It was my worst shopping experience in years, while this was supposed to be one of the most important things in my life: finding my wedding dress. I went to the David's Bridal store in Bakersfield, CA, after work. I walked in and stood there for 2 minutes until someone approached me. The employee was not friendly or helpful at all. Without any greeting, she had an attitude like “what are you doing here?” She barely talked to me although I tried to express my need in a friendly manner. She threw me a catalog, asked me to fill out a form, and had another girl help me. That girl was more friendly with a smile one her face, but she was impatient to listen to my description of dresses that I would consider. She only heard the first criteria and ignored the rest. Of course, she could not be very helpful to find me “the dress.” She found me 3 dresses that were very similar, while I’d like more variety to choose. She took me and the 3 dresses to the fitting room, asked me to try on, and said she would come back and check on me soon. The dresses did not fit and took me a while to try on each of them. There was not any mirror in the fitting room so I had to walk out of the room to see what it’s like in the mirror. I spent 20 minutes trying on, coming in and out of the fitting room, but she was never back. During that time, I really needed help, but where was my help? When the dresses didn’t fit, I really didn’t feel comfortable walking all over the store to find that girl with my bra showing. I was extremely frustrated w/ their service so I finally changed and left. When I left the store, no one even approached and asked me how I was doing or if I found anything I liked. Since I entered the fitting room, the girl or any other kind of help just seemed to disappear, and I was left alone. For the whole time, I felt like I was not welcome there.

How did that happen? I kept wondering after I got home. I have been very disturbed. The employees seemed pretty friendly and helpful to other customers. They only had an attitude to ME, so it must be something about me, not their general personality or service. Was it because I didn’t make an appointment and just walked in? I don’t think that it could justify their bad service and attitude. They could have had told me that they were occupied by scheduled customers at that time, explained to me professionally, and helped me schedule an appointment, as any decent business would handle it. There was no need to give an attitude. If that wasn’t the reason, what is? Because I went there alone? Why would it be an issue as long as I have money to spend? I dressed better than many customers at the store, so I’m sure that they treated me like that not because they thought I could not afford their stuff. I understand big women sometimes are discriminated, but I am a size 4 so it is not a problem. Plus, people who know me always say that I am the kind of customer that every business (especially fashion) would love to have. Then the only thing I could think of was my ethnicity. I am Asian, and I was the only Asian at the store. I am not sure how much experience they had in serving Asians. Anyway, racism, which is the last thing I’d like to believe, was the only believable guess I could come up with after ruling out many other possibilities. I will never recommend this store to any of my friends, and I will make sure that my experience is known by people. (By the way, I wanted to file a complaint to David’s Bridal’s head quarter because I assumed a successful business like them must care about this kind of issue and would try to improve it. However, my attempt was unsuccessful.)

Well naturally I am engaged and so excited about planning my wedding and trying gowns on. So the first place I go was David's Bridal because they always have some type of sale going on. I actually did find my dress there so my mother and I ordered it and we were told that when the dress came in in 2 or 3 months that they would contact us. So as weeks passed I became very anxious about getting it in until I could not stand it any longer and called my local store. To my surprise they said the dress had been here in the store for a while. When I asked why I had not been contacted they said they had tried and with today technology I can clearly say they did not call at all. So I just brushed it off and when to get my dress. I was in the store waiting as they searched in the back for my dress. The sales ladies were whispering and pulled another dress off the rack walked to the front of the store after 45 min and said we have a problem. The first time they said my dress was sent but without the extra length I had ordered and just seconds later they said that the wrong dress was sent. They offered the one that they pulled off the rack for me to take as my own which I quickly said "NO" to. Why would I want or pay for a dress that has been on the rack for everyone to try on. The sales ladies contacted their head office and told me it would take another 6 weeks for a dress to come in. Now no way was that going to work I had bridal portraits in 2 weeks which we paid money for a spot and travel arrangements. I left the store furious and trying to contact the person in charge and as usual I got her voicemail after ranting to a machine my local store called and said a dress is being rushed and would be there in one week. I finally got my dress with the extra length but now I needed shoes. I searched everywhere but ended up back at David's Bridal for the shoes I wanted. I searched the store and found no one to help me so I left and unable to find any other shoes on such short notice I went back now they did not have my size and could not order any in time so finally someone found a pair in the back they were dirty and the name in the bottom of the shoe was smeared and disappearing but I had to have them at least for pictures so I asked if I could have a % off and of course they said no but did clean the shoes. Thinking I was finally finished with Daivids Bridal I had gotten my dress dirty at my bridal portraits and needed it clean. So I have taken up there where they say it is gonna take a few months because they are so far behind and I still have more pictures to take so if they can the cleaning lady says she will try to put a rush on it and now I can not get anyone on the phone and when I do they just leave me on hold. So bottom line do not use David's Bridal.

