Wedding Etiquette Forum

Dress Drama Update

My dress may or may not get in before my wedding date (19 days).. despite ordering it March 6th.  As annoyed as I am (and trust me.. I am annoyed!) .. at least my sister's dress fits me!  But the update is actually about her dress.. 

So my sister (married Aug 28, 2010) had issues with her dress too!  I had this huge suspicion that the dress was second hand.. but didn't want to push it because I didn't want to cause stress (and I didn't want to ruin my sister's big day in "her" dress).  Now that her day has passed.. I feel it is ok to "investigate."  If it really was fake.. I want my sister to get her $1k back (BTW.. my sister works as a waitress and saved up her tips for months to buy this dress.. it means the world to me that she wasn't robbed!!!!)

She ordered the dress well over a year in advance.. but the dress shop kept putting her off about when it was coming in.  So I emailed the dress company to find a tracking #.  They told me they never sold this style number to the bridal shop.  The next thing we know- the bridal shop produces the dress.  My sister tries it on to find and it only goes to her ankles (her beautiful dress looked super cheap on her!).  The bridal shop claimed they "forgot to order extra length" but my sister isn't a giant (she is 5'8" or 5'9")... it shouldn't have been that short.  They offered to fix it for free .. so we didn't put up a fight.  (BTW, the dress is from the fall 2007 collection.. so it could have easily been purchased, worn, then sold to my sister.)

Casablanca told me to email them the number on the tag so they can track when it was bought.  I couldn't find the number on my sister's dress.. instead I found a tag that looked cut.

Fast forward to today.  I told the owner of my dress company that my family can't go through all this dress drama again- we had enough.  She asked me what I meant- so I told her about my sister's dress (we used different bridal shops).  The owner let me take pictures of what the tag should look like.. and sure enough.. I was right .. the tag was cut.

My sister's dress tag

:: The other pic won't post.. will try to show it in a reply::

Sorry if this was too long to read.  I just need to focus on something other than waiting for my dress to arrive.  ... I just can't believe there can be so much drama involved in getting a wedding dress!

BTW.. I know how unlikely it is that we will get our $ back (but I do like to hope!).  We have no proof we weren't the ones to cut the tag... that the tag came to us cut.. but still.. I feel all we need to do.. is get the ball rolling with media, law suit, or whatever.. and put it on the dress company to prove this dress is an original.

Re: Dress Drama Update

  • I was hoping you would post an update!  Hopefully you get your dress soon, but at least you have a fall back.

    That is really weird about your sister's dress.  I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be a dress they used as a sample in the store, I've heard of shops cutting out tags on the sample dresses.  You said your sister is pretty tiny right?  Do most shops have such small sizes as samples usually?  I didn't do a whole lot of dress shopping so I'm not sure.
  • That is a good point.. the sample dress was "sold" a month or so after she placed her order (sort of suspicious)... but I think the sample wasn't a true white.. and it was definitely a few sizes too big (I remembered she needed the clips to try on the dress).

    I will have to ask my sister what color the sample was.. but I am pretty sure it was one of the off-white colors.  I think the dress was from a previous bride.. but I am guessing anyways.

    I am sure my mom is glad that she doesn't have any more daughters.. I don't think my family has the energy to go dress shopping again.. lol!

    I am trying to stay positive about my dress.. but it is impossible!  The day my sister showed me her dress.. my mom joked about us sharing it.  We laughed and I said "as pretty as her dress is.. it isn't me."  My sister said the exact same thing about mine!  Mine is all lace and fitted.. hers is beading.. no lace.. and very poofy.  Plus.. mine is ivory.. I didn't even want true white... lol

    I guess it could always be worse.. at least her dress fits me.. and it's not like it's second hand.. it's technically third hand.. lol
  • wow I feel bad for all the stuff you guys are going through....I thought my dress shopping experience was hell but compared to your sister and yourself my problems are nothing to complain about!  I hope your dress gets there in time! :) And i would definetly persue that dress store that did your sister wrong and take them to small claims court!
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  • RachNRichRachNRich member
    5000 Comments
    edited October 2010
    Just some food for thought---I went through a nasty battle with the place I bought my gown. All of their sample dresses had the tags cut out of them, so brides would try stuff on, and go order it elsewhere (which is completely legal). What isn't legal, is cutting tags out of a dress you purchased brand new. 

    My bridal shop did just that. Cut every tag out, took every identification off of my dress...everything. I know it's too late for your sister now, but I refused to keep the dress, because they had no way of proving it was a legit dress from the designer, and after going round and round, they ended up ordering a new dress for me, rush ordered---with specific instructions not to take it out of the bag until I arrived at the store. 

