BEWARE Of David`s Bridal

IVE HAD TWO dAVIDS EXPERIENCES. ONE WAS VERY VERY VERY GOOD AND i BOUGHT THE DRESS FRom them, the second was...well rude.

In the new store up in Blasdell NY the sales ladies were all helpful and friendly and made me feel like a princess. I saw lots of other girls trying dresses on at the same store and each one was smiling and happy and being helped. I saw more than one walk away with a dress and the others all were asking for dresses to be held.

My dress was the 2nd one i tried on in any store and so i wanted to do some mroe shopping. They let me know my dress was discontinued so I cant wait too long if i want that style, but they held the dress for me for almost a week while i tried on others and decided. It was very nice.

The woman who helped me this entire time even called up my out of state number to ask how i was and thanked me for my purchuse and she send a card thanking me. My expeirence here was FAR better and far friendlier than any of the other dozen bridal shops I went to. It made me feel the most comfortable and the most like a happy princess.


On the other hand I went to a store in Columbus SC to look at bridesmaid dresses (and sneak a try on of a few more dresses that the NY store didnt have). The manager was very rude and snobby...she even looked at my ring before asking if I needed anything. The store was not busy (one other person in store) yet she made it sound like I needed an appontment becasue "this is a full service SALON".

When she sat down with me to get me to register I said I was out of town and probably didnt need to register here but that my bridesmaid is from here and might get her dress here and I just might find the perfect dress for myself here but Im going to be looking in my hometown. As soon as I said I was out of town and probably not buying the dress there she stood up and yelled across the store for another woman to come help us instead. It was like she didnt want to waist her time if Im not buying.

I ended up trying dresses on anyways with the other nicer lady who as still a little snobby but not as bad as the manager.


Anyways, one great experience, one bad.

I live in Jacksonville, FL and have had a similar experience with Davids Bridal as yours in S.C. My friend and I who are both brides went into Davids Bridal. We were told we MUST register with them before we could even look at dresses. At that point they told us what sizes we were - 6 sizes too big for my friend ....very insulting and we were then told to wait. We waited for over an hour. Finally after an hour we left and have never heard anything from the store after letting the manager know of this experience.
I thought they worked on commission....I will never step foot into a Davids Bridal even if they have my dreamdress and it is 50% off!

Hmmm...Ive also been in Davids in Jax FL and they did make me register but were overall nice. They did tell me I would be a couple sizes larger than I am but when we started trying a few on they realized I was much smaller.

Overall they weremuch nicer than the SC one...but the Buffalo one was best.

To all of you who are dissatisfied with David`s Bridal, I would contact the Better Business Bureau and report them. I plan on doing it. I went there 2 to try on dresses and each time threatened that the style I kinda liked would be discontinued soon so I should buy it now. I ended up with a Maggie (actually 2 but that`s another story!) but I sent my girls there to get their dresses. Big mistake. My bridesmaids are all over the place and they insisted that the dresses be ordered at the same time from the same store. Big inconvience. But then when the dresses came in, they had ordered 2 of them in the wrong sizes! They proceeded to tell me that it doesn`t need to be ordered at the same time and I can reorder the dresses for the 2 girls. They are so lucky they came out nice. Anyway their staff is discourteous and pushy. They are also connected to After Hours Formal Wear. DO NOT GO THERE EITHER. They kept on losing all the groomsmens order forms, and the day before the wedding when my husband went to pick up all the tuxes they didn`t have the best man`s!!!! It was ridiculous. They ended up getting him a tux a couple hours before the wedding started, but is that what you really need to worry about before your wedding? NO. So please report them and let`s try and save other brides the stresses we have dealt with.

As the mother of the bride, I was at first impressed with Davids because they were very helfpul. The first young lady who helped us went out of her way to assist us in finding exactly the right colors. The desert coral shade that was supposed to coordinate with the latte shade resembled Halloween orange. We were so disappointed, but we were able to select another color (pink pearl) that goes very nicely with latte. However, we have yet to receive a color swatch to be able to match flowers. We had to pick up the dresses and take them with us to select flowers. The Davids we went to was brand new, so we gave them the benefit of the doubt until---my daughter the bride went in to try to get a color swatch which we were promised and the employees were very rude to her. Then problems arose when one bridesmaid going for a fitting; Davids was unable to actually locate her dress. She had driven a long distance to get to the store and was unable to stay for the fitting because of the delay and finally took her dress with her to find someone to alter it for her. Good thing she did! When we went today with the junior bridesmaid for the alterations on her dress, to alter the shoulders was only ten dollars, for which we were very happy. But--when the matron of honor was fitted and only needed a hem--ONLY A HEM--we were politely told the charge would be $50. Can you believe that? $50! To only hem a dress. I would never recommend Davids to anyone now. Wedding planning is too stressful to have an added stress like this! And an unexpected added expense! Beware of alteration charges at Davids. We knew that alterations were not free, but some of the bridesmaids may pay as much for alterations as was paid for the dress!

