Davids Bridal RANT!

You could win a bet if you doubled down that I'm not the most positive person. It's always been difficult for me to behave myself in retail establishments and at the movies. I complain about the overhead on popcorn and the cheap material of a $50.00 sweater. But, I understand that most people don't typically share my point of view and that if I don't like, I can leave.

But David's Bridal has monopolized the bridal market. Sure, there are lots of places you can get a wedding dress, but if you're a middle income bride, chances are you're ordering your bridesmaids dresses from David's Bridal and chances are you're going to start your dress search there too. I was the first of my mother's daughters to get married and David's Bridal was where I started shopping and it was miserable for me, it was miserable for my sister, Maegen and now for my sister Jesi. David's Bridal leaves a bad taste in your mouth, and that's not how a bride should have to kick off her wedding plans.

Right away, David's Bridal starts off on the wrong foot. Most brides come prepared, with a list of dress numbers they collected online and want to try on. When I went, I even gave them those numbers before I showed up for my appointment. When I got there, I tried on one dress I picked out and the consultant brought me the rest. She didn't let me pick out dresses, nor did she welcome my family to set aside dresses, even though they specifically requested to take a look at stock. Also, there was an issue with my weight. I was a size 14 (I'm 6' 1") at the time and there wasn't much there. I want to remind you that this place is HUGE, like warehouse big. The same thing happened to my sister Maegen and just recently to my sister, Jesi.

Now, overlooking that they make you feel as though your own opinion doesn't matter from the get go, David's Bridal also works extra hard to make you feel as uncomfortable and anxiety ridden as humanly possible. They push all the brides into one corner, so you're being scrutinized by people who aren't in your party. There is absolutely No Privacy. Just like mine and Maegen's experience, the consultant entered the dressing room while my sister Jesi was taking off her pants WITHOUT KNOCKING. They make it a policy to go in the dressing room with you, no matter how uncomfortable that makes you! And those rooms are small.They brought my sister Jesi a strapless bra and made her put it on with the woman in the room. Expose my breasts to a perfect stranger? No thank you! Jesi didn't have a choice and so she turned away and worked to get those boobies covered as fast as possible.

David's Bridal, let me explain to you how you could fix your business. Make sure the bride is comfortable with this practice BEFORE you do it. She's not out to damage or steal your merchandise, but how is she supposed to feel beautiful when you've started her out with an abundance of anxiety? How could any woman who isn't a supermodel, meaning not completely comfortable being naked around strangers, feel beautiful after that?  
After that it's all downhill...

 My sister felt awful and nearly cried, just as I had and just as my sister Maegen had before her. I knew the feeling. She felt uncomfortable and even though she's so beautiful, she felt like a parade float. Because they started her out with anxiety and kept it going all through the appointment.

This is why Blushing Bride in Brockport, NY will get Jesi's business, just like it got mine and my sister Maegen's. At Blushing Bride we're offered privacy and large dressing rooms where our family members can come into the room and assist, if need even be. Many women already known how to pull a column dress over their heads. They'll ask to assist you, but you're allowed to politely decline. They trust you with their gowns, with their headpieces, with their shoes and you know what their merchandise is worth its price tag - As in real satin and gemstones. 

David's Bridal ought to take some pointers from me, because they're losing business and in this economy, that can have a snowball effect. Both myself and my sister Maegen picked bridesmaid's dresses from David's Bridal, but my sister Jesi was so underwhelmed and disappointed with her appointment that she decided not to give them any business. It should also be noted that David's Bridal charges high prices for materials that are clearly not real satin. How can you charge $500 for a column dress (meaning not much fabric to begin with) that isn't actual, real satin? It's a travesty.

It should also be noted that not many brides buy a wedding dress at their first appointment and when our consultant found out my sister wouldn't be buying that day, her whole attitude and demeanor changed. She wanted us out of there. At Blushing Bride I returned three times before I picked out a dress. Some people are picky, but if you're patient, you'll get a good commission and they understand that because they know they're in the business of making women feel special and look beautiful. I ended up going $200.00 over budget for my dress and that meant that my consultant got a better commission than she original thought she would.

Take a note from the small boutiques, David's Bridal. Figure out your business, before it's too late!