****IF YOU ARE A BRIDE, DO NOT TAKE YOUR WEDDING DRESS HERE!!!!****
I am new to the area and took my wedding dress to Maria's Tailor shop in July of 2024 for alterations. Nothing extreme, I needed it taken in at the waist, breast cups and the train taken in. I had a bad feeling right off the bat, as the shop is extremely dirty/unkempt and there is no alteration fitting stand.
I try on my dress and explain what I would like to have done. Maria assured me that I DONT want her to do what I was asking (shortening the train of the dress) because it's too pretty. I explained SEVERAL times that we changed our venue to a yacht, so I do not want a long train otherwise people will be tripping over it in an already very tight space. She agreed and then told me I should add straps (it's a strapless gown). I said no thank you on the straps. She was EXTREMELY adamant that she add straps to my dress. I explicitly told her NO straps and to just do the 3 alterations that I had requested. I was told that the dress would be ready on Wednesday 8/21.
I arrive at Maria's on 8/21 to pick up my dress. Not only had the train not been touched, it had not taken it in at the waist, either. She sewed in breast cups in the wrong spot and after I very adamantly told her NO straps, she proceeded to add cheap looking straps on my dress. We discussed once again what was needed, she re-pinned me, I spoke to her daughter who works the front of the shop and her daughter promised me that I was in good hands and that this would be done in time. I was told to come back 9/18.
I come back 9/18 all excited to try on my dress. As soon as I opened up the garment bag I knew my dress was messed up again. The straps were STILL on the dress, even though at this point I must have said it 25 times that I don't want the straps on my dress. She never took it in at the waist and she hacked off the train of my dress, taking out the horsehair trim around the bottom of the dress. She didn't line the inside lining up with the fabric of the dress, so the lining was curling up on the bottom of the hem. It was a total hack job.
I asked why she didn't take it in at the waist and Maria screamed "I TOOK IT IN! YOU LOST WEIGHT!" When I was grabbing an entire handful of my dress at the waist. It clearly had not been done. It occurred to me that she didn't take it in at the waist, so I would have been forced to leave the straps on my dress, because otherwise it would not have stayed up on its own.
At this point my wedding was 17 days away and I was hysterical. Mad at myself for leaving it there in the first place, but also furious that at this point in time, my dress has been held hostage for 2.5 months and Maria managed to A) add something that I DID NOT want to my dress because that is how SHE preferred it, B) Ignore my request to take it in at the waist and C) completely ruin the hemming of my gown. I took the dress with me that day because I knew that it was not in good hands. Luckily, they did not charge me for the work that had already been done to it.
As I said, I am new to the area and I unfortunately did not have anyone there with me to attend these appointments with and I have a hard time advocating for myself when I am in these types of situations alone. Especially when it comes to this, as I am a first time bride.
I called ALL around town and finally found an experienced seamstress with 60+ years of experience with wedding gowns. She met with me the same day and looked at Maria's work. She confirmed that Maria did NOT take it in at the waist (even though she yelled at me and told me I was the crazy one for thinking that she didn't). And she let me know that there is irreversible damage done to my gown.
Maria, if you read this, please stop taking wedding gowns. Women spend so much time in their lives DREAMING about their wedding day and the wedding dress that they will wear. You assuring your customers that you have the ability to take on work that you clearly CANNOT, will ruin someone's day. Now I was lucky and found someone to do 3 months worth of work in 2 weeks, but the next person may not be so lucky. This is every bride's absolute NIGHTMARE and it could have easily ruined my wedding day.
I have made sure to call around to bridal boutiques in Kalamazoo and the surrounding areas to ensure they know that happened here and begged them to not refer this woman to a bride, as the only guarantee is that she WILL ruin your dress, gaslight you, force her opinion on you and be extremely rude. If you made it this far, thanks for reading. read more
