Replica Gowns

Replica gowns have been a hot topic this spring in the bridal and special occasion industry. Designers are stepping out to protect their designs from copy-cats websites. Customers are complaining about being ripped off with dressing not arriving or poorly constructed gowns that look nothing like the picture they were ordered from.
Of course, everyone wants to believe the best when they see a beautiful gown online at a much reduced rate. Many customers feel it is worth the risk. But one blogger doesn't agree and will even go as far as calling out the reputable sites. Below is only one of the many articles found on the subject.

Five Wedding Dress Sites Slammed by SiteJabber.com

Jorgen Wouters

Spring may mean fishing or baseball season to men, but to countless women planning a traditional spring wedding, the most important catch -- besides their spouse -- is undoubtedly their wedding dress.

Since increasing numbers of couples are meeting online, its should come as no surprise that many brides-to-be are turning to the web to find that perfect wedding dress, and Consumer Ally partner SiteJabber.com has reviewed a number of those sites.

SiteJabber.com helps consumers avoid bad websites and steers them toward good ones through positive or negative user reviews. The SiteJabber community shared some eye-opening comments about five wedding dress sites in particular.

The sites -- all of which are based in China -- received poor reviews due to a number of complaints, including wrong sizes and styles delivered to brides, cheap materials, shoddy workmanship, terrible customer service and one dress that reeked of fish.

Here are the SiteJabber reviews, including comments from readers, some of which we've edited for space constraints:

Beautifulbridaldress.com

Despite the name, Beautifulbridaldress.com take users to a site named "Kissbrides.com." The site received 5 reviews and just one star from SiteJabber users.

Here's what Virginia L. had to say:

Don't buy anything from this website! Caution with (beautifulbridaldress) bought a dress for my daughter, got a totally different dress than the one we picked and she loved, it smelled of fish, wrinkled beyond belief! And they sized it wrong, i have pictures of the dress i picked versus what i got. I am disputing it through Pay Pal because they only wanna give me a $50 refund versus the $160 i paid. i will continue to dispute and give comments every day for the rest of my life if i don''t get my refund. My daughter is so upset and her wedding is june 11. This is close. Never again! These are the type of companies that ruin it for others!

Milanoo.com

Milanoo.com received 52 reviews from SiteJabber users -- including a couple who posted their entire, unsatisfactory chat sessions with customer service reps -- and two stars. Here's what Carly F. had to say:

I ordered my maid of honor's bridesmaid dress on this website and did not realize they were in China until I got my order confirmation. Several weeks after ordering the dress, I read reviews on the milanoo.com website and became terrified of what the dress was going to look like when I got it. Good thing I prepared myself!! The dress's hem line was crooked, and it had a sewing pin sewed inside!! Also, the bottom half of the skirt wasn't sewed on, so I had to take it to a seamstress. I will NEVER order from this site again, and I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS WEBSITE TO ANYONE, EVER!!!!!!

Eastbridal.com

Eastbridal.com received six reviews and two stars from SiteJabber users. Here's what Beth V. had to say about them:

Please do NOT order from this site!!! They do not even have HALF the colors their color chart says they have. This is a company in China and cannot be trusted. I ordered bridesmaid dresses which came wrong size and color and was told I would get a 30% refund that I never received. Trust me, look elsewhere or borrow from a friend.

Fashionlande.com

Fashionlade.com received 19 reviews and two stars from the SiteJabber community. Here's what Alysam Y. had to say about her experience with them:

Waited 8 weeks for my order of a green mother-of-bride dress to arrive. It came all tightly rolled and bundled up and wrapped in paper. What I got was absolutely disgusting - the stitching was amateurish, the sleeves were uneven, the embroidery and beading were a ghastly silver rather than green as advertised on their Website. Furthermore, they had not followed the measurements that I had given them. I emailed Fashionlande.com immediately with supporting photos and a request for a return authorization and the return address, but they never respsonded, even after 5 emails. Their 7-day return policy is bogus.

Dresstimes.com

Dresstimes.com received 13 reviews and two stars. Here's what Deb C. had to say:

I ordered my wedding dress from this website. All I have to say is "DONT DO IT" Thank God I have kept my composure and not turned into Bridezilla. I ordered for 2 months because my wedding is not until April of 2011. I got it within 3 weeks and it was delivered in a USPS bag, not a box. But folded tightly and stuff in a bag. I paid $345 for a "replica" of an Alfred Angelo dress and I got a VERY POORLY made party dress, not a bridal gown in my opinion. I understand I wasn't getting the exact same dress but was expecting the promised 90% look-alike stated on their website.

