Point of No Return Is Actually in Dress Store

As the owner of Mon Amie bridal salon in Costa Mesa, Verna Huson has heard her share of heartbreak stories of wedding plans gone awry, but one bride-to-be’s tale took the cake.

The teary-eyed customer told bridal consultants at Mon Amie that she couldn’t wear the wedding gown she’d ordered from the shop because her fiance had died.

Like most bridal salons, Mon Amie does not take back a wedding gown or issue refunds once a gown is ordered, but the store made an exception.

“We felt so sorry for her we gave her back her money,” Huson says.

A short time later, the customer was spotted by one of the sales associates with her fiance, who was very much alive.

“Now we have to require a death certificate,” Huson jokes.

When brides-to-be purchase their wedding gowns, they’re indeed making a ‘til-death-do-us-part commitment. Those who try to break their vows once they order a gown usually find they’re left with an unworn wedding dress.

Store owners say they can’t take back the dresses because manufacturers won’t accept the returns, and they can’t absorb the loss on a garment that costs hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Before purchasing a wedding gown, brides need to be as sure of their choice as they are of their potential mate. Stores typically require a 50% deposit on a dress at the time of purchase. If the wedding gets canceled, customers must pay the balance owed and claim the gown.

That’s what happened to the sister of a 30-year-old Mission Viejo woman who asked that her name not be published for fear of causing her sibling further embarrassment.

“He changed his mind, and she doesn’t want to see that dress anymore,” the sister said. “It’s been difficult. We went to a consignment store, and they wanted 60% of the sale, and it’s a $600 dress. They told my sister she’d get $130 for it. That’s ridiculous because it’s never been worn.”

When last heard from, the sisters were trying to sell the gown for $250 through the want ads.

Canceled weddings and broken hearts are common reasons brides are left holding a gown, but there are others. Some fickle brides buy a dress, only to have a change of heart about the style.

“One of my brides bought a dress from a salon, but the more she looked at it, the more she disliked it,” says Judy Feenstra, a Costa Mesa wedding consultant. “Her family was able to buy her another one.”

Anxious brides sometimes rush into a purchase, buying in haste and repenting in leisure.

“They’re too anxious to go out there and get that dress,” says Faro Davis-Nail, co-owner of Les Mariee in Lake Forest, a bridal consignment store that sells used and new wedding gowns.

“Then someone pressures them into a sale. The salesperson working on commission will say, ‘You look gorgeous,’ and they look like a poodle.’ ”

Davis-Nail figures that about 15% of her resale gowns have never been worn.

“It’s usually because the wedding got canceled, or the parents got so involved that the couple decided to elope. Or the wedding got too expensive, and all of sudden it’s costing them $20,000; and they decide, ‘We’re going to Vegas,’ ” Davis-Nail says.

Occasionally, the bride gets pregnant and can’t fit into her dress.

Purchased gowns drop dramatically in value. New gowns retail for about $500 to $2,000 or more in the stores. Out the door, they usually fetch far less, even if never worn.

“Most brides don’t understand that their bridal gown is worth maybe 10 cents on the dollar,” says Robert Kushmore, owner of One Night Affair in Westminster, which rents bridal gowns and sells used gowns on consignment.

Bridal consignment stores take about 60% to 75% of the proceeds from the sale of a gown, leaving little for the seller. Still, the stores say they save people the hassles and risks of trying to sell a gown through private parties.

“You might show a gown to 50 people in your home and never sell it,” says Barbara Lane, owner of 2nd Look Bridal and Formal in Tustin.

Feenstra says brides can avoid a costly mistake by planning ahead before shopping for a gown.

“Look through bride magazines and tear out pictures of things you like, even if it’s a sleeve or a neckline,” she says.

Then make an appointment at a salon “so you have a consultant to work with you one or two hours.”

Choosing a reputable salon can save heartache.

Huson has had customers come to Mon Amie after they paid for a gown at another store, only to find the store shut down before they could pick up their dress. She advises never to pay full price for the gown up front.

Some stores will sell an inferior copy instead of an authentic one made by the label’s design house. Bride magazines list shops that order gowns through the manufacturer.

Brides should also determine a budget in advance. Some starry-eyed brides spend far more than they’d planned.

“The [salesperson] will bring you in a room and have you try on a $2,000 dress, and you’ll fall in love,” Davis-Nail says.

Accessories and alterations can add hundreds to the cost of the ensemble. A veil and headpiece run $100 to $600 or more, plus gowns typically require a new bra, slip, shoes and hosiery. Brides should factor in alteration costs, which can run a couple hundred dollars, even if they’re a perfect size.

“I can’t remember [a time] when we didn’t need an alteration,” Feenstra says.

Delivery time can be four to six months, so shop early.

Most brides find their dress on their first or second shopping trip. Yet Feenstra helped one woman who hunted down a dress for five months. The bride-to-be visited salons all over Orange County and Los Angeles; she ended up flying to New York City and buying a gown at the Vera Wang boutique.

Feenstra accompanies many brides on their search for a gown.

“Bring one person you trust who will tell you what looks good on you, who can look at a dress objectively instead of choosing what they would want,” she says.

Wedding consultants advise keeping an open mind about styles. Some brides get too attached to a dress they spot in a magazine and fail to see that another style would look better on their body type.

“They decide, ‘I want that dress and only that dress.’ Ultimately, they find it, and then they don’t like it,” Kushmore says.

One indecisive bride purchased four gowns before she decided she didn’t like any of them.

“Obviously, money was no object,” he says.

One Night Affair rents gowns to brides who are afraid to make a commitment to a single dress or who want to save money. Gowns that retail for $700 to $6,000 rent for $100 to $600.

How do you know if it’s the perfect dress?

“If you have to ask, it’s not the right dress,” Kushmore says. “It’s like being in love.”