Wilkes-Barre PA Store....Overall very positive experience, although first saleswoman was rude, we just came back when she wasn`t there. 2nd one extremely helpful. I was impressed that although she didn`t work with us our first trip there, when my daughter picked out a differnt gown to try on (after trying 10 or so 1st time) she knew it wasn`t one previously tried on. Bridesmaids dresses ordered together so they were the same die lot. Our local Florist & Bakery had swatches and matched the colors perfectly. My only "complaints" were the accessories were extremely overpriced (we went elsewhere for those) and (which is typical) they persuaded my daughter to order a larger size - which would have resulted in basically re-working the dress to fit. Unbelievably when I called to change the size the next day - they did order the smaller size for us (In spite of their "all orders final policy". Dresses were there when promised all that was needed was alteration for lenght and adding a bustle loop ($25 for a thread loop seemed excessive) - everything was perfect.

Well, I never actually went into a david`s bridal store (I saw all of the posts on here and said no way). But I did check out their website just to see what kind of dresses they had to offer. Frankly, how do they call themselves discount?!? A lot of their dresses are $500+ and from what I`ve heard not made very well, and from what I`ve seen a lot of them aren`t really all that great looking. You can buy a NAME BRAND DESIGNER dress for that price and know that you are getting quality and service. I mean, hello, a brand new Maggie Sottero can be found online for as little as $350, why on earth would you go to david`s and buy a dress that isn`t as good of quality and pay more than you would for a high-quality gown? I highly advise anyone who is looking for a good deal to look into different brands and prices, don`t just go to a place because they say discount, just because they say discount doesn`t always mean discount. The only thing I would suggest david`s for is the $99 sale, b/c you get in, you find something, and you take it with you then and there and it`s cheap, that`s a good deal without too much hassle, but if you`re going looking for something more than that, make sure you look elsewhere too b/c it really is possible to get a designer dress for the same price, and sometimes even less.

Youre a bitch, Katie. A perfect example of the problem with David`s Bridal. Lets all give Katie some help getting her head out of her ass, its wedged up there pretty tightly,girls. I wonder how the CEO of David`s would feel when seeing such a nasty letter posted by one of his employees... TO ALL FUTURE BRIDES: KATIES RESPONSE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE YOU WILL RECEIVE AT THESE STORES.

You know what, maybe the way Katie said it was not the correct way, but like all of you brides get frustrated, we get frustrated too.
And yes, some of the time it is the brides fault.

Example: December bride looks at bridesmaids dresses and one girl out of 9 pays for hers. I call her in January to get other 8 in. I call her Feb, March, April, May, and now we come to June...dress gets discontinued and she SCREAMS at me for ruining her wedding. And now we are awful because she only has 8 weeks before her wedding to find another dress. Uh Hello...8 weeks before the wedding and you still have not placed your order?

Okaaaaaay, is that my fault? On my call log, I have logged 18 calls to this bride. On 14 of the occassions I spoke to her. She chose not to make her girls come in and I`m an...how did she put it...an incopentent bitch.

Example number 2, Bride is a size 16...she insists on buying a 10 because she is so going to lose weight. She even took it home. Well, guess what...she came in 10 days before her wedding and she is now...AN 18!!! Okay, no big deal, we can exchange, except we don`t have the dress. We can get it, but it will be in the Monday before her wedding. So Big Bad Fiancee calls and tells us that is unacceptable. And he is calling the newspapers, and the media, and his lawyer, because they now want the dress for FREE!!!!!!!!

Then we have the sweet brides who do everything right, brings her girls in prepared, thanks us. Makes us feel good about ourself and our jobs. Thank God there are more of you precious ladies then the Bridezillas.

