing to me. I'm already upset enough as it is. I just wanted you all to know that although Le Salon has beautiful dresses and great customer service at first, once you pay them their money the smiles and hugs are gone. For a business that prides themselves on being "high end" and almost like a Paris shop, the rudeness truly did turn me off. Beware.
p.s. Thanks for reading and if I have the guts later I'll upload some pictures...