    Dress stress is the worst---I hope everything works itself out for you, and soon!
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  • Hey, i'm wearing 1971! If it wasn't in the middle of alterations, I'd let you borrow it.. if that's the one that you were actually buying. 

    If it is, then the shop definitely messed something up. I ordered mine in January and it was here in early June, earlier than expected. the guy from my shop said that CB was good with shipping on time and that he'd never had any problems with them. I'm sure CasaBlanca is dismayed to hear that a shop is sullying their reputation, and they may help you recover some of your funds.. maybe. 
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  • I would have to ask friends if they cut out every tag.  I just assumed they did that with my sister.  I could ask other brides who got their dresses there.  It seems weird that they would do that with every dress.. their is so much risk involved if it is illegal.

    I feel if I let things go and they put other brides through this.. then it is partially our fault for not speaking up.  The shop my sister went to is the only bridal shop in town (she wanted to support a local business) so they have a bit of a monopoly over our town's market.  I know my sister's friend brought a lawyer with her on one of her visits to prove to the store owner their family's threats were serious.  And their are rumors around town of other bride's having issues.  If we went public.. other stories may surface.

    My shop seems a little more legitimate, but waiting until the last minute for my dress to arrive is a bit inappropriate, IMO.  I think the bridal shop forgets that some of their brides actually has a life.. and can't drop everything when her dress comes in to get the fittings done!
  • The sample pic of the correct tag is my dress, too :)  I'm excited to see your pics, SarahPLiz

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  • Oh- the correct tag was a random CB dress from my dress shop.  It was more of proof to my family that they cut my sister's tag.

       
    The left dress is my sister's .. the right is mine.

    As you can see.. my back up dress is beautiful, but a completely different dress than the one I planned on wearing.  :(  I simply stopped picturing myself walking down the aisle.. because I don't have enough confidence to believe it will be in my dress anymore... and I really want to wear mine.
  • Awww, your dress is SO pretty!  Your sisters is really pretty too, but they are very different.  I REALLY hope your dress comes in on time!  I can't imagine dealing with this 2 weeks before the wedding.  But don't worry, either way your wedding day will be wonderful!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-drama-update?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:8545fbdc-9f79-444c-ba92-c70c9bfc234bPost:ca3eabd3-4a2c-4f66-b49f-797c08535b13">Re: Dress Drama Update</a>:
    [QUOTE]The sample pic of the correct tag is my dress, too :)  I'm excited to see your pics, SarahPLiz
    Posted by FutureMrsTR[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks! I keep looking at your pics, and I get more and more excited that I get to wear such a  beautiful dress. Yours looked stunning with the straps. Do you mind if I show it to the guy at the shop? He told me he hadn't seen one with straps before.</div>
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  • I cannot even express how angry your post makes me with these shady business owners!  Have some freaking ethics and manage your money better!  There's no reason you should take someone's money to order a dress a year in advance, spend the money on other things, and wait till a month before their wedding to order it.  You should definitely proceed to rake them over the coals!!!!!!!!!

    You first need to send a demand letter asking for a fair amount refund based on your finding the dress was used (sent certified mail).  Get their decline in writing, then proceed legally from there.
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  • Thanks for your support ladies.  My mom was given a tracking number today.. but I have to wait until she gets off work to see what it says.  (And who even knows it is my dress I am tracking- but I am hopeful and will try to believe this is my dress!)

    I can't find a contract number/email to find out from the manufacturer's website when the dress order was placed.  I have been emailing back and forth with Casablanca (my sister's dress)- but I couldn't find anything helpful with S&M : (

    I really wanted to give Eva's a good review.. as they were super nice to me.. had great hours.. and gave me good discounts.  Unfortunately, they haven't said anything to me to make me believe that this was a fluke.  If my dress order was forgotten about- I would understand and forgive- and realize I was just consider myself unlucky- but they haven't indicated to me that they think this late arrival is an issue!  Maybe they think bride's don't have a day job or a life outside of wedding planning- but I want to get fitted when it is convenient for me... vs having to drop everything to get it done!!!  I also would be okay with the idea of manufacturing issues, as it isn't Eva's fault, but the dress shop hasn't shown me any documentation of when they placed the order, despite my requests.  I believe they are hiding this from me to conceal placing the order late!

    No documentation and no real concern that this dress isn't in yet (they act like as long as they get it in before the 23rd.. they made the deadline)- makes me say AVOID ORLAND PARK EVAs!

    Chicagoland brides: just an FYI.. each Eva's is different.. unlike HOB, they only operate within themselves- they aren't linked.  Also- I have far worse things to say about All About the Dress in Lemont, IL- as I have heard many horror stories!
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