While not all sites will provide this substandard level of service or product, let this be a warning to shop carefully for your special day. Be sure to check online reviews -- including those from the Better Business Bureau -- of any site before making a purchases.

Tags: bad wedding dress sites, sitejabber.com, wedding dress sites

CNBC / AP

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sjhejza

Sorry but I don't feel sorry for anyone that orders on line. The problem with our country is that so many people have stopped shopping local. When we don't shop local people loss jobs and our economy falls apart. And yes I know most of the things you by in stores at not made locally or even in this country but the people working in these stores are local. BUY LOCAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tammy is so hot

ever heard the saying" you get what you paid for"? just saying...

Monday at 2:01 PM

1 reply to dnjaidd's comment

Ruth

Nice, you paid a company to steal someone else's intellectual property.

Bridal Timelines

In the past couple of weeks, I have had many customers in the store looking for all types of wedding supplies. Many of them have casually commented that they have lots of time to make a decision because the wedding isn't until late April or even May. In my head, I am screaming, "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" That is almost no time at all to order any type of gown and times for ordering accessories is getting short.
So here is my idea for ordering bridal items:

WEDDING GOWN ORDER 6 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING
This item usually takes the longest to order. Most gowns will run approximately 3 MONTHS to arrive in the store. Then add an additional month for alterations and you don't want the gown the day before the wedding so 6 months is a good measure.

BRIDESMAID GOWNS ORDER 4 TO 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
Bridesmaid gowns vary greatly by designer. A decision on the type of gown you would like for the wedding should be made at least 6 months in advance. Then depending upon the delivery schedule of the designer, the order time may be moved to 4 months before the wedding.

MOTHER'S AND FLOWER GIRL GOWNS ORDER 4 TO 6 MONTHS BEFORE WEDDING
These gowns are similar to the bridesmaid and often are by the same designers. Therefore the same lead time is needed. There are a few companies that do a good job of keeping stock for these gowns and do not require as long of time to order. But your decision on the type of gown should be made early enough to allow for the longer shipping times if needed.

TUXEDO RENTALS 6 WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING
All orders should be sent in to the tuxedo company at least 6 weeks before the wedding. So if you need to give your groomsmen a time to be measured, give them more than 6 weeks before the wedding. This way there is time to complete the paper work on the order.

GOWN ACCESSORIES 2 TO 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
This can include a veil, tiara, jewelry, slip, undergarments and shoes. Again, these items will vary with each designer and store. Just make your decisions early to avoid any problems.

CEREMONY ACCESSORIES 2 TO 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING
These items will vary depending upon engraving. If you want items engraved with names or dates, the longer lead time will be needed.

INVITATIONS
Only you can determine this order time. Delivery from the printer will be approximately one month. Then add the time needed to address invitations, mail them and how many weeks in advance you want the guest to receive it.

CAN YOU GET THINGS QUICKER?
Sure, but just be prepared to select from a limited amount of designers or pay a rush fee. Rush fees are available for some gowns and can cost up to $100 per wedding gown and $50 per bridesmaid.

MY BEST ADVICE
Shop early or be flexible!!! And what do I mean by early, at least one year before the wedding date. If you don't have a year to shop, be flexible!!!

What is Blue?

First a test of your color knowledge--
Can you picture what these colors look like? Passion, Cognac, Clove, Clover, Olive, Dusty Blue, Regal Blue, Light Blue, Dark Blue, Topaz Blue, Plum, Amethyst, Eggplant, Rose, Primrose, Leaf, Fern
This list leaves me very confused. Are leaf and fern the same color or something different? How about Clove and Clover? I think of Clove as a spice which is brown in the container but the designer has it as a green shade. Passion fruit is a red/pink but passion fabric is purple. I thought that Plum and Eggplant were the same but find they are different.
Where do all of these come from and why does it have to be so confusing?

One of the first decisions a brides makes about her wedding day is the color of the bridesmaid gown. These colors can come from their favorite outfit to a sentimental stuffed animal from the groom. But what does that mean when the brides goes gown shopping and cannot match the color of choice with the style of gown choice? Here are some things to consider before making a final choice on color and style.

