Chinese Wedding Dresses
What Issues Might You Find

Are the Chinese wedding dresses... (meaning bridal gowns you buy direct from China) sold on eBay and on the web... a good deal?

No doubt you have come across websites and sellers on eBay who sell wedding dresses directly from China. Should you consider buying one of these wedding gowns?

Like most brides these days you want to cut costs where you can in your wedding budget. One place to cut your costs is on your bridal gown.

“But remember you don’t want to cut costs at the expense of having to sacrifice quality, especially when it comes to your wedding gown.”

How can you be sure that the Chinese wedding dresses sold on the web and eBay at incredible prices will meet your expectations?

“You really just take your chances when ordering dresses this way and hope for the best.” But there are some things I feel can help to minimize the risks involved.

If after reading the following information you want to order a bridal gown this way then go to this article for tips on ordering eBay wedding dresses made in China.

What Issues Might You Find
When Ordering Chinese Wedding Dresses?

Now I am not saying that the following is true of all wedding dresses sold direct from China. But these are some things you need to be aware that could occur when purchasing a wedding gown this way.

There are a few issues that tend to come up with these dresses I have read about on wedding boards and forums. Interestingly, these same issues I have come across when brides bring in gowns they ordered direct from China to be altered.

Color Issues With Chinese Wedding Dresses

Determining the color of the details on the gown has been a problem for some brides. In the cases I personally know about, the color of the dress was not the shade the bride expected.

One bride thought she was getting a white dress with red embroidery design details on it. That’s what it looked like on the computer screen. What did she end up with?

“A white gown with hot pink embroidery!” She had to then change her flowers and other decorations for her wedding so that it would not clash with her dress. “Imagine the trouble that would cause if it happened to you!”

Another bride I worked with had to have them send her another dress because the color of the first dress was a rust color, instead of the burgundy color she expected.

Sizing Issues And Problems With The Cut

If you don’t take correct measurements, and order your gown using the sizing charts, then there is a good chance your dress could be several sizes too small.

“Most alterations I have had to do involved putting gussets into these dresses because of the gowns coming in way too small.”

I am not sure if this happens because of brides misreading the charts, or if it is that the charts are hard to understand. What results is a gown that is anywhere from 2 to 5 sizes too small.

When ordering Chinese wedding dresses (wedding gowns direct from China) sold on ebay or the web . . . please make sure you order the right size. It is better to order it too big than too small. It is easier to take a dress in than to let one out!

Another problem is the cut of the bust area. It appears that on some gowns, the bust area is cut smaller than normal. This is a complaint I have seen on wedding forums by some brides, especially from some plus-size brides.

The gowns I have worked with seem to be designed more for an A to B cup individual. So if you are a B cup or larger. . . you might find that the neckline on a strapless wedding gown will not be high enough. This has been my experience with brides and bridesmaids dresses.

Poor Construction and Fabric Quality

Some of the Chinese wedding dresses sold on the web direct from china I have worked with lacked the linings and inner structure needed to provide a smooth finish while wearing the gown.

"Check out the inside construction of this dress.
Only four pieces of boning was in this dress.
Sideseams are sewn incorrectly."

The fabrics the bridal gowns are made from are not up to the quality of the typical designer wedding gowns.

The linings are extra thin and in some cases so thin that you can see through them.

Most brides don’t realize that the lack of proper structure will cause problems with the fabric of a bridal gown not laying smoothly on the figure.

But they soon find out. When is that?

“When looking in the mirror, during a fitting, they notice wrinkles in their dress.” They ask me if they can be ironed out or altered. At this point I have to let them know that because of the fabric and/or construction, nothing much can be done.

"The above example shows the quality inner construction found only in designer gowns. Here you see an inner bustier that is has boning as well as the gown itself has additional boning."

Customizing Problems

Some of these manufacturers say they can design the gown of your dreams. Be careful. I have seen simple additions such as sleeves added, not come out correctly.

I would be a little apprehensive to have a whole dress designed this way. It is best to get someone you can go to directly to have a custom made wedding gown. This way you can have the necessary fittings and see the design as it progresses.

What is the bottom line when it comes to
ordering wedding dresses direct from China?

There are companies out there that can deliver a good quality wedding gown. You have to do your research in order to find them.

Look at the reviews brides have made, on forums and on the company's web site, about their experiences with ordering Chinese wedding dresses from Ebay and internet companies. Google search the "company name + reviews", to see what comes up. This can be a big help in your making your decision.

You certainly can save a lot of money buying a dress this way. But make sure you are getting the best quality dress you can for your money!

Special Note: After I had finished up this page I came across this information someone else had written about eBay retailers of China made wedding gowns. I feel it is informative and something you should read before you purchase a gown this way. Click here to read this article.

For some brides they may feel it looks close enough to the dress, so it may not be a big deal. But if you are one looking for the exact quality you saw in the bridal shop, you would might not be happy with the gown.

Here is an interesting side by side display of a top designer's wedding dress and a copycat version of the dress.

Updates

June 2010 Update

I am finding out that some Chinese wedding dress wholesaler companies are seeding the reviews with their own promotional ones. When detected, I don't post them. Some that get through and are posted and are later discovered to be fakes, I leave it up and update the review, noting the fact. This way you will know which companies you should do business with and which you shouldn't. I hope this will discourage companies from posting fake reviews.

January 2011 Update

The condition of the gowns when brides receive them are not what they should be in some cases. Here is what's happening...

Some of the gowns come in with stains that need spot cleaning. A brides have complained of unpleasant odors. I myself have experienced this when altering gowns. The fabric has to be de-linted of tiny fibers that discolor the gown.

The zippers on some split apart when tried on. It was an un-nerving experience for me when I started steaming a gown and all the marks from a purple marking pen popped back up.

Fortunately they disappeared again, