I started dress shopping today. For my very first time, I went to David's Bridal in Manchester to begin looking at different shapes of dresses. From the second I got there, I was STRONGLY pressured to buy.
When I arrived, they had me fill out a registration form. I didn't leave my email address because I'm already being bombarded by emails from them. I just got my email taken off their list, so didn't want to give it to them again. They wouldn't let me go with my consultant until I provided an email address...so I made one up.
Before I even showed my consultant what types of dresses I liked she was trying to get me to sign up for the David's Bridal credit card. She said I should open the card now so that I can look for gowns without worrying about cost. I had already told her that all of their dresses were in my price range, but she still insisted I sign up for it. I flatly said no.
Each dress I tried she turned up the heat more and more for me to buy it. I didn't love any of the dresses she was showing me, but she kept berating me for not wanting to purchase one. She said that I'm going to go home and think about the dresses and realize that I do love them, and when I come back it will be gone. She said they discontinue things overnight and that she could sell it by that afternoon.
My mom was supposed to come with me, but was unable to make it at the last minute. There was 1 dress that was okay; I wasn't in love, but it was a possibility. I told her I would go home to think about it and bring my mom back to see it if I decided I wanted to see it again. She told me to just call my mom and tell her I fell in love with a dress and I'm buying it so she can just deal with it. Those were her exact words. She was so rude. I told her I was not in love with the dress, and that my mom is paying for my dress so I wasn't going to buy something without her even seeing it or having the experience with me. She said I should just open a David's Bridal credit card and figure it out later. She said, "Just open a David's Bridal account, you know she'll pay for it". She doesn't know me or my mother and her high pressure sales tactics were extremely aggravating. She said if I bought the dress today, I could come back another day and try on dresses again just so my mom could see dresses...because my mom would love to have a fake shopping experience with me I'm sure. I kept telling her i wanted to get out of the dress, and she kept pointing out reasons why I should buy it. My favorite reason of hers was that I am running out of time to buy a gown. My wedding is a year away. She told me I'm 3 months behind schedule and that I need to hurry up and decide on a gown. I said again that I wanted to take it off and leave and she told me she just had to put a veil and tiara on me before I could take it off. I then just went into the dressing room myself to take it off and she yelled at me for taking the gown off myself. I told her many times that I wanted to leave and she wouldn't take it off so I was left with no choice but to do it myself. She was holding me hostage in a dress! After her scolding, she insisted I make an appointment for tomorrow to come back with my mom. I told her I was no longer interested in purchasing a gown there and left.
They have been rude and annoying a few other times that I've gone to that store (it was for non wedding related things). I thought they may be better if I was actually there for a gown, but they were far worse. I do NOT recommend them. Even if you don't like a dress, they will belittle you and torment you until you either buy something or escape.