Brides' Bill of Rights

We, the Brides of the world, do hereforth declare our rights as legitimate consumers. Our weddings are the most special day of our lives and we will no longer bow to the "industry standards" that allow us to be subject to manipulation and extortion. We believe we should be granted the rights that every other consumer is given in every other aspect of retail sales. Because of this, we are hereby declaring this a BUYER'S MARKET and set forth our rights as consumers:

FAIR PRICE

• You should give us a fair price for your services or goods.
• We realize you need to make a profit. You should not markup your items more than 50% the MSRP (manufacturer's suggested retail price).
• You should give us a fair price for your wares.
• You should not charge us extra simply because this is a wedding.
• You should not change your cancellation policies just because this is a wedding.
• You should not give us hidden fees or charge us extra at the time of the event.
• You should abide by written contracts or you will be hearing from our lawyers.

FREEDOM OF BROWSING PREFERENCES

• You should allow us to take pictures of your items for sale- INCLUDING your wedding gowns, bridemaid gowns, accessories, etc.
• You should tell us the name of the designers and their item numbers.
• You should let us put gowns on layaway (if possible) and/or hold the gowns for at least 24 hours.
• You should not sell us used or sample dresses unless you discount them for wear.
• You shall order us dresses in the size we want them to be ordered and if you do not do this, you will reorder the gown for us as it is YOUR mistake and not ours.
• You should not force us to use your boutique for alterations. It is your right to charge us whatever you wish for alterations- it is also our right to take our dresses to someone else.
• You should show us the dresses we want in the size we want and the price we want. You will NOT argue with us- we know our budget and we know our size.
• You should NOT lie to us. If you cannot order the dress we want in the time frame we want, you will tell us in advance. If you cannot get it in the size or color, WE WILL NOT SETTLE for another size or color. We will not compromise what we want because of your dishonesty.
• You should refund any deposit you may make us pay in full if we do not get the dress we ordered in the size we ordered, in the condition we ordered it (e.g. brand new from the manufacturer). In addition, you will allow us to return the dress within 10 days for a full refund or 30 days for shop credit as long as it has not been worn and no alterations have been made.
• If you cannot do these things for us, we will find a store who will. These are not unreasonable requests and are standard in the retail industry.

FREEDOM OF CONTRACT

• Before we pay a dime, we will want EVERY detail IN WRITING.
• You should allow us to pay with a major credit card so that we will have legal recourse if you turn out to be less than ethical or if your services are not of good quality.
• You should provide us with a detailed list of all your services, how you will perform them, and stay in contact with us whenever we may have a question.
• If applicable, you should meet with us in person.
• You should give us a sample of YOUR goods. Giving us samples of someone else's creations is NOT good enough.
• You WILL NOT under ANY circumstances argue with us or otherwise have a bad attitude towards us. We are your employers. While we are paying for your services, we are YOUR boss. You will do what we want. Suggestions are welcome but ONLY in constructive format. Rudeness WILL NOT be tolerated.
• You should outline in a written contract ALL of your fees, your return/cancellation policy, and details of the goods/services delivered. You will not deviate from this or you will be in breech of contract.
• "I didn't get it" is NOT a valid excuse. If we try to contact you and have proof of the contact, you WILL honor it whether you received it or not. We will no longer be held responsible for your faulty memory, your disorganization, your outright lies, or your broken equipment.
• You should not surprise us with "artistic liberties". You will follow by our original designs and plans.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

• You should answer all of our questions, regardless if you find them necessary. You will be honest with us and if you do not know the answer you will find someone who does.
• You should answer all of our inquiries and communications in a TIMELY manner. This means, that barring any special circumstance, within 3 business days of our communication.
• You should disclose ALL the terms in your agreements, and you are expected to know them. If you do not, you WILL find someone who does and have them explain them before presenting them IN WRITING.
• You should disclose all fees up front, BEFORE purchases are made.
• You should give us notice AT LEAST 30 days prior to our event if you cannot adequately complete your services for whatever reason.
• You should refund us whatever monies we have paid because your services were not rendered.
• You should give us current and correct contact information. If this changes, you will notify us within 30 days of the change.
• You will put down all verbal agreements in writing and sign it.
• When communicating with your customers, you should communicate in a professional and polite manner. You should not hound us, pressure us, threaten us, or otherwise attempt to manipulate us.

What we ask is not unreasonable. Betrothed couples have been brutally taken advantage of and swindled because this event is so important to us and this ends today. These rights are basic to consumers of every other industry and we want them as well. There are many, many vendors out there who already follow these guidelines and who will gladly respect our rights. To the honest vendor who gives good customer service, these rights are already standard.