Had wedding dress altered for December wedding and they’ve ruined it! What can I do?

[NemoBear7]

I bought a gorgeous wedding dress in a wedding sample sale shortly before COVID for my December 21 wedding. Sadly, it fit very where except round the bust, so the corset has had to be taken in. Went in to the specialist bridal alterations place today for the final fitting and not only does it still not fit well, the front of the corset has a big pucker on the front where it was taken in and beads are missing from the front of the dress.

I’ve already paid £300 to have the dress adjusted and now it’s gone from a dress I love to a dress I hate and have started looking at other off the peg options to replace it. Am I being unfair to want a refund?

Oh no! That's awful OP. How upsetting for you.

Is what they have done fixable? What did they say when you pointed out the puckering and missing beads?

If it's not fixable I would definitely be pushing for a refund as a minimum as they've ruined your dress. You also now have the costs of buying a new one but that may be a battle you don't want to have when this close to ply our wedding date.

You'd hope they have insurance for if they fuck up the dress. If they can't fix the pucker and put the beads back on i would ask them to cover the cost of a new dress or of getting another seamstress to have a look.

If it's not fixable,and in too poor a state to be worn, I wouldn't pay. However, you have to make sure it's not that it just doesn't look like you hoped so in your disappointment you're seeing it worse than it is.

Yanbu to want a refund, what did they say about it/what solutions did they offer you?

@NemoBear7 I'm so sorry. They don't sound like a 'specialist bridal alterations' place.

Did you ask them why it was on that state?

Could you show us, if you don't mind that is?

Oh no, how upsetting . Did they give you any receipt/paperwork when you handed it over? When I had mine altered they gave me a receipt with what we had agreed noted down and other details including what happened in the event of damage.
I would definitely want a full refund plus the price of the dress as it is now ruined. Have you got a photo of the damage done? Is there anything they have suggested to remedy this?

I can understand that they wouldn't have been able to only take in at the sides, if a corset/bodice form, as it would probably also need to be taken in centre front - which sounds like what they've done?

But if they're ' specialists' they should either have appraised it to be too tricky with the beading/fabric to tackle, or else had the skill and experience to do a decent job. It shouldn't be visibly malformed.

How did you pay?

I would write down what you were expecting, bullet point the issues, and ask for an explanation, whether they intend to remedy it to your satisfaction, otherwise ask for refund and potentially their insurance to cover replacing the dress. You should put this in a formal letter.

Is the dress in your possession?

If you paid by cc, talk to your cc company.

Talk to your home contents insurance company too.
💐

Thank you.

RavingAnnie - Yes, I was devastated when I realised that the dress I’d fallen in love with and dreamt of wearing on my wedding day, was now not something I wanted to wear on my special day.

madison bridges, B229 - Sadly although I’m not happy with the dress it is still in a wearable condition. It’s not damaged beyond repair - it’s just not been altered with the care and respect i expect when they call themselves a bridal adjustment specialist.

Sadly, although the beads had already fallen off and were coming off as the seamstress pinned the dress further, she said that she would re-attach them but made no effort to pick them up and she claimed the pucker in the bodice could be steamed out. I own a steamer and I regularly steam dresses for work and I’m not convinced bad adjustment of the bodice can be steamed out! 😢

DoubleTweenQueen - You’re right, it’s a corset princess style wedding dress with beading and embroidery on the bodice. The alteration was done to the front and I was promised that it would be done so that there would be no noticeable effects on the embroidery. Sadly now the embroidery doesn’t match up where the cut was made and it doesn’t look perfect, which as a perfectionist really annoys me. Especially as it’s at the front of the dress!

IndecentCakes, PaperhouseLegs, DoubleTweenQueen - I paid for the dress alterations on my Visa card. I do have a written paper receipt so I think I’ll see if Visa will offer any protection for the purchase and I’ll make a list of the damage. I do have a picture of the dress before it was amended and the dress is still in their shop for further amendments as it’s still too big so I can take the photos when I collect it and state my case.

So frustrating when they had five star reviews and travelled 40 miles to get it amended as I believed they were the best!

Thank you for your help ladies. I really appreciate the advice and support.

@NemoBear7 I’m not an actual seamstress, and I don’t know what the dress looks like exactly, however surprises me they have tried to do the taking in all at the front? - I would have thought it would be more balanced to tackle side seams and centre front to scale the bodice down to fit you, unless it was a very small alteration, in which case I would have taken in at the side and left the front embroidered part untouched.

Do you think they are very busy due to a surge in weddings, and might have out-sourced?

I hope you get to the bottom of it, and find a remedy.

@DoubleTweenQueen I think you’re right that they should have taken it in at the sides rather than the front. I remember they gave a reason for picking the front rather than the sides but I can’t remover what it was.

There was about an inch of fabric to remove both sides of the bodice so not a small amount!

It’s hard to know how busy they’ve been as they give you an appointment so you’re the only person there for your appointment.

Hopefully, I’ll get it sorted and will be happy on the big day!

@NemoBear7 Absolutely! Don't let it spoil your special day!
Congratulations on your future marriage, and every happiness & health for your future together 💐