Wedding Dress was not what I ordered - Grrrr!

[FrekeChild]

Date: 6/24/2008 2:54:57 PM
Author: CrownJewel
Freke, no those are not tall enough. I need 9''.

Kidding of course. I can see the headlines now...''Bride rushed to hospital with broken ankles, broken leg, broken hip, broken arms, broken collarbone, concussion, and torn ligaments only 5 minutes into her ceremony. Groom and Guests party on without bride.''

Hee hee hee...That would go for me too! I''d so topple over wearing heels that tall! I cannot imagine me walking around in 8 inch heels. I''m ok with 4 inchers, but best at 3.

I like the groom and guests party on without bride part...

 

[calidaisy]

crownjewel, thanks for calling me dora expert.

even though ... i totally don't qualify.

i also wanted to point out from the picture it seems like you're somewhat flat-chested (it takes one to know one?

)
and the bust area of your dress is a bit long for you.

when i tried on "dora" at shops, the salespeople always told me that if i bought and ordered the dress to my size, the bust area will not only be flat

to accomodate the A-cup but SHORTER to be more proportional to my height. i'm sure that would have been the case for you if they did things right.

in case you decide to take the altering, instead of ordering a new dress route, i don't think the structure/ design of the dress allows you to cut from waist down ... but even if it does, i think you should cut it from the bust area so that the sweetheart part will be smaller (shorter) and the flair will be more like pulled up and maybe you can preserve the original hem/ flair.
(i hope i make sense ...)

 

[EricaR]

DON''T let them just hem it.

It looks to me like it isn''t just that the skirt is too long, but that the torso is too long, too. I can''t remember if there is a seam at the torso. If there is, maybe they can just raise the skirt from there?

 

[CrownJewel]

I went to hang out with my 10 month old nephew today and totally forgot about my dress. Then Julie called my cell phone (I hadn''t called them since yesterday! I''m so proud of her for calling!

). I was like, "hallelujah Julie!" She was really nice. She told me Carrie won''t return until Thursday so there''s not much we can do without her input. Bulls**t. But whatever. I asked her what are the possible options that Carrie will give me? Julie said that Carrie might order a new dress for me, or...and then she mentioned at least 3 times that their seamstresses are extremely talented and can make the dress look like it was made to my measurements. I politely countered her by saying that the reason why I asked Mona to order the dress to my measurements was to avoid mutilating the dress. And she said, "Well that makes sense. But really, our team here can handle anything. They''ll make you look great, no matter what we start with."

This is what (in my opinion) would have to change:
1. The skirt would have to be taken apart because the triangles that make up the flare, start at my knee. For a normal sized person like Karasue, they start midthigh, and it looks awesome.
2. Like Calidaisy said, the bust has to be made a LOT smaller and shorter. I have barely A cup boobs. I''m so glad I wasn''t the only one that thought it needed to be fixed.
3. There is boning in the torso and it goes down past my hips. Can they cut those "bones" shorter?
4. The only place to raise the skirt is at the ribcage, just below the bust. There is no seam at the waist or hips. But this would also require cutting the boning shorter.
5. Take in the waist by at least an inch.
6. Take in the bust by at least an inch...maybe more like 2".

I don''t care how talented they are, I''m sure that even if they accomplish the task of making it look perfect...without a doubt, there will be blood on that dress when they are done.

I have a sick feeling that they are going to just take the whole dress apart. I need someone to call and plead my case for me. I''m so bad at doing it. What do I say?! Thanks again ladies. I''m so grateful for your support. Without it, I''d probably just let them hem it, and then I''d cry looking at my wedding pictures.

 

[choro72]

Yeah, I''m like you...I can sound strong online, but when I speak face to face to a sales person I''m a wimp.

From what you described, they have records showing that you had indeed ordered a custom sized dress, which was NOT what arrived. Therefore, the dress needs to be rush ordered to your size, and they should NOT waste time squabbling with Melissa Sweet about who''s fault it was.
They should be reminded that you chose this bridal salon based on their reputation, and that you have full confidence that this will be solved in a manner that is satisfactory to you. Your demand is not unreasonable.

