Wedding Woes

Bought my wedding dress... Don't like it

I'm not getting married until April of next year, so my dilemma isn't a complete disaster, I guess I'm just more sad about it than anything else...PS To make a very long story, short...I bought a dress that does not fit properly at all and after trying it on this last time, I'm just over the dress all together....

In January I called a fairly nice bridal shop I had seen in my neighborhood and asked when the best time to look at dresses would be.  I explained my wedding wasn't until April of 2017 but I had heard they had limited appointments so didn't know if I should have scheduled this far in advance.  I was told they did book fairly quickly but they had an opening the end of that week I could come in for.  So, of course I went ahead and jumped on it.

I got there and tried a few dresses, finding one that I really loved.  It had a vintage feel and was so light compared to all the other dresses I looked at, so again, I jumped on it....my bad decision.  I was measured and told repeatedly that I was getting my own custom Alfred Angelo gown that they would have to sew.  About the time they brought out the sizing chart, I realized that was not the case and I was really being measured for their standard sizes, which was fine.  The dress attendant told me that with my measurements she suggested I get a size 8.  I told her that I was so close to a size 6 and with there still being over a year until my wedding I thought I should get a size 6.  She continued to say the size 8 was best, so I went along with it, knowing that if I did get into a size 6 I could have the dress altered.  Well after three weeks my dress arrived, and I went to try it on....it was like wearing a potato sack, it hung off of me everywhere, I was so disappointed at the look of the dress in general. I wrote a nice review a few days later and said that everything was great, but I was disappointed with how large the dress was after being told that was my suggested size.  I luckily enough was contacted by the manager and told that I could come in to try the dress on for them.  I did so, and the entire time I was there, everyone was extremely rude.  I was greeted and told to put my dress on, when I came out, no one was there to greet me and I (not exaggerating) stood on the pedestal for 20 minutes waiting for someone while they helped "new customers."  After I had my daughter go get someone for me, I was told that the dress was baggy in the chest but I would need to lose 1 to 2 inches from my waist to squeeze into a size 6.  I told her, that was fine, I really wanted a size 6.

So lucky for me, they did take back my size 8 and ordered me a size 6...4 months later I get the size 6 in.  Wonderful...I had worked hard these 4 months and measured myself weekly to make sure I could fit into their sizing guide, size 6.
I get to the store and try my new size 6 on which I am expecting to not fit at all, since I went on vacation the week before to meet with our caterers and ate way too much food there, but I measured my waist before I left the house so I was pretty sure I'd make it...but low and behold the dress is way too big again.  It is over an inch too big in the waist and the chest is sagging forward too.  I do not have a small chest btw, I'm a 34 D.

Now, if youve made it through my large rants and are finally like...get to the point, you can just go have it sized....

That is what I plan on doing, but after seeing the dress on me being so saggy and looking at the $600 in alterations they want to charge me to fix it....I dont even want the dress, plus after trying it on twice (once in store and once at home, it is already ripped at the top).  But now I feel stuck with it because the store wont take it back or exchange it and I dont even want to deal with them anyway...and my fiancee already paid for it in full, so I dont want to tell him I dont like it and want another one...

So at this point I'm going to have to save up more money to have the dress cut the way I want it to look...

Re: Bought my wedding dress... Don't like it

  • Do you have to have your alterations done there?  I've heard horror stories about bridal salon alterations.  When I had mine done, I took the dress to a seamstress and she did a great job.

    And FWIW, I think maybe 1% of people fit in an off the rack dress without alterations.  It's pretty much assumed that you'll need to get it tailored to some extent, since most people aren't the exact measurements as the size chart.  Consider it part and parcel of buying the dress.
  • Agreed with @Heffalump.

    I've had every formal dress (wedding, bridesmaid, prom?) I've ever bought altered to fit me.  If you don't like their alteration pricing, then shop around. 

    Smaller shops that do all kinds of alterations may offer the best pricing.   I guess the only thing I'd do is check Yelp or some other review site and see what the general consensus is regarding the shop.
  • My dress was close to two sizes too big when it finally came in, and I took it to a local seamstress for alterations.  She did a wonderful job for a lot less than the bridal salon wanted.

    When I tried the dress on for the first time, I was horrified at how big it was.  I was swimming in it!  And I definitely wasn't when I tried it on at the salon.  It was absolutely a panicky, horrible moment, but my seamstress pinned it so that it fit the way it was supposed to and promised me it would all work out.

    If your only qualm about the dress is the fit, take it to a seamstress outside the bridal shop for a second opinion.  Once it's pinned and fitted to your body, it'll look a lot different.

    Regardless, alterations will be expensive.  But in the long run, it will be far cheaper to have your original dress altered than buy a second dress, pay for alterations... and it will save you the headache of trying to sell or return the original.


    "And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won’t just be able to take one, they’ll have to take two, one of you and one of me..."
    --Philip Pullman

  • Definitely look for other places to do the alterations. You don't have to get that done at the shop you purchased from. Once the dress dots you, I'm sure you will fall in love with it and be beautiful!
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • I bought a sample gown that was way too big for me. It was a size 10 and I am closer to a 4. My seamtress was able to fix everything. Shop around and get different quotes. I used yelp to find mine.
  • I've read here a few times that bridal sizes don't always correspond to regular clothing sizes. FW wears a 16 in regular dresses, but her bridal gown is a size 20 (pre-alterations).
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