I went to David's Bridal about a week ago. This was my first time in the store and probably my last. I had an appointment scheduled to try on wedding dresses. I was told someone would be helping me the whole time we were there. First of all, I didn't like their dresses anyways, but I was open to trying on some of the ones I didn't. The woman that was helping me probably spent a total of 30 minutes with me out of the 2 hours I had blocked off for myself and my sisters who are bridesmaids. I did not feel as if I was taken care of at all! She spent more time with another young lady that was set on buying a dress there than she did with me. Almost with the attitude of "If she doesn't know what she wants, I'm not going to help her."

To top it all off, we found out that alterations were going to be outrageous! $120 for a hem alone! The last bridal shop we went to had only a $60 hem charge and it was a designer store! I was not in any way treated like the princess that every bride wants to be treated as when she walks into a bridal shop. I would discourage everyone I know from getting a dress at David's Bridal! They don't care about you! Just your money!

We bought our dresses early so as not to have that last minute oh no happen... it was so bad. To start with they altered one of the 3 bridesmaids dresses. There was a twist in the ribbing but we were told it would be fixed with the alteration. The alterations were more than the dresses... the bustle that we discussed was not the bustle they did. After 2 fittings they decided that they couldn't fix the bridesmaids dress so they had to change her style and color so that she didn't even match the other two girls. It came in a week before the wedding-it was horrible!!! It was smaller cut across the bust then the size smaller they had her try before ordering this one. The gal's didn't care what they were putting her in for a church wedding by anymeans. My daughter finally told them if I walk into the church with that my Dad is gonna shoot me-the response was he'll get over it... Luckily I got a refund on the dress-unheard of I know. I had a friend who called the manager and threatened to come in the store in 20 minutes screaming. Told her she knew the store was crowded and if I didn't have a refund in 5 minutes she'd be in the store in 20 minutes. I wish I could say the bad ended there-NOT!!! Before our bride made it from the dressing room to the church the hook and eye at the top of the zipper broke. At the reception the beads started popping off and before the first dance the bustle that we paid so much to have done broke!!! I read a comment earlier about the heaviness of the materials-they are right they are very heavy-but a professional would recommend a dress that didn't have to be bustled because of the weight!!! The price was cheaper than most places-but the price of stress is high. My bridesmaid (actually maid of honor) that ended up with no dress the week before the wedding was fortunate enough to find a dress at JCPenney normally 200.00 on sale for 19.99!!! She hated the dress,but at 19.99 toss it when the wedding is over. I warn everyone to be ware of David's Bridal and the Men's Warehouse...

Sold a wedding dress and did the alterations. The dress does NOT look like it was supposed to. It is now so tight that my son's fiancee cannot breath and it is forcing what little skin she has out. She is by no means fat as the dress is below a size zero now. Also, the bra that "Norma" sold her now shows and she had the nerve to state that she saw it showing before the alterations but sold it to her anyway. They offered no resolution and have ruined her wedding. In my opinion, I would NEVER EVER advise anyone to use David's Bridal!!