When Wedding Dresses Go Wrong

So here is the scenario, you go try on 20 to 30 dresses and you finally find the right one.  You order it and they explain that it will take approximately six months to come in.  Sure, no problem, you think to yourself.  You have plenty of time, at least 10 months worth. So you’re waiting and waiting and you get the call in five months to pick up your dress, one month early, and you are excited to put it on.  You and a few of your bridesmaids go and pick up the dress but before you leave the store you want to try it on again.  First you notice that it’s not the color you originally order, it’s white instead of the Ivory, like the sample you tried on.  No sweat, it still looks good right?  Then you go to put it on and certain features of the dress are missing; let’s say the corset is not in the dress and the sweetheart top now looks like a regular tube top. Now your mind is racing, your heart is about to jump out of your chest and your calm demeanor has now changed to an enraged, psychopath that is waiting to grab the brain right out of the next sales rep you see so that you can ask “What the hell happened”.  This may seem like an extreme case, however, it is not!  Just watch the show “Say Yes to the Dress” and you will see all sorts of dress mishaps!  So…I had to deal with a situation like this, not as extreme, but my dress did not come back as the original dress that I ordered. There are some simple techniques that you can use to keep your stress low and to suppress that Bridezilla that can be found in all of us.

Go Directly to the Manager and Ask for a Replacement

Do not waste your time and breathe with speaking with a regular sales rep because that will only piss you off more.  Take a deep breath, whoooo-sa and then find the manager.  Explain what your issues are with the current dress and that you need things fixed a.s.a.p!  Remember, you have paid so they will want to help but you have to play the cordial game to get the best service from anyone, no matter how at fault they may be.

Go Directly to the Manager and Seek the Sample on the Floor at a Discounted Rate

Now this technique is a little risky because usually the sample is not in the best shape, however, with alterations and minor tweaks it may work out in your favor.  Again, go directly to a manager and tell them of your issues, then bring up this solution.  This solution is more for a flexible bride that maybe under a major time constraint. The idea is that sometimes stuff happens so we must follow the old adage to take a lemon and make lemonade instead of crying over the lemon someone gave you.

Let Your Wedding Planner Handle It

This is the easiest and less stressful technique of them all!  The idea is not to worry about the who, what, when, where or how, but to pass those questions right along to your planner.  For reasons like this, you must make sure that you have a planner that you can fully trust. Instead of your nerves being bad, let them communicate the issues and find the solution for you. 

Go with the Dress
Now this may sound totally dumb to others but here is how I look at it.  Yes, the stored jacked it up! Yes you paid for it already and your wedding is coming up. But you have to believe that you will look beautiful in anything close to the dress that you wanted.  I would go score a deal with the store to do some major alterations, free of charge, and make that dress work no matter what.  I understand that the dress is as important, if not more, than the reception and ceremony but what’s really more important is the fact that you are going to get married no matter what. Dress or no Dress! Details are very important, but the BIG picture is what drives all details so don’t lose sight of that.  Details always change but as long as you come up with the same answer you wanted from the beginning, no matter if every detail was the total opposite of what you wanted, you will still come out on top!

Below are my "Top 5 Worst Dress Ever Made" (My apologies in advance for anyone who totally disagrees and has any of these dresses hanging in their closet right now!)

#5

#4

#3

#2

#1