1. All companies are free to name colors whatever they want.
So if you go into a store looking for an apple dress, it could be red or it could be green. Yellow may be bright or pastel or something in between. So if you are considering a certain shade, do
not use a specific name. Have a swatch of what you are looking for. Brides have used paint swatches, ribbon pieces or just about anything else that shows the color. You do not want to miss out on the perfect gown because you are thinking pink and the bridal consultant is looking for purple.

2. Be flexible.
Just because the county fair offered a monkey in the most beautiful shade of pink that you would like for your bridesmaid, the same shade may not be available from bridesmaid designers. This can and will cause major headaches when there is no room for compromise. Be willing to find the closest match in the perfect style for all your bridesmaids.

After working with hundreds of brides and bridesmaids, who is the easiest to please? Those without lots of preconceived ideas. Yes, you should have something in mind about your bridesmaid style or color but be willing to look at all the options.
If the brides knows that she would like something blue, then she is open to all the designers. Therefore if she fall in love with a specific style of gown, she does not need to worry that it will not be available in her color.
One of my first suggestions would be to consider style before color. You know the size and shape of your bridesmaid, so find something that will look good on all the body types. Then see what is available from the designer. You may need to change the color just a little depending upon what the designer offers.

Horror Story from the past:
I once had a bride looking for bridesmaid dresses. This was some time ago, so I don't even recall what color she was wanting. She comes into the shop with a bouquet for the wedding. Someone in her family was making the flowers and already had one done. The problem what that the flowers did not match anything from any of the almost 20 designers that I carry. So I suggested that maybe they change the flowers a little. Well she almost cried--they had already purchased all the flowers for all the bouquets, reception decoration, ceremony decoration and anything else you can think of for the wedding and reception. The only thing she didn't have was the gowns. So I started suggesting maybe a black gown that would show off the flowers or champagne that would go with anything. But she was determined to have the color she wanted. Obviously, this was not a good situation for anyone.

So when considering colors options for weddings, look at all that is out there. Many designers now offer over 50 color choices. The same is true for tuxedo companies with vest colors. Although I usually say that we can match anything, there are some exceptions. Remember to check them all out before making a large purchase that you cannot match.

Copycat websites

I was scanning an article in this month's issue of Vows Magazine about knock-off websites. The article has lots of great information that I would like to share with everyone but today is a really busy day getting ready for the weddings this weekend. So for now I will just pass along some websites that are known to be knock-off sites with very poor quality merchandise.
These companies have been known for:
1. Taking money and sending no dress
2. Sending a different gown than the one pictured
3. Sending a gown with different fabric and/or beading than the one pictured.
4. Sending a different size than the one ordered

www.thecustomdresses.com
www.topbridaldresses.com
http://smartand swanky.com
www.florasbridal.com
http://shop.storeofdress.com
www.peridress.com
www.prom-dress-gown.com
www.dresses-gowns.com
www.beautifulpromgowndress.com
www.weddingdresscity.com

I personally know some of the designers that have ordered gowns from these websites to pursue lawsuits against them to not use the designer's pictures to make knock-offs. I know these knock-off companies do not produce quality products.

As always, don't do business with someone you don't trust.

Say Yes to the Dress

Over the past month, I have watched Say Yes to the Dress a few time. I have learned some things and I think brides can learn so much by watching other brides' experiences.
The one reoccurring theme that keeps coming up is that someone the bride brings to the appointment is trying to talk her out of the gown she really loves. It ranges from the mother, mother-in-law to be, the maid of honor, best friend, fiance, and the list continues. The show that I watched last night even had a person who works in the store looking for a gown. She is aware of the problems that others have had with bringing the wrong friend but stated that she just didn't think it would happen to her.
I think this is always what the bride thinks. My friends, mother, so on, are so close to me that they will automatically like the same thing that I like. Well, sometimes weddings are different. So here are some things to consider when deciding who to bring to the salon to try on gowns.

1. Mother- Although your mother is usually the first choice be aware of how the two of you shop together. Do you always agree on clothing styles or do you disagree. If you do not agree on everyday clothing, chances are you will also not agree on wedding attire. But if Mom is holding the purse strings, she will definitely want to be a part of the shopping experience. Just be ready for some tough decisions if you are not in agreement.