I don`t work for David`s Bridal but I want to share what a pleasant experience I had with them here in the Phoenix, Arizona store. I went in to David`s Bridal in September of last year to look for a wedding dress for my April 17th wedding. My sales consultant was Jamie. She was very patient - I tried on a TON of dresses! Jamie wasn`t pushy and was very professional. I found the dress I wanted there, but the style I liked in my size had beading in a contrasting color and I wanted the beading to match the color of the dress, therfore the dress in my size had to be special ordered. I did NOT have to pay extra to get the dress special ordered. I got my dress within 6 weeks, well within the 8 weeks they said it might take. I also selected my bridesmaid dresses there. I had bridesmaids in sizes varying from size 4 to size 18 and every dress looked great! I also bought my jewelry, ring bearer pillow, slip, bra, and shoes for me as well as my bridesmaids at David`s Bridal. My mother-in-law made the flower girl dress and they even sold her material that matched the bridesmaid dresses so that she could do this. I had a bridesmaid in Montana, Indiana and Oregon - they we`re able to go into David`s Bridal stores in their state and order their dresses close to home (the dye lots may have been different, but you couldn`t tell).

My dress had to be hemmed and bustled, I did have the alterations done at a separate location (woman who alters wedding gowns privately). Anyway, my dress was gorgeous, my bridesmaids looked gorgeous and their dresses we`re very well made and very reasonably priced. My shoes we`re even comfortable and since I`m only 5`2" I had the highest heels they sold!

So, maybe David`s Bridal`s aren`t all bad. I really feel for you brides that had bad experiences, but I wanted to at least share my positive experience with you so that you know all the locations are not rotten.

Hi,

I know there are many who have had horrible experiences with David`s. However, when you look at the ratio, there are many more beautiful brides than dissatisfied customers. I don`t work for David`s and never will, but I`ve been to numerous weddings where the bride used David`s, and all were beautiful brides wearing gorgeous dresses. You can`t go by others` experiences. When it`s your turn and you want to go to David`s, go. Gowns are soooo overpriced, and their styles really have gotten better over the years, so much so that they are really gorgeous, gorgeous dresses. The most popular gown for the last 2-3 years has been the #9004, which looks great on just about anyone and is reasonably priced. I`ve seen 4 brides in it, and it is really a cinderella gown. All the negative postings haven`t seemed to put a dent in their business. By the way, I`m not a bride, but again, I`ve seen so many beautiful brides wearing their gowns, I just had to make note of that. Good luck everyone, and investigate for yourself when your time comes. If you have a bad experience, just move on and find some place you`re happy with.

If that is actually the truth in what you experienced at another store, then I`m sorry for that. You must understand though that many of the people we speak to every day will do everything they can to get their money back when it is clearly written that once you pay for a garment, whether the wedding is canceled or not, it IS a final sale. When you sign your reciept you are signing an agreement. Store credit is not a customary policy, it is used only at the disgretion of the store manager. If we had to refund or give store credit to every person who was in a cancelled wedding we would not be in business. I understand brides and their wedding parties have frustrations and that not every store is perfect, but I also feel that sites such as these are just a bashing ground. I have experienced poor customer service from many places I have visited but I do not go on to web-sites and tell everyone that will read how aweful they are. When I really have a bad experience somewhere I call their customer service number. You get what you give, so if any of the people on this site had called customer service right away I guarentee you that there would be compensation. THAT IS customary. Here is my small bit of advice to anyone that is planning on shopping at ANY bridal salon. Before you make a purchase, find out ALL policies, speak to the store manager about what to do in the event the wedding is cancelled. If you are a bridesmaid, talk to your bride about who will be compensating you for money lost and a dress that can`t be returned. And if you experience poor service before you make a purchase, go somewhere else. Don`t torture yourself, then everyone else with complaints about it. I deal with the above situations daily and I`m sorry, most of them, not all, could have been avoided if the bride, who is our main contact person/customer, would have paid attention. Keep your reciepts, keep your paperwork. If a wedding is cancelled, don`t have all your bridesmaids calling to ask why they can`t get their money back. Do your part. If it is the stores mistake, which happens at every place of business down to the mom and pop store on the corner, be patient. Don`t lose your cool. Ask for the store manager always. If you don`t feel that person is helpful enough, ask for the district manager. Be polite. We are more than happy to help when we are treated with the respect we ALL deserve. And as for the other employees of David`s who may not be doing their job correctly, leave. Get out of the business. I will agree with the above writer that your bride is your business and your business is to make her dream come true. I`ve NEVER denied that to ANY of my customers. I LOVE what I do . I always smile. If I am not in a good place, I leave the floor. But if you can`t manage to handle this kind of job and deal with customers and people every day, go somewhere else where you don`t have to. I`m not saying any of the people here are wrong or don`t deserve to have their dreams. I`m just trying to show you our side. No one wants to hear that. It`s always the customer is right. But not always, not in our type of business. And that is customary at all bridal salons. Now, I`ve conveyed what I thought people should try to understand. If you are truely unhappy with your service, save your breath here and go to customer service. The number is posted several places above I see. But be kind and you will get kindness in return and most likely what you want.

