Wedding dresses from China

[MamaPizza]

Has anyone ever bought one?

I'm on a budget but would still love to have a beautiful wedding dress (Who doesn't?).

I have just been trawling ebay and there are stunning dresses, but the ones I love are all from China and custom made. They sound too good to be true, or are they are real bargain? I know I have to pay VAT, but as long as I stick to under £135 no taxes.

So, is there a big catch or is it fine to go for one of them? Wedding isn't until December, so have time for shipping.

[LadySybilLikesCake]

I watched a programme about these once (last year I think). They rarely fit well and are knock off's of designer dresses, only a far lower quality. There was a programme on C5 a couple of days ago and a bride managed to get one for £50. It looked dire, really thin (she was happy though). Dresses are expensive because of the time and effort put in to make them, so a cheap one isn't going to be as amazing as you'd want. Can you pick up one from Monsoon while the sales are on? You'd be able to get something pretty for your budget.

[RevealTheHiddenBeach]

I would choose charity shops/local second hand first over China. I got my dress for £250, only worn once - I didn't have to wait a couple months not knowing, and then (potentially!) deal with the fall out if it was bad. I've heard some wonderful success stories but some real horrors too, and for me I decided that 2nd hand was definitely the way forward.

If you do choose overseas, do SHITloads of research into the specific company, so that you know what you're dealing with!

[MamaPizza]

Have you got the name of the programme? Would like to watch it if I can find it on catch up.

I could in theory adjust if needed here in the UK. Shouldn't they fit perfectly due to being custom made?

I've looked at Monsoon, Debenhams etc., but I am looking for a very specific style due to it being a wedding in Lapland so the ones in Monsoon for example won't suit. In my opinion, they are more for beach weddings.

I need something big, snow princess style, preferably long sleeves due to it being -30 degrees.

Something like those:

Dress 1

Dress 2

Dress 3

[MamaPizza]

Cross post.

Reveal, I have looked in charity shops and on preloved and gumtree already, but due to me wanting it to be a certain style I'm very limited. Haven't found anything yet. I know, I have time, but I worry that nothing perfect in my size will come up between now and Christmas.

I'm hoping that maybe someone here can recommend a certain company that they have used.

[mindyourown1]

I have never heard anything good about Chinese cheap copies. Much better buying a secondhand from a UK seller.

[WhereAreMyGlasses]

Off topic but I like the Udder Bust measurement here

[firesidechat]

My advice - don't do it.

The pictures are almost certainly taken from the designers original pictures. The dress you actually get will be a knock off, which will be badly made from inferior materials. I can almost guarantee that you will be disappointed.

[momb]

Chinese dresses are all made in stock sizes (some which are true to size and some which aren't). Companies buy these and then alter them for 'value custom fit'. So they pick a stock size which is big anough for your largest measurement and then cut down the other areas as necessary. Depending on the style of dress this can be very misshapen indeed.
You are after a princess corset back dress which is actually your best bet to get something you will be able to wear. Do not get the lace overlay across the bust/shoulders: buy this as a separate jacket. There are all sorts of customisation/alteration reasons why the two in one approach will not work, or is at least more likely to fail..
Bear in mind that unless you can sew well the cost of any alterations will likely be as much if not more than you've paid for the dress.
It can work well but is a risk: furthermore the big companies on Ebay will ask for positive feedback before issuing refunds so you can't even rely on the feedback score for peace of mind.

[momb]

What size are you?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-4-Sleeve-Bridal-Jacket-Lace-White-Ivory-Bolero-Wrap-Shrug-For-Wedding-Dress-/181342417094?pt=UK_Bridal_Accessories&var=480347198036&hash=item2a38d9b0c6#ht_3530wt_1221

[mindyourown1]

I don't think many buyers would leave a positive before they get their refund! That is bizarre. OP he trouble with buying from abroad is you wait weeks/months - receive rubbish then have the cost of returning tracked. And that could be more than the item itself - this is how they Chinese sellers get away with it as the return costs are so great and many buyers will just lose that money.

[tigertrainer]

I got my wedding dress from China, not one off ebay but a wedding dress website. It was good quality and I wasn't disappointed. It was not as good quality as a boutique designer dresses but about the same quality as places like Berketex.

Mine had a corset back, the website asked for my measurements and it fit perfectly (hem in particular was perfect, which is unusual as I'm quite short). I did some minor hand-sewn decorative adjustments myself but otherwise it was fine.

I'd recommend this forum thread for the most up to date links/opinions on which companies are best. Most people posting are those who have actually ordered and received dresses, and often show pictures of their orders. Some of the companies have FB pages as well, with photos and comments from customers.

www.bestdestinationwedding.com/topic/30824-post-all-knock-off-wedding-dress-questionscomments-here/page-632

[SadEyedLady]

I paid £35 for my wedding dress from China and it was fab. Looked just like the picture. I'm sure the materials were not as good quality as an expensive dress here, but it depends what you're looking for. I got married in Vegas just me and my DH, so there wasn't really an 'audience' for it as such, but it looks good in the photos!