2. Newly married friend (or any friend)- Chances are that someone in your wedding party is newly married if this is your first wedding. Beware! Although they may not have been pushy or bossy in the past, somehow planning their own wedding makes them an expert on all weddings. Some ex-brides want to try to fix everything that went wrong with their own weddings or do things they were not able to do in their weddings through someone else. Other just don't want someone else to have a "better" wedding in their perspective than they had. I had kept a couple of secrets from my bridesmaid until the day of the wedding. Just before going down the aisle, one of them stated to me, "You always did have to be different and better than anyone else." Ouch! Was I shocked. Luckily, that was the worst of it.

3. Fiance- The owner at the Atlanta store, Lori, has a strict southern policy that the groom should be nowhere near the store while the bride is trying on gowns. In this modern age there are many couples that do not put much stock in the old superstitions but just remember that if you are having a difficult time trying to make a decision, maybe it is because he is there. Are you still thinking that it is bad luck for the groom to see the bride in the gown before the day of the wedding? Also are you thinking about the wow factor when he sees you coming down the aisle? Maybe it really does make a difference to you.

So just remember that you do not need multiple people helping you to decide on the gown of your dreams. Be very selective on who to invite to the salon. I have worked with brides who come in alone or with just one other person. Sometimes they will want someone else to see the gown before making the final decision which is also okay. I have also worked with much larger groups that have been really great. The key is finding the right combination for you.

My final advice:

A. As always, don't give your money to someone you don't trust. If you are not happy with the salon, find another one.

B. Don't be pressured into buying something by someone. This includes someone from the salon or your friend, mother or fiance.

C. If you don't find the gown of your dreams on the first visit, that is okay. If at anytime during the appointment, you are uncomfortable, ask to end this appointment and make a new one. I would much rather have a second chance with a bride than to have buyers remorse later. If the problem is someone who came with you, don't ask them along the next time. If the problem is the consultant, ask for a new one the next time. If the problem is the salon, go to a different one.

D. And the final thing to remember is that, it is YOUR day. Well,the groom can share a little bit, but even most grooms feel that the day is for the bride. Don't be afraid to stand up for what you want in a gown. (This also applies to the bridesmaid gowns. They are a part of YOUR day. They should be willing to sacrifice for what you want.)

Tuxedo Rentals

Tuxedo rentals are one of the trickiest parts of a wedding for most wedding professionals. There are many late Friday afternoons and early Saturday mornings that someone enters the shop with a problem on a tuxedo rental. Many of these problems come from other stores who will not fix the problem they created. If you do not want this last minute headache, then read this post to avoid this much unwanted situation.

1. When to order tuxedos?
First of all, you need to understand that when a tux is ordered, has nothing to do with when it will be shipped to the store. Tuxedo suppliers like Jim's Formalwear, need to rent these suits almost every weekend to have cash flow to keep the inventory fresh and updated. So they will not be sending a tuxedo to someone who does not need it for 2 or 3 weeks. Here is a sample scenario:
A. Store measures customer and places order with supplier.
B. The Monday of the event (yes, only 5 days prior to the wear date), the supplier will start
putting the pieces together of your order.
C. Tuesday, the supplier will box orders to ship. Some will use UPS while others have their
own delivery van service. In certain cases, UPS will pick up the same day but
sometimes it will be Wednesday.
D. Wednesday, the order goes out for delivery. If the company uses it own van service, the
store will receive it the same day. If UPS is used, the delivery could be 1 to 2 days.
E. Late Wednesday or Thursday, the delivery arrives at the store. The wedding
professional will check the delivery to ensure proper delivery, then call the customer to
let them know the order has arrived.
F. Depending upon the guidelines of the store, the customer can pick up the tuxedo
between Wednesday and Friday. I will explain more about this later.

2. So why do you need to order a tux 6 weeks in advance of the wedding?
With technology today, all tuxedo suppliers are run on computer systems. The computer keeps track of all the orders and will let the supplier know when a certain style or accessory is booked for a given wear date. So if the style of coat or vest that you would like to have for your special day is really popular, it will book up fast. This is especially true during prom season. So the sooner the order is placed with the supplier, the sooner your styles and sizes are placed on hold for your special occasion.
I often tell people that I can have a tuxedo in 2 to 3 days but it may not be your first choice of color or size. Therefore, I recommend having your measurements taken and the order placed at least 6 weeks before any special occasion. If you don't have that much time, just remember to be flexibly with the styles you are considering. You may need to have a second choice in mind, just in case your first choice is booked.

