Dress Disaster

As I talked about here, I have already found THE dress.  However, I found it while I was  home in Maryland for my engagement party, but I plan to buy it here in Michigan.  THE dress is part of Alfred Angelo's Disney Fairytale collection (Belle's dress).

So I called Alfred Angelo's a few days ago and basically told them that I knew what dress I wanted and was planning on coming in to try it on one more time/figure out all of the logistics of ordering.  They set me up with an appointment earlier today.

After an hour drive I arrived at their store.  I wasn't greeted for at least 5 minutes even though I was the only customer in the store (they had recently opened for the day) and the sales women was only a few feet away from me.  Finally, after introducing herself, she went over to the computer to check me in.

Apparently, I wasn't in the system for my appointment.  I explained that when I had called to make the appointment the women on the phone was having some trouble with the computer and kept losing my information.  She told me that she would write it in though and that I would be all set for my appointment......apparently that wasn't the case.

So, after waiting at least another 10 minutes, the sales woman agreed to take me for an appointment (still no one else in the store).  She kept asking which dresses I'd like to try on and I repeatedly told her that it would only be one dress - THE dress.  After that was established, she took another 10 minutes just to find the dress (after getting one wrong dress and bringing it to me).  I had even pointed right to the rack where the dress was, shown her a picture, and given her the style number.

Then came her attempt at getting the gown on me.  She seemed to have no idea what she was doing.  I ended up just telling her what to do.  She then proceeded to explain how she was still very new.  This was her first week of work (and she was apparently just left to figure things out on her own).

Fortunately, none of that mattered after I had the dress on.  <3  While admiring the dress (and myself in the dress I suppose) I asks the sales woman what the policy was on keeping the dress at the store between alternations.  I had read this particular stores reviews online and a common topic was that the stores gave you "x" number of days to pick up your dress after it arrived and then you were stuck with it.  It was your job to bring it back and forth for alterations and such.

That would not work for me since I live in an apartment (that's already too small) with my fiance.  She kept repeating that, "usually brides want their dress with them , so they keep it at home," avoiding answering my question.  I eventually gave up and decided I would ask someone else later.  Finally, she got me out of the dress and I was ready to order.  She then explained to me that they don't do dress orders on Sunday because there is no one there to do measurements.  I was confused as to why they had scheduled me for a Sunday then, when I had made it clear that I was planning to order the dress that day.

With that, I politely thanked the sales woman for her time and headed home.  Unfortunately, this is the only place within 200 miles of me that sells my dress, so it looks like I just have to suck it up and deal with them.  I am considering finding a local shop for alterations.  Then, after the dress comes in I won't have any reason to go back there.

Any dress stories? Feel free to share.