Trisha`s Bridal
So, after getting scammed by Melody Row (Melody Reed, etc.) of Elegant Creations (among many other names) I foolishly decided to trust Patty of Trisha`s Bridal / Trisha`s Formals. After 6 weeks of biting my nails and sitting on needles, it happened! No, not the outcome I had been waiting for, my dress was not as it was supposed to be. Here`s the story:
Patty told me that her manufacturer in China makes Maggie Sottero gowns and will also make look-alikes by changing a few things and charging much less. So I trusted her to make me the Topaz for $470 instead of $1040 and add removable straps, and a removable flower. She said in her contract that I would have my gown in 5-6 weeks. Six weeks later, she says that my gown is late and she will ship it to me as soon as she recieved it. So she finally sends me a picture of "my gown" and says it will be sent to me today. The problem is that, the removable straps weren`t there, the flower was missing, oh and ALSO it`s the same dress I could have gotten for $399 off of another website (that is NOT in China). This was the exact same picture that was on their website. Fortunately I had done my homework. Now I don`t mind getting that dress, it`s the fact that she wasn`t honest with me. When I called her on it, she said that yesterday the gown arrived and it was beautiful, but they had messed up and it wasn`t the gown I wanted, so she purchased this other one to make up for it. But she didn`t tell me any of that until I caught her.
I am wondering how she could get my gown yesterday, realize it`s the wrong one yesterday, order this other gown yesterday and have it arrive yesterday in order to ship it to me today. Not possible. AFter asking her about this, she said that she wasn`t actually going to mail a dress to me today as she had told me, she ordered the "Caroline" which is a knockoff not made by the maggie Sottero Manufacturer and was going to have them send it to me (without telling me).
She tried to pass it off as something it wasn`t.
You can try to trust her. She was going to send me a gown. But it wasn`t the gown I was promised. I haven`t been able to find a single other bride who has bought dresses from her, but the website seems to be legit. Who knows.
This is just my experience. Only the facts, just as a warning for you.
Patty told me that her manufacturer in China makes Maggie Sottero gowns and will also make look-alikes by changing a few things and charging much less. So I trusted her to make me the Topaz for $470 instead of $1040 and add removable straps, and a removable flower. She said in her contract that I would have my gown in 5-6 weeks. Six weeks later, she says that my gown is late and she will ship it to me as soon as she recieved it. So she finally sends me a picture of "my gown" and says it will be sent to me today. The problem is that, the removable straps weren`t there, the flower was missing, oh and ALSO it`s the same dress I could have gotten for $399 off of another website (that is NOT in China). This was the exact same picture that was on their website. Fortunately I had done my homework. Now I don`t mind getting that dress, it`s the fact that she wasn`t honest with me. When I called her on it, she said that yesterday the gown arrived and it was beautiful, but they had messed up and it wasn`t the gown I wanted, so she purchased this other one to make up for it. But she didn`t tell me any of that until I caught her.
I am wondering how she could get my gown yesterday, realize it`s the wrong one yesterday, order this other gown yesterday and have it arrive yesterday in order to ship it to me today. Not possible. AFter asking her about this, she said that she wasn`t actually going to mail a dress to me today as she had told me, she ordered the "Caroline" which is a knockoff not made by the maggie Sottero Manufacturer and was going to have them send it to me (without telling me).
She tried to pass it off as something it wasn`t.
You can try to trust her. She was going to send me a gown. But it wasn`t the gown I was promised. I haven`t been able to find a single other bride who has bought dresses from her, but the website seems to be legit. Who knows.
This is just my experience. Only the facts, just as a warning for you.
Posted by Rebekah; updated 10/22/04
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Rebekah And Other Brides Looking For "Replicas":
Save up the money you need to buy the original gown you want. Knock offs are usually made by girls in China who have been sewing since they could hold a needle and thread ("Made in China"). They sit over there in factories working inhumane hours, and that is all they do, all day long, like sewing factory sweathouses. As you see, it is just not worth the trouble trying to get a gown made to look like an original. In the end, you wind up spending almost as much with mistakes and what-have-you and then having to order something else, well how much did you save, really? Every time a bride posts saying she is looking for a gown, all the vendors come out the woodwork offering "replicas". I wouldn`t bother with a replica because I don`t think it is worth the headache, even with the potential savings involved, as Rebeka found out, and I`m sure many others have found, too. You wind up disappointed, spend more and worrying endlessly while you wait for the disappointment to come. Brides, what would you rather have: a ton of excuses trying to save money on a replica, or the gown of your dreams and work part time to pay it back? I believe Trisha`s is reputable, but I still would not personally purchase a replica or knock off unless it was ALREADY MADE AND I could try it on first. I would NOT order an online knock off or replica FROM ANYONE, because to me, it is not worth the trouble. That is just ME, personally. Perhaps there are some out there who were happy with their replicas and had a pleasant experience. I wonder how many were happy? Feel FREE TO RESPOND if you were happy!! Vendors, unless a bride says she is looking for a replica, why not try to refrain from jumping on every bride saying she is looking for a certain designer gown and replying by saying "I can get you a replica"? If a bride says specifically she is looking for a replica, that is different. Everyone already knows you are looking for business, but maybe you should only market your business to people who SPECIFICALLY SAY they`re looking for replicas and leave everyone else alone. I hope you stop your "I can get you a replica" overbearing, over-aggressive sales tactics. It is so annoying, and apparently.....so not worth it. Replicas may only be worth it if you personally know a qualified seamstress in your own area whom you can see face to face at your leisure and know what you`re dealing with and what you`re getting. If you don`t know a seamstress personally in your area, you may want to consider taking a loan out, work part time, or borrow from family to get the ORIGINAL gown you want. After, all it`s the most important day of your life and it will be worth it.
