Am I being paranoid??

[~LeAna~]

My dress is currently at the bridal shop where I bought it. I couldn't find a color for my girls there, so I want to shop other places. My dress is darker and I want to see what it looks like with BM dresses.

I called yesterday and tried to make an appointment to pick it up and they gave me a ridiculously hard time about it. They refused to do alterations on it if I took it out of the store. They said they would give me a fabric swatch to use for colors but...

Now I have funny feelings about it. Like they seem like they try to rip people off (I negotiated my price with them). They tear tags out so you have no idea what the designer is, charge you to try on your gown, if you leave the store without buying, they charge you $50 to come try on dresses again. :eek: They said I got a free veil, but then claimed I had to pay $30 to have it attached to a comb... Just stuff like that.

I guess my question is, should I go get my dress and just have it altered somewhere else?? I just don't trust them there with all these snarky selling tactics. I can't tell if I'm just being a bridezilla.:blush:

How do you store a gown in your home? I am assuming you need a special bag. Do you store it hanging, laying flat? In the dark, like under the bed??

What do you guys think?? TIA!

[*heather*]

I have never ever heard of a bride being charged to try on gowns, that is ridiculous. I would make a few phone calls and find a reputable seamstress and have your alterations done elsewhere. The store sounds nuts, if you want to know what I really think. $30 to sew tulle to a comb? You're not paranoid, they are rip off artists supreme. You're no bridezilla, you're catching on before they get you for even more money.

[Deidre98]

I would definately find a good place to get your alterations done and get it done there. That is ridiculous!

[US_UKlove]

I agree with the other ladies about the alterations. You have to go w/ your gut on these things.

They SHOULD give you a bag with your dress for transporting it. For my first wedding, I hung mine in a spare closet - so it wouldn't get crammed in between other items!- and kept it there until I was ready to have it altered (and after the alterations were done for the two weeks before the wedding).

My alternations lady gave it a pretty good steaming, so it only needed a little bit the morning of my wedding.

[Mandy]

I've never heard of paying to try on either, but I HAVE heard of not touching the dress after alterations. This isn't done to be spiteful or mean, it's done because they don't want someone else botching it, then coming in and claiming THEY messed it up or trying to fix someone else's mistakes. I've also heard of places charging extra to attach a viel to a comb.

*Putting on my Bridal Consultant Hat* As far as storing the dress in your home, you should buy a ZIPPED garmet bag. This prevents anything from getting into the bag. Just be careful when zipping. Keep your other hand directly in back of the zipper as it zips to make sure your dress doesn't get caught. You could hang it up or lie flat, I've heard of both working :).

Good luck in whatever your choose hon! I'm sorry they've given you a hard time.

[wendy9879]

*Putting on my Bridal Consultant Hat* As far as storing the dress in your home, you should buy a ZIPPED garmet bag. This prevents anything from getting into the bag. Just be careful when zipping. Keep your other hand directly in back of the zipper as it zips to make sure your dress doesn't get caught. You could hang it up or lie flat, I've heard of both working :).


I agree that I would be wary about this place too.

If you must buy a garment bag, buy a "breathable" one, not plastic (plastic will turn your dress yellow if its stored too long.)

[*alissa*]

I would (if I were you) find somewhere else to have alterations done. You have a gut feeling about this place...I'd go with it.
Just because you bought the dress from them, doesn't mean they HAVE to do alterations. It also doesn't mean it is THE BEST place to have them done either. I would be afraid they would snaek all those secondary charges in on the alterations, too. But maybe that is just me.
Check out differant places to have alterations done.....make sure to ask EXACTLY what their price includes. Also check to make sure they will steam the wrinkles out of the dress afterwards. Then as far as storing it after alterations are done....A helpful hint for longer trains.....Buy one of those clippy hangers (the kind used to hang skirts......) and clip the edge of the train with the clips (if there is beadwork near the hem however.....fold it down and clip where there is no beadwork) and bring it up and out the top of the bag (the hanger..not the hem)Then on your wedding day....after taking the dress out of the bag, it should only need a light steaming (an iron should work, don't touch the iron to the dress....just use the steam coming out of it) or you can buy or rent a garment steamer for this.

[PurpleFlower]

I wouldn't trust any shop that charged you for trying on a dress!! I would be spreading the word and they would go out of business so fast!!

[nikkiscott]

I think with storing of the dress like was said before with a zipper bag, which is what I have my dress in. I bought a lager one cause the plastic bag that the dress came in wasnt good enough for me. I have the dress hanging in my old room at my parents house.

I also have never heard about anyone trying on a dress and having to pay for it. I would take it out of there and find someone else to do the alterations. There is something fishy with that place.

Good luck and let us know what happens.

[Nik]

:eek: They sound shady. I would find another place to have the alterations done.

[Winter_Bride]

You've gotten GREAT ideas/suggestions!! I wouldn't worry TOO much about storage for the dress - as the girls have said here, you can hang OR lie flat, and make sure you get a GOOD garment bag (a local drycleaner's should have something). You only have 5 months until your big day, so chances are slim you'll hurt your dress if you're careful...

