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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Wedding dress has arrived.....total disaster ( a bit long, sorry)

59 replies

minkymeerkat · 18/09/2011 12:06

AIBU?

My daughter's wedding dress arrived thursday....OMG it was awful.

Ok so you are probably thinking it was ordered from some dodgy web site.

Oh no, personal recommendation from a work colleague, had her mobile number, email address and home address which is local, also supplies a large department store beginning with D. We spoke and emailed on a regular basis. Deposit paid with order, final payment once dress arrived, so paid for.

Dress arrived 6 weeks early, the woman was either happy for collection in store or to our home address. We decided on home as she had promised to bring it herself but then had an email saying it would be delivered by DHL.

So far so good you would seem. Well i've seen better rags thrown away.

It was the wrong colour and wrong material. This was something we had ensured she was aware of, had samples etc. It was made of some type of cheap lining fabric.

The ribbon for tying up the corset at the back was frayed in some places and not even sewn in others.

The whole dress was just tacked together, this is no exaggeration, hem was unfinished, just a cut edge and the biggest issue was the fact you could put your hand through the seams at the side, not just in one place but four.

Also various dirty marks inside. This dress was so badly made that it would not last for an hour let alone the whole day.

So we contacted her and eventually she rang back, meanwhile my daughter in totally devastated and crying and i'm just thinking what the f*ck are we going to do as she gets married in 8 weeks. Woman very apologetic and promises full refund same day. Later we have an email stating we must return the dress via courier and she will refund postage before she will refund. Oh no, I want my money back but also for her to see the dress.

She has collected the dress and we have had our money back. But the upset she has caused is terrible and you know what we haven't been offered anything in way of an apology or compensation. Im not after money but a gesture from her because of this would be appreciated, we were left with 8 weeks to find a dress.

Luckily the fantastic Bridal store where we nearly originally bought this dress have found one for us and it will be here in time.

I wish i could name and shame so this doesn't happen to other brides.

Am I being unreasonable? Have also posted in weddings.

OP posts:
AuntiePickleBottom · 18/09/2011 12:09

yabu, you should of done your homework and got more than 1 review before ordering a wedding dress.

if this was a kitchen you was buying would you only get 1 review from the builder

savoycabbage · 18/09/2011 12:12

It's great that you have got your money back. Don't dwell on it, move on and enjoy the wedding.

squeakytoy · 18/09/2011 12:12

I would be speaking to the colleague who recommended her first of all, and advise her not to do so again.

At least you have got the problem sorted out now, so the bride can relax again.

TidyDancer · 18/09/2011 12:12

It was a bit of a shit thing to have to go through, but you had plenty of time to find another dress, so that's the important thing I think.

What would you have expected in the way of compensation? I think getting your money back was enough tbh (although yes, an apology would've been good), and there's no long term harm done so I would try to encourage your DD to not worry too much now.

cjbartlett · 18/09/2011 12:12

Why can't you name and shame?

izzywhizzyletsgetbusy · 18/09/2011 12:13

These things happen, particularly when you're buying mail order and don't have an opportunity to see the garment before it's delivered.

The dress wasn't satisfactory, your payment has been refunded and, fortunately, you have been able to find another in ample time for the wedding.

Where's the problem?

TrillianAstra · 18/09/2011 12:13

Why have you posted this twice?

Feel free to say "I have had bad service from Dora the Dressmaker in Dunstable" or whatever.

rubyslippers · 18/09/2011 12:13

I agree with all the othe posters

Hope your DD has a great day

Original poster
minkymeerkat · 18/09/2011 12:14

Thanks, i did do plenty of research on her and her company as far as was possible.

Do you really think i would let my daughter order a dress for her wedding on the say so of one person?

It is more a case of her lack of compassion for the situation she left us in. Like i said an apology would be nice.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 18/09/2011 12:14

If you bought it from a webiste you can leave feedback there too?

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 18/09/2011 12:16

It sounds as if you were sent the toile, rather than the actual dress - this is a sort of dry run of the dress, if I recall correctly - made out of cheap material and tacked together so it can be tried on, and the fit adjusted on the cheap fabric rather than the proper expensive fabric.

But if this were the case, the woman should have said that was what it was, and explained it to you - so I can't understand what she was doing.

I'm glad your daughter will get her wedding dress in time, and I hope she, and you, have a wonderful day, and can put this stress behind you completely.

squeakytoy · 18/09/2011 12:17

"Do you really think i would let my daughter order a dress for her wedding on the say so of one person?"

personal recommendation from a work colleague

"Like i said an apology would be nice."

Woman very apologetic and promises full refund same day

Only going off what you have said yourself..

cornsillx · 18/09/2011 12:17

sounds very stressful - glad you got it sorted

rubyslippers · 18/09/2011 12:17

Oh good point SDT ...

bemybebe · 18/09/2011 12:18

Auntie - WTF???

People have ordered and paid for a dress in good faith, were delivered crap and you say they ABU. What are your motivations for posting here may I ask?

I have got married in jeans and a t-shirt (very nice ones may I add) in LV to the world's most wonderful man, so will never understand the joy of spending £££ on a wedding dress. That said, OP I wish you and your daughter the most wonderful happy wedding day and to the newlyweds the happy rest of the lives together.

YANBU for sure

Original poster
minkymeerkat · 18/09/2011 12:18

I didn't but from a website, she supplies Debenhams, I dealt with her direct.

I know it's sorted but i'm just upset at the upset my daughter went through and would have expected a bit of an apology but obviously her customer service skills are lacking.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 18/09/2011 12:20

If she hasn't said sorry then she should

Her reputation depends on people being happy so am surprised that she would send something so shoddy

TrillianAstra · 18/09/2011 12:21

And this is why it's best to post in the appropriate area rather than in AIBU...

stabbystabbykillkill · 18/09/2011 12:21

I have posted on your other thread. I don't understand a couple of things.

First off, if the woman is local why didn't you go and look at her work?

Why did you go on the recommendation of just one work colleague?

Weren't there fittings for the dress?

The dress came on Thursday, this is Sunday, you've already had a refund and an apology (as per your OP) how fast did you expect to get your money back coz that seems pretty quick to me?

midnightexpress · 18/09/2011 12:28

I'm not really sure why you're posting, OP. You don't want to tell us her name, you've had a full refund and you've got a new dress.

Whilst I sympathise with your DD, I don't really understand what you want us to say apart from 'oh yes, that's terrible'. Confused

Original poster
minkymeerkat · 18/09/2011 12:28

Yes the dress arrived thursday, have spent the last couple of days helping my daughter find a new dress.

Hindsight is a great thing. Customer service for the upset is non existent. Yes we got our money back.

Just wanted to vent.

Will get on with other wedding issues now.

OP posts:
minkymeerkat · 18/09/2011 12:29

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

cornsillx · 18/09/2011 12:32

I think it sounds like really shoddy service and I'm not surprised that you're so angry. Wedding dresses are ££££.

stabbystabbykillkill · 18/09/2011 12:33

Didn't you have fittings?

Why didn't you go and see the woman since you say in your OP she's local?

What more could the woman have done - dress came Thursday, 3 days later you've a refund and an apology - and have gone and got a new dress.

I am Confused

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 18/09/2011 12:33

You said she was very apologetic, and then you said she hadn't offered an apology - this doesn't make sense.