Wedding dress refund?

CountryGirl#

Not sure how it can be viewed as second hand as it hasn't even left the shop and is still there. There is no budget to be cut as the cost of hiring a small pub is £200 and that's not using it exclusively. People are buying their own food there. There aren't going to be flowers. It's a simple wedding. Just the dress. There is no money available as it is. Hiring a church. I suppose we could try and do it in the back garden but then that would cost money to apply for it to be used as a wedding venue. It's the same cost for a registary office as it is for a church

NBLondon

CountryGirl# wrote: »

Unfortunaly she cannot help how her mind works and she cannot think properly and cannot understand concequesnces. Yes she may be old enough to get married, I cannot stop her at the age of 20! It's not about being capable.

If you know your daughter has these issues - then maybe you could have gone with her to look for dresses? (Wouldn' t many mums do that anyway???) The best you can do is to try and convince the shop to trade-in for a design that does come in a Size 6.

And if the budget is so tight - a dress that costs more than the reception is not very sensible is it? OK she's saved up for her dream - but clearly needs some more adult guidance.

Pollycat

In fairness to the shop, you are getting the story second-hand.

You mention her impulsiveness.
Could it be that they tried to talk your daughter out of buying the dress but she wouldn't listen?
They do seem pretty intransigent in response to the options you've given them.
But the fact is, you can't get a refund for change of mind (unless the shop has a returns policy over and above what the law requires e.g. M&S, Next, Primark).

You've said you've spoken to the shop and spoken to the seamstress - was this by phone or face-to-face?
If you haven't been in to the shop, I would do so. With your daughter.

fairy_lights

Even with the best seamstress in the world I'm not sure a size 12 wedding dress can feasibly be altered to a 4 - 6. Your best option might be to sell the dress, probably for a much lower price, and use the proceeds to buy a much cheaper but better fitting dress.

DD265

A size 12 wedding dress is likely to be the equivalent of an 8-10 as typically they come up small compared to high street sizing, and honestly the alterations prices quoted don't seem excessive.

Ultimately the shop doesn't have to refund or exchange and you're entirely at the mercy of their goodwill.

Unless the designer is very well known and popular, if your daughter tries to sell it she's going to be facing a loss similar to the alterations fees. If this was her dream dress, I'd be looking for ways to help her find the money to get it altered. Do you have any friends or family who can sew that could do even some of the alterations? Hemming it shouldn't be too hard unless it's heavily appliqued.

nimbo

With any clothes purchase you have no legal right to a refund unless the item is faulty. Many shops offer over and above what our statutory rights are and as such we have become used to the very good level of returns accepted.

I know it isn’t what you or your daughter wish to hear.

If she has as long as you say you may need to start saving for the alterations or accept the fact that she will have to resell and buy a cheaper dress.

I have to agree with the previous poster said will it even be possible to take the dress in as much as is needed? Has she shown it to seamstresses with herself in it. It would seem a shame to take it apart to then find out the seamstress is unable to make it the right size. It also seems if she’s wanting to get a good price then she needs to look at selling it ASAP?????

nimbo

Please don’t try to do the alterations Yourself unless very skilled and practiced in this type of sewing.

I’m imagining a boned bodice and satin fabric. A nightmare to play wround with unless highly skilled.

If messed up then the dress will become undellable.

welshbabe88

Altering a 12 down to a 6 isn't just a matter of taking it in half on inch or something - its a huge job I should think.
In hindsight maybe you ought both to have done the choosing - maybe online if you are unwell.
As the dress is still in the shop surely they will come to a compromise - unless they are being unreasonable. Has she actually paid for it or just a deposit? If she refuses to pay the balance maybe they'll just keep the dress - and problem solved.

PrettyKittyKat

I was told that most wedding dresses can only be altered 2 sizes either way, but this is depending on design so for some designs it is only one. I seems strange the shop have told her it can be altered down by 3 sizes, ultimately they have a reputation to maintain which is what gets bridal shops business.

In answer to the question there is nothing you can do to force the shop to take the dress back. In future it would be wise for your daughter not to be allowed to attend any appointments alone for high price items.

You now just need to try and make the best of the situation. Maybe pleading if they will exchange it for another in their store in her size as a gesture of goodwill. Trying to sell it on (although expect a big loss if you manage to). Buying a cheap dress second hand very cheaply that fits her (you could probably pick one up for less than the cost of the alterations you have quoted!).

elsien

CountryGirl# wrote: »

The problem I have is that they said it wouldn't cost much to alter. The alterations will be hundreds of pounds. She is a size 6 and the dress a size 12. It would need to be taken apart and then be cut and re stitched. She was mislead into how much alterations would be. They weren't honest with her. Unfortunaly she cannot help how her mind works and she cannot think properly and cannot understand concequesnces. Yes she may be old enough to get married, I cannot stop her at the age of 20! It's not about being capable.

Actually, getting married very much is about being capable. You can't stop her but if there was a query as to her capacity then the registrar would not be going ahead.

And as you weren't there, you have no idea whether they really pushed the dress onto her or not. That may well be your daughter's excuse for her poor decision making. It's equally possible that she just really liked the dress and was insistent she wanted to buy it .
I'm a size 8 and know full well a 12 would have to be remade to fit. As a 6 it must have been hanging off her. The shop's contract was with your daughter not with you and they are within their rights to say no. Maybe using persuasion may be more effective than insisting on rights you don't have.