Save up the money you need to buy the original gown you want. Knock offs are usually made by girls in China who have been sewing since they could hold a needle and thread ("Made in China"). They sit over there in factories working inhumane hours, and that is all they do, all day long, like sewing factory sweathouses. As you see, it is just not worth the trouble trying to get a gown made to look like an original. In the end, you wind up spending almost as much with mistakes and what-have-you and then having to order something else, well how much did you save, really? Every time a bride posts saying she is looking for a gown, all the vendors come out the woodwork offering "replicas". I wouldn`t bother with a replica because I don`t think it is worth the headache, even with the potential savings involved, as Rebeka found out, and I`m sure many others have found, too. You wind up disappointed, spend more and worrying endlessly while you wait for the disappointment to come. Brides, what would you rather have: a ton of excuses trying to save money on a replica, or the gown of your dreams and work part time to pay it back? I believe Trisha`s is reputable, but I still would not personally purchase a replica or knock off unless it was ALREADY MADE AND I could try it on first. I would NOT order an online knock off or replica FROM ANYONE, because to me, it is not worth the trouble. That is just ME, personally. Perhaps there are some out there who were happy with their replicas and had a pleasant experience. I wonder how many were happy? Feel FREE TO RESPOND if you were happy!! Vendors, unless a bride says she is looking for a replica, why not try to refrain from jumping on every bride saying she is looking for a certain designer gown and replying by saying "I can get you a replica"? If a bride says specifically she is looking for a replica, that is different. Everyone already knows you are looking for business, but maybe you should only market your business to people who SPECIFICALLY SAY they`re looking for replicas and leave everyone else alone. I hope you stop your "I can get you a replica" overbearing, over-aggressive sales tactics. It is so annoying, and apparently.....so not worth it. Replicas may only be worth it if you personally know a qualified seamstress in your own area whom you can see face to face at your leisure and know what you`re dealing with and what you`re getting. If you don`t know a seamstress personally in your area, you may want to consider taking a loan out, work part time, or borrow from family to get the ORIGINAL gown you want. After, all it`s the most important day of your life and it will be worth it.
Posted by Abby; updated 10/23/04
Reply
Patty,
You did end up being honest with me in the end. You sent me a picture of the gown that came from China, and you`re right. It was wrong.
What you didn`t do was be honest with me. Rather than tell me that the gown that came in was wrong and offer to purchase this other gown (instead of still charging me the amount you did, when the Caroline gown was cheaper than that), you just told me that it was my gown.
My suggestion to you for the future is to be honest with brides at every stage of the order rather than just do things on your own that contradict what you had said.
I hope that I don`t hurt you too bad because I do believe you are a legitimate business. You just weren`t open with me about everything. That is where I get upset is when someone doesn`t keep me informed along the way.
For the record, Patty has agreed to refund my money, which is the right thing to do. IF you have the time to take the chance than I`m sure you will be fine because if it`s wrong you can find another gown. But make sure she agrees to tell you if something changes.
You did end up being honest with me in the end. You sent me a picture of the gown that came from China, and you`re right. It was wrong.
What you didn`t do was be honest with me. Rather than tell me that the gown that came in was wrong and offer to purchase this other gown (instead of still charging me the amount you did, when the Caroline gown was cheaper than that), you just told me that it was my gown.
My suggestion to you for the future is to be honest with brides at every stage of the order rather than just do things on your own that contradict what you had said.
I hope that I don`t hurt you too bad because I do believe you are a legitimate business. You just weren`t open with me about everything. That is where I get upset is when someone doesn`t keep me informed along the way.
For the record, Patty has agreed to refund my money, which is the right thing to do. IF you have the time to take the chance than I`m sure you will be fine because if it`s wrong you can find another gown. But make sure she agrees to tell you if something changes.
Posted by Rebekah; updated 10/23/04
Reply
FOR STARTER LET ME SAY I JUST GOT MARRIED ON AUG 28 04 AND I WENT THROUGHT TRISHA FORMALS FOR EVERTHING I HAVE FROM MY WEDDING. I WONDER IF YOU WERE DEALING WITH PATTY CAUSE I HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH ANYTHING AND IF YOU HAD A PROBLEM YOU SHOULD N`T BE ON THIS WEB SITE TRING TO MESS HER UP SHE IS THE TYPE THAT WILL GO OUT OF HER WAY TO PLEASE I CAN SHOW ANYONE DRESSES THAT I HAVE BOUGHT FROM HER JUST LET ME KNOW.
Posted by TERESA DAVIS; updated 10/26/04
Reply
Hi, Rebekah. I will be a bride in Fall of 2005, and your message post has caught my interest. I know that it was a difficult situation for you, but I wanted to know if the dress that Patty DID provide for you (the Caroline), was it nice or was it totally substandard to what you expected? I know that it was a knockoff and that you felt like Patty was dishonest, but she did, in the end provide you with a dress. Was the dress beautiful enough that you could wear and love wearing at your wedding? Thank you!
Posted by Toki; updated 11/01/04
Reply
Actually, I asked her not to send me the dress. She sent me a picture and told me it was the dress she had ordered for me and I knew that it was a different one because it was the picture taken directly from the website where they sell the Caroline and I recognized it. I think that if I had bought one of her dresses that shows on the website, one that was already made, that it would have been fine. The only thing I would discourage you against is having her make a dress for you, as she contracts that out to other manufacturers, and the manufacturer is the one who messed up the dress, not Patty. She just wasn`t honest with me about it. Good luck! PS, being a 2005 bride (depending on when) you may have plenty of time. I just didn`t have that option!
Posted by Rebekah; updated 11/01/04