 

[karasue91]

yay im so glad she called!!! and it sounds like they really are trying to do something. i would wait to see what carrie says, she was very helful and very honest. have you met her yet? she''s a tiny little woman too, very thin and similar to your build, so i''m hoping she will totally understand your feelings and will give you honest feedback as to whether the seamstress can fix it. it''s a lot of alterations, but i think taking the skirt up at the top and making the top slightly shorter wouldn''t be all that hard? and the rest of the taking in (waist, chest, etc) are pretty standard alterations...?

i SOOO wish i could call for you!!! 3 months seems like it should be long enough to rush order a dress....but god imagine waiting another 3 months for your dress????

 

[CrownJewel]

Sometimes it helps to get a third party involved. I wanted so desperately to talk to the Melissa Sweet factory and ask if my dress was ever ordered in my measurements? Go straight to the source right?

I tried calling the Melissa Sweet NYC wholesale office, and THANK GOODNESS Joy took my call. She was seriously so kind and helpful that I wish I could clone her. She basically pieced everything together. There were two orders placed for me. The first one in a standard size 4 in December. In January Mona realized she made a mistake and sent in an order with my custom measurements. In February someone realized there were two dresses being made for me, so they canceled one (the wrong one).

Joy doesn't think they were trying to be naughty, and that it was just an honest mistake. That makes me feel SO much better. I am really glad she told me that because I was getting ready to post some very negative reviews about Wedding Atelier.

I asked Joy for her opinion about the dress, and if she thinks altering the standard size 4 would be do-able. She didn't say it's not do-able, but she did say if that's what ends up happening, they better get to work fast at moving the flare up (apparently those triangular pieces in the skirt are called "godets"). She said that standard sizes are made for women with a C cup bust, so if I get a new dress made, they should order an A cup for me (makes sense, don't you think?). However, she said that a custom made dress would not change the length of the torso though. And the most important thing she said, was that silk organza is a delicate material and it's not something you want to mess with too much. Joy seemed to know Mona and Carrie and she said that she's never heard any complaints about the store before.

So tomorrow, I'll talk to Carrie and hopefully everything will work out!!

 

[karasue91]

oh YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

i''m so glad you actually got to speak to someone who knows what they''re doing and what actually happened. Did she say whether it was possible to re-make the dress in time for you?

 

[purrfectpear]

I get that you aren''t comfortable being firmly assertive but I don''t understand why there is any discussion about "options" on the part of the salon at all?

You ordered a custom dress, MS confirms that there was an order, the salon cancelled that order in error, and you now have a non-custom dress. This is a no brainer. Don''t ask the salon what they can do, TELL them you either want a complete refund NOW, or you want them to have a NEW (non-altered) custom dress made at MS to your measurements, and you want it done by ____ date in time for the wedding. You don''t have to accept a re-pieced dress. That is ridiculous. They have breached their contract with you.

If the salon doesn''t want to play ball, I would take my refund, call MS and ask them for a referral salon and re-order the dress through the second salon. MS should be willing to work with you on the expedite. You are not tied to this salon IMO even though time is short.

Of course if you are OK with attempted alterations, I would demand a fairly substantial discount for the fact that this was a re-pieced dress and not what you ordered and paid for. Personally I would hold out for a new dress. I''m sure their alterations seamstresses are extremely talented, but you are really rolling the dice. What if it isn''t OK in the end. You will have used all the lead time for a replacement. Do you have any GF''s that are attorneys? They probably don''t have any problem with asserting themselves and would be good allies to go with you.

 

[CrownJewel]

yay purrrrrfectpear! Yup, I''m definitely going to demand a new dress. After talking with Joy, we both agreed that it is best to get a new dress. She said it is do-able...to get the dress by August 29th and a month is plenty to do fittings. She said I have every right to get the dress that I wanted and paid for, and Wedding Atelier will just have to eat the loss because it was their mistake.