3. How do I know if the tuxedo that comes to the store will fit me?
This is a matter of trusting the individual taking your measurements. Tuxedo measurements will NOT be the same as most regular clothing. If you are a business professional and wear suits on a regular basis, the measurement should be very similar. But they will not be the same size as your Levi's. Just to give you an example: My son wears a 38 waist jeans but for prom I ordered him a 41 waist pair of pants and they fit perfectly. The waist is the hardest part to fit.
So when considering which shop to place your order, ask some questions. Find out who takes the measurements and how long they have been working there. Learning the tricks to measuring for a tuxedo takes some time. If you feel the measurement are not correct, have them checked by a manager at a later time.
Also ask about the store policy with items that do not fit. What happens if you pick up your tuxedo on Friday afternoon and the pants are too long, the shirt too tight and the shoes do not fit? What will the company do? This is very important. Some store will just tell you that nothing can be done. Others will go out of their way to make things right. This is important to know before the pick up date.

So here are some things that I do at my store to make renting a tuxedo as painless as possible.
A. I have 14 years of experience measuring for tuxes. Almost 90% of my customers are measured by me personally. This adds up to over 5500 measurements. If you are not measured by me, I check all orders and personally place them with the supplier. So if something does not look right, I will call the customer to ask them questions or have them return to the store to be measured again.
B. If tuxedos are delivered to me early, I get them to the customer early. I do not want to wait to know until Friday afternoon that something doesn't fit. Many stores have a strict policy of not notifying customers until Friday for pick-ups.
C. If there is a problem, I can make adjustment until the close of business on Friday. Actually, I can go even later if I am notified at home. My supplier is only 45 minutes from the store. So I can leave home about 7 am on Saturday morning, pick up any replacements needed and return to the shop by opening time at 9 am. This is not an option some stores have who do business with a supplier that is several hours from their store. They must place replacement orders by Friday afternoon for Saturday UPS delivery and pay a hefty UPS fee. Some stores simply will not do this for customers.

And finally, here are the two biggest things to remember about planning a special occasion:

NEVER do business with someone you do not like or trust. There are plenty of great wedding professionals out there who will treasure your business and treat you right.

And, NOTHING can be done to fix the problem on Monday after the fact. If you do not let someone know about the problem, they cannot fix it. If the business is not willing to fix the problem, refer back to number 1 and let all your friends know who not to do business with. BUT if you did not ask to have the problem fixed, do not blame the wedding professional.

Although planning a special occasion can and will be very stressful, find friends, family and business professionals to make your dreams come true as painlessly as possible. Happy Planning!!

Return to power

I can't believe it has been so long since I wrote for the blog. So many things have gotten in the way. I did enjoy an incredible 10 day vacation with my family in Colorado. But about 2 weeks before leaving, my computer crashed. I finally got it to come on, but was not able to connect to the internet. And with the anticipation and extra work at the shop to get ready for vacation, I simply did without a computer for a few days. This is much harder than it seems. I have always said that I am not tied to my electronic devices, but during the last three weeks, I have spent lots of time wondering what I am missing by not being connected!
So luckily, I now have the use of my husband's laptop and can continue to keep everyone updated on the wedding business. And I have lots of new information to share.
About one month ago, I attended a conference with Steve Lang, the owner of Mon Cheri, a large bridal company. He oversees the making of several thousand gowns each year for weddings, proms and special occasions. This is not a company that I have done business with in the past but welcomed the opportunity to learn more about his business and take advantage of his willingness to share ideas to make my business better. He provided some great insight into how gowns are produced in China, steps taken to ensure good quality and how the Chinese economy is changing and how that will affect the United States.
I really enjoyed getting to know the designers of the Mon Cheri gowns and admire the hard work that they have put into this operation. I am giving serious consideration to which lines I will be able to have in my store in the next year but until then, if you want any of the lines from Mon Cheri, there are several other retailers that will help with your selection. I know this may seem unusual to send business to another store, but I am so thankful for the learning opportunity from Steve, I feel that one way to repay his caring and kindness is to continue sending him customers.
I also believe that if retailers would work together instead of trying to undercut each other, the customer would have a much better experience. Which in turn would create more business for the retailer by good word of mouth advertising.
So until next time, remember to always do business with someone you like and trust!! I have made it a policy to never give my money to someone who is not nice to me. This can be for anything from groceries to wedding gowns!! And I also have found that paying a little extra for the friendly, exceptional service is worth it in the long run.
This has always been the best compliment that anyone can give me as a retail store owner, not that I have the best prices but the best and kindest service. Anyone can be the cheapest dealer on the block, but only a few can truly be the best in service.