But yes, get that dress out of there!! There SHOULD NOT BE a charge to try on dresses if you don't buy the first time in!! The comb thing I've actually heard of (which is sad), and I do understand them wanting to keep your dress in store until alterations are done - it's smart really, that way ANY dirt on the dress THEY'D be responsible for...

But I have the same worry as the other girls - it's hard to price out alterations (you REALLY don't know until the work is done - what might start out as a simple hem could take longer if there's more layers, but alterations are usually priced by hour, and you never know...) but I imagine somehow they'll find ways to overcharge you...!

:hug: good luck! I hope this is the only problem you have with wedding planning!!

[~LeAna~]

Thanks for all the great advice ladies!! I will definitely be taking the dress elsewhere for alterations. FH convinced me to leave it at the bridal shop until my first fitting though. They gave me a fabric swatch that matched my dress and brought the dress out right away when I requested to see that it actually matched exactly (it was a scrap of material, so it wasn't my actual dress). I was happy about that. I fell in love all over again though. I just can't wait to wear it! :heee:

[Winter_Bride]

What do you mean when you say your first fitting? Normally first fittings are done around the time they start alterations.... Do you mean when you first try the dress on to make sure it fits? Because I would do that NOW, and then take it away...

At my first fitting, the dress got pinned and hemmed and they started to figure out what alterations I needed, and if you take it AFTER they do that, you'll probably get charged for their time...

[soulmates]

I have to ask...what Bridal shop is it? I'll have to tell my friends to beware if they go there.

[*heather*]

At my first fitting, the dress got pinned and hemmed and they started to figure out what alterations I needed, and if you take it AFTER they do that, you'll probably get charged for their time...

I totally agree, you should get your dress out of there now. Your first fitting is the beginning of the alterations process, so if you let them see you in the dress in the store, you will certainly be charged for that appt.

[sweetiez]

I wouldn't trust any shop that charged you for trying on a dress!! I would be spreading the word and they would go out of business so fast!!

I AGREE! make you may to try them on?? WHAT ARE THEY NUTS!!!??? :faint:

[~LeAna~]

No, I did try it on once. It defintely fits. They told me that if I wanted to just come try it on again without getting alterations, I would be charged a "convenience fee" of $30 for the salespersons time since they would have to get it and put it away for me.

I found the seamstress I will be using for the alterations. (I used her for alterations to a bridesmaid dress and a friend had her gown done there) She said I wouldn't need to have my first alterations until the end of April. Does that sound right or am I waiting too long??

FH convinced me to leave the dress where it is until I take it directly to the other seamstress. Now you guys have me worried... am I doing the wrong thing, you think??


ETA: Rebecca it's Clara Milas... tell everyone you know to stay away!!

[Winter_Bride]

Ok, that makes more sense. I thought you meant you'd have your first fitting AT the bridal salon!! If you want to leave it there, I'm sure you can, and it would save the trouble of trying to store it at home. I would inspect it VERY carefully IN STORE when you go to take it to the other seamstress though!! That way ANY missing beading, etc. they'll have to account for!

$30 to try on your own dress?? BS!!! (GAH! Sorry, but I'm so angry for you!!)

As long as you're comfortable with the seamstress (and if she's done other WEDDING gowns, that's GREAT) then it sounds like you're set! It's up to you as to when to take that gown out of there!!

And in regards to first fitting, about 2 months before sounds about right. Do you think you'll need a lot of alterations? Or just a hem and bustle?

[Winter_Bride]

Unfortunately, other than spreading via word of mouth, I don't know if you have any recourse... It's their perogative to charge what they want to for their service... But I WOULD definately tell EVERYONE you know about the "perks" of buying your dress there!!

[Sk8ermaiden]

Absolutely take it now! If they are nickel and diming you that much, I would hate to see what they'd charge you for alterations anyway! Just go in with the mindset that you are getting your dress no matter what, and don't listen to a word they say. (I'm sure they'll try to feed you a bunch of crap about how anyone else will screw up your dress.)

I have heard you lay the dress flat on a white sheet , fold the sheet over it, and store it under the bed or some such. Mine will probably hang in a garment bag for 9 months, and I think it will be fine.

[Raychel]

They told me that if I wanted to just come try it on again without getting alterations, I would be charged a "convenience fee" of $30 for the salespersons time since they would have to get it and put it away for me.



Oh my god. :faint:

Get that dress and run, run, run!

[soulmates]

I'll definately tell people to stay away. I tried on dresses there right after we got engaged and me and Brian went and I didn't like how they treated him so I never went back.

[Noelle]

I'd go get your dress! I know when we stored our dress, we kept it in the bag they gave us, and had it BEHIND a door so it didn't get any sunlight...also opened the bag a bit to let in fresh air.....after it was altered and pressed, we spread it out in a room on a CLEAN sheet! Good luck!