Good advice

Is it just me... Or does anyone else notice after having read all of these replies... That the EMPLOYEES of DB even TYPE MEAN??? I cant imagine ever going back there again after seeing how they respond to us on this thread. I mean... If you can be so rude to ppl who have allready HAD a bad experience with your store... I CAN ONLY IMAGINE how MEAN you are to ppl who dont know what they are walking into. I can tell you this... After reading the replies of the employees at DB... I will NEVER go BOTHER YOU with my wedding needs again.

Write to this address with complaints...
Davidsbridal@davidsbridal.net

It sure seems that David`s Bridal has hire some "internet spinners" to spin all of these complaints back onto you brides who have either ben ripped off, lied to or taken advantage of! There are other chat sites that David`s leads all complaints heading for this type of retail/ clothing business.
So brides, if you have been lied to, ripped off or taken advanrage of from ANY David`s bridal store, you keep on tell your stories!! Maybe just maybe David`s will "get it" and treat brides with respect or they will be gone!!! And to all of you David`s employees, you better get a better script to write from because "it aint cutting it" here in the real world!

I am a former employee of the david`s bridal in durham. David`s is a great company. For the brides whom have no experience in the bridal world it may seem difficult. Yes it is true... 8 in every 12 brides wears one of david`s gowns, so if u want a unique look, then go to a smaller boutique. The customer service in the durham, nc store is great. Your bridal consultants work harder than u know (trust me i know). It is always better to have an appt rather than being a walk in. The company as a whole puts alot on the store managers & all other employees, which is why i am now at a small boutique. For the brides in north carolina, whom r a david`s bridal hater, come see me at "a bridal world" in raleigh, nc. 919-872-3276. I give exceptional customer service, buying a wedding gown should be an enjoyable experience, not a chore.

Also, to the lady asking about alterations. Whether they r designed that way to get more $ out of the bridal party/brides. This is not true. All formal gowns, david`s or else where r cut to a certain model size. Generally, u must be on the high side of 5"7 through 5"10 to fit without having a hem. Hope this helps u with your question. -crystal

Hilarious. First of all to whom ever thought I hated my job, your nuts. I NEVER said that. I actually love what I do. I love working with brides who are patient, who listen to the process and who work with me. As for the woman with the flower girl dress, yes, we do ask people wait until a closer time of the wedding to fit the little ones. If you do no want to wait and order a size larger then that`s your decision. We do not get prior notification from our vendors that styles are being discontinued, and no we do not exchange discontinued merchandise. Finally for the bride who wasn`t given any help in the room, sounds like you unfortunatey got stuck with a disgruntled associate. Happens at many shops, small and large. I myself assist all my brides in and out of their gowns unless they request to have their mom/sister whomever. I assist them with choosing the dresses to make sure they have the correct size. And I`m sorry but I do not believe the bride that said a manager told her she had to come back when she did not have an appointment. That is absolutely absurd. We NEVER do that. When we have walk-ins we work them into our schedule as soon as possible. As long as they are patient. I think you misunderstood her. She probably gave you a wait time, regardless if there was anyone in the store or not and you were not satisfied with that. She then probably suggested an appointment for another day and you took that as she said you had to come back. Ladies...there is usually only 2 bridal consultants this time of year in our stores. We are not God. We can not see 8 of you at a time. If you come in and there are appointment people there already, you will have to wait. It`s so silly to me how demanding so many of you brides are. Relax. Take deep breaths. But if you don`t like our store, go spend your silly thousands elsewhere. That`s just fine.

Wow ! I don`t feel bad anymore. I thought it was me. All I wanted to do was look at a couple of dress. The salesperson was so rude I sat and wait for 20mins while she spoke to another salesperson it was a nightmare. The problem is i still need a dress and the one i want is there. What can i do?

I just went to David`s Bridal in Dayton, Ohio and had a fabulous time. They helped me find a dress for my son`s wedding and for my own renewal of vows. Both were marked down to about 25% of the original price. They were also extremely helpful with lots of information for my son`s fiancee . They helped her for over two hours trying on dresses and giving HONEST opinions on what looked good. To top it off, when she finally narrowed her choices down to two beautiful dresses, they told her she should wait until Friday to buy her dress because they were going to be having a big sale on discontinued dresses, which they both were. She has been calling for the last two days to make sure they are both still there, and they are. She is going back tomorrow to make her final selection. Just thought you should hear the other side of the story and know that not all shops are alike.