Published: Wednesday, 18th June, 2008 12:00
Dream wedding is left in tatters
By Nicola Findlay
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Bride-to-be Mandy McMillan (centre) has hit out at a dress shop owner for blundering with her order.
Pic by: David Robertson
A BRIDE-TO-BE’S dream wedding has been left in tatters after the shop she ordered her dress from made a catalogue of blunders.
Distraught bride Mandy McMillan (26) of Clackmannan, ordered her wedding dress and five bridesmaids dresses from Inspirations, a shop in Leven, on 9 March.
Despite being promised by the owner Marjory Thomson that the dresses would be with her by 10 May they only arrived on Monday – just five days before her wedding to Ian Smith in Alloa’s Gean House on Saturday.
The six dresses were shipped from Shanghai in China and travelled via Paris, Germany, the East Midlands and Edinburgh before finally arriving at Mandy’s house – nearly five weeks late.
However, when Mandy opened the small box in which all the dresses were squashed, into her heart sank as the dresses were the wrong colour – and only one of them fitted correctly.
A tearful Mandy told the Advertiser, “The whole thing has been soul destroying.
“I think I have gone through every emotion – one minute I am completely distraught then I am just so angry. I have been engaged for four years and have been planning the wedding for the last two and, like every bride, I just wanted everything to be perfect – but it won’t be.”
After several trips to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Mandy was unable to find the dress she wanted.
But after finding Inspirations’ website she thought she had found her dream dress.
Mandy said, “I soon as I went on the website I knew I had found the dress I wanted and the fact there was a shop nearby was even better.
“When we went in to the shop in Leven to get measurements taken for the bridal party Marjory was lovely, and we trusted her completely.
“The shop itself was really beautiful and we were very impressed.
“I asked her whether it would be too big a job for her but she reassured us it wouldn’t be. Marjory told us that she had a nightmare with her own wedding and going through a bad experience herself she ought to know what it feels like.”
As the weeks passed Mandy became more and more concerned as she hadn’t heard anything from Marjory, who wasn’t replying to her messages.
And as 10 May got closer she desperately tried to contact her to make sure the dresses would arrive on time but to no avail.
Mandy attended a Wedding Fayre in Alloa Town Hall the following day and met Marjory who asked for yet more measurements for the bridal party but promised Mandy the dresses would be delivered in two weeks’ time.
Yet again the dresses failed to appear and because the stress was becoming too much for Mandy, her mum stepped in and contacted Marjory. She was told that the dresses would definitely be delivered on Friday 13 June.
As the wedding drew closer and the dresses still hadn’t arrived Mandy became concerned about any alterations that might be needed but when she asked about this, she said Marjory told her she didn’t do alterations – something that wasn’t made clear when the dresses were first ordered.
Thankfully her wedding co-ordinator Allana Bramley and local dressmaker Donna Sneddon have come to the rescue and Donna is making alterations to the dresses so they fit properly for the big day on Saturday.
“Allana and Donna have been brilliant and they are absolute stars. I am just so glad they are helping us – I don’t know what I would have done without them,” said Mandy
As well as the bridesmaids’ dresses being the wrong colour, they are also the wrong material and Mandy was sent a white veil and underskirt for her dress instead of ivory.
“At the end of the day nothing is right but I have never had an apology or an explanation. The dresses are supposed to be made to measure but there is only one that fits right,” she said.
“I have lost weight since I had my measurements were taken because of all the stress but my dress is too tight and my sister’s is about five sizes too big.”
Mandy added, “I don’t feel any more relieved now I actually have the dresses because they aren’t what I wanted. I had all my flowers and table decorations co-ordinated to match the colour I wanted in the first place.
“However, I will just have to try to enjoy Saturday as much as possible and try to put all of this to the back of my mind so it doesn’t ruin the day.”
The Advertiser made repeated attempts to contact Marjory Thomson, calling her shop and mobile number, and sending her an email. However, she failed to respond to any of our messages.
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