Hi,

as some of you know I got married a few weeks ago. Had an amazing day, spoilt by only one thing-the strap on my dress broke at the start of the evening reception :-(
I agonised and cried tears over this dress. It was well over my budget but it was 'the one' so I forked out £1600  plus a further £185 on a veil.......so we are not talking peanuts here!!
I have contacted the dress shop but they have said once the dress leaves the shop its not their problem (they didnt quite word it like that but you get the gist!) Clearly their excellent customer service is restricted to when you are a potential customer and soon switched once youve parted with your cash :-(
They fail to see my point of view. Your wedding day is once in a lifetime and I spent nearly 2k on my outfit!!! I did not expect to greet my guests in an ill fitting dress because I had to just tuck the straps inside. I should have merrily danced the night away instead of worrying about falling out of the dress because it no longer fitted as it should. I should have felt overjoyed to pose with friends, instead I refused photographs because I looked such a mess. Theyve offered to repair the strap but that doesnt fix my ruined evening. I hadnt even had a chance to dance in it so it genuinely isnt my fault.
I believe I deserve some sort of compensation...am I right?
I dont think I will get anywhere with the shop and briefly looking online it seems that seeking the designer would be a waste of time as they basically sell to the shop not the customer.
so....would citizens advice help? I cant afford a solicitor. Is there anyone else who may be able to offer help or advice?

Many thanks, xx

My feeling is that you can't get compensation for the emotional investment in a special outfit BUT you should be entitled to refund, replacement or repair.  It's hard to overlook the fact that this was a one off special wedding dress but I expect it would be viewed as any other item of clothing in the eyes of the law.

From what you describe it would seem that the dress wasn't of a satisfactory quality so you need to look at your rights under the Sale of Goods Act.  This Citizens Advice page is a good place to start...

CA would probably also have guidelines for writing a well worded letter.  Good luck and congratulations x

How did you pay for the dress?  If it was by credit card, you should contact your card bank and get them to fight your case.  I certainly think you have a case.  If you bought a pair of shoes and the heel fell off  the first time you wore them, you would get your money back, why would the dress be any different? 

I agree, "fit for purpose" your dress certainly wasn't.

Many thanks everyone.
yes, I did pay by credit card. So..if the credit card company refund me would they then seek out the dress shop?. I dont feel they should get away with it as it were if I was refunded by the card company and not the dress shop. Also, by getting a refund on a credit card would it have any implications in the future? Im thinking when you make a claim on your insurance it sends your premiums up.

No, the credit card company would take up the dispute on your behalf.  You would get no comeback from this at all.  It's something to do with the consumer rights law if you spend over £150?  Phone your CC company and they will advise you of what to do next.  They have an actual helpline for this.

Many thanks.

Looking at it from the shops point of view (playing devils advocate)    they could  claim  that the strap  was secure when it left the shop. and  wearer error or something similar  was the reason the strap broke,  it would be your word against theirs and to be honest not sure how you could prove it was  their fault or the fault of the designer...

I guess you would have to find an independent third party to look at the dress and give an opinion on its quality,  but that may cost you  ,  there is no guarantee it will go your way,  you may end up out of pocket as well as it ruining your evening.

I have the photos of me in the evening when the dress is clearly seen to be broken.
everyone knows what you do at a wedding. It wasn't as if I was rock climbing or anything in it. As others have said, if you bought a pair of shoes and the heel broke the first time you wore them then you would expect a refund.
the fabric the srap was attached to the dress with is a very flimsy netting type material. I am no expect hut I suspect its not strong enough to withstand the pull from the dress.
I know the shop will be reluctant to admit any fault but I will not let this drop. No bride should be put through this on their big day, especially when they have spent nearly 2k on a brand new dress.
I am intending to phone the credit card company tomorrow so will let you all know how I get on
:-)