Joy was so sweet, she asked me to call her back after talking to Carrie, just so she can have peace of mind. Can I ask this woman to be with me when I give birth?

She''s so awesome.

 

[CrownJewel]

Date: 6/25/2008 7:20:38 PM
Author: purrfectpear


Do you have any GF''s that are attorneys? They probably don''t have any problem with asserting themselves and would be good allies to go with you.

Good idea! Two of my close friends from high school are attorneys, but they live in NJ. One of my guy friends is an attorney in NYC...I wonder if he would go with me!? FI would probably do it if I begged...my mom wanted me to make him go. Hahaha.

 

[CrownJewel]

Karasue, I will call Carrie tomorrow. Do you mind if I mention that you referred me there, and then I referred you back there for the sample, and that we''ve told a lot of other people to go there too? Because, well...it''s true.

 

[karasue91]

hahaha of course!!! use my name as much as you want, butter her up by telling her i raved about how awesome she was when i bought my dress from her...and then lay down the law and demand your new dress!!!!

oh im so happy you talked to someone at melissa sweet, i never would have thought to call the nyc wholesaler, what a great idea!! i''m torn between whether you should tell carrie right away that you talked to melissa sweet....on the one hand then she can''t try to pull anything, and on the other hand she might be annoyed that the bride called the manufacturer and now they know the salon messed up...i guess see what she says first, and if she''s not telling you what you want to hear, laughingly say that you''ve been so worried about it you called melissa sweet yourself to see what the lead time was on a rushed dress, and they were able to pull up your order right there.

ohh ignore me, im just nervous for you!! let us know what happens!!!!

 

[choro72]

Yay, I''m so happy for you!

 

[hthip]

style="WIDTH: 99%; HEIGHT: 73px">In February someone realized there were two dresses being made for me, so they canceled one (the wrong one).

Was Joy clear on who realized there were two dresses being made for you and cancelled the wrong one? Was it someone on WA end or MS? I didn''t mean to add back some dress anxiety. I just want you to be prepared to fight your battle for the custom dress you ordered.

I am very happy that some light was shed on your dress issue.

 

[CrownJewel]

hthip - you didn''t add back any dress anxiety, but thanks for being so considerate! Joy said that someone at Wedding Atelier canceled the order. She didn''t say who. But Mona didn''t leave the company until March, and the order was canceled in February. She also said it was totally not Kosher for Mona to send me the order form. It''s supposed to be for store-only eyes. Oh well. It wasn''t that hard to get it. Ok, maybe it was.

Karasue, good point. I will play it by ear and see what Carrie has to say first. WA told me to keep my July 1st appointment. If Carrie tells me to wait until then, after she sees the standard dress on me, to make a decision, I''ll tell her that I would rather take action ASAP. And I will tell her that I spoke with a rep at Melissa Sweet about my weirdo size and to see (like you said) how quickly a rush order can be done. Joy figured out that if I talk to Carrie on 6/26 and MS receives the order form by 6/30 then they can get a dress to me by 8/28 but it will cost WA a lot of money.

I''m kinda nervous too! I gave myself 2 wks to pick a dress so that I could avoid lingering over the decision and the associated stress. And now here I am being forced to wait even longer!! Aaaaaaaaah! Well, that gives me more time to whittle my arms into shape!

 

[CrownJewel]

Date: 6/26/2008 1:39:57 AM
Author: choro72
Yay, I''m so happy for you!

thanks choro! I''m not out of the woods yet, but thanks for cheering me on this whole way.

 

[CrownJewel]

I talked to my attorney friend who lives in NYC. He said he''s not allowed to "represent" me because it would be a conflict of interest with his firm?!! Well, he was grouchy because it was 2AM and he''s still at work. My bridesmaid who is a doctor said she has time to go with me to WA, and she''s capable of convincing me to do just about ANYTHING...so maybe she can work her magic on Carrie.

I wish I could bring my 10 month old nephew. He would give those ladies a piece of his mind.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

It sounds like things might be looking up a bit! I hope it works out soon!! Here''s some new dress PS dust.