[Idontneedanotherhero]

I got my bridesmaid dresses from china earlier this year - they cost £25 each and were just as good quality as the ones I had looked at in bridal shops for ten times that :)

[momb]

I bought a stock dress from china. I was planning on altering it radically so wasn't too concerned about construction quality. It looked great on arrival. On measuring/fitting though the skirt (draped A line) was actually 3" smaller in the hips than the bust size, which was true to the stated measurement. My plans for the dress mean that all is not lost but if i'd been planning on wearing as was I'd have been gutted. They told me it was company policy for +ve feedback before refund. I ended up being refunded by ebay as the item wasn't fit for purpose.

A colleague bought two custom dresses from JJs House. because her bum is quite big they used the size which fitted that and cut down the other measurements. The measurement round her bust was technically correct but because they did no reshaping she could sit a pillow or large cat across the top of her boobs inside the fabric.

A friend (met through a wedding forum) had a dress made by yourbridalwear.com. She had 80 of alterations done and was very pleased with it, which is what counts, obviously, but it really was a wonky misshapen thing that she'd ended up paying over 200 for..

[LadySybilLikesCake]

I think this was the BBC one

The one on channel 5 was on Friday/Saturday. I can't remember what it was called, young brides or something.

[poorincashrichinlove]

I bought a made to measure wedding dress from China via ebay. It was dire! The fabric was horrible and cheap feeling and looking, the fit was atrocious too (although I'm not sure how accurately my mum measured me). It had tacky coloured plastic gems sewn on that weren't visible in the pic and took so long to arrive I couldn't leave negative (or any) feedback.

I ended up spending a fortune on my 'real' dream dress and the China one is now in DS dressing up box. If you go the China route, have a plan B on standby!

[MamaPizza]

Thanks all for the replies, links and personal experiences.

First it looked like 'no no stay away', but a few of you have positive stories. Lots to take in and think about.

I just had another look on preloved and widened the search area, but there is absolutely nothing that I like. In my head I compare them to the China ones that are stunning.

momb thanks for the link, but it's too small. I'm a size 14-16. Big bust, which is 16, the rest 14.

tigertrainer I'll read through your link in a moment.

The thing is, the wedding is as small as it can get - only me, DP and our DS. Nobody knows that we are even getting married! We haven't told family or friends, only some know that we are going away on holiday, but they don't know about the wedding. (I have my reasons for this)

The plan is to get married, send everyone a special Christmas postcard from Lapland and then telling them the news, so a nice picture of me in a princess dress and DH and DS in matching suits would be fab.
It will be a one hour affair at our hotel in Lapland, some pictures in the snow afterwards and then dance in the hotel with the rest of the people staying there and Santa and the elves . As long as it looks good, I'm not really fussed about quality.

So, with that in mind, shall I try a China dress? As I said, got time until December no rush for posting.

[mindyourown1]

company policy for feedback before refund?? They can say what they like but that is feedback extortion which is not permitted on ebay.

[teachermummy2b]

I get married next week and got my dress from yourbridalwear. It is lovely and I'm very happy with it! When it arrived it fit perfectly apart from being too long at the front. I contacted the company and they gave me a UK address to send the dress to, where the length was altered and returned to me within 2 weeks.

[HeyMicky]

I got my dress and two bridesmaid dresses from Milly Bridal. They were great, my dress was fully lined, boned and had masses of ribbon-edged net petticoats. All beautifully finished. It needs some minor adjustments at this end as I had lost weight

[Locketjuice]

My sister in law got one I will try andprivate message a picture it was gorgeous

[MamaPizza]

I'm just looking through yourbridalwear. There is some good choice.

What do you think of this one? Would it go for someone with a large bust? I have never even tried on a dress, so totally clueless. It seems adujstable.

It's custom, do you think I could ask for a red ribbon instead of the champagne one? As it is a Christmas time wedding and DP and DS are going to wear red cumberbands it would look lovely.

[MamaPizza]

Anyone who has bought one from China - do you mind posting me the name of the shop so I have some recommended names please?

[MamaPizza]

Oooh, I'm also loving the Milly Bridal choices, thanks heymicky.

It's fun looking for the perfect dress, good job I have time at the moment.

The boys will be much easier to dress

[WhatWouldCaitlinDo]

My sister in law got her wedding dress in Thailand, similar gig to the Chinese ones. It looked absolutely nothing like the picture and didn't fit properly at all. It was strapless and when she turned the bodice stayed still and she moved around inside it.

IMO, she would have been better off getting a dress from somewhere like David's Bridal (Westfield), Monsoon / Phase 8 / John Lewis and having it tailored / altered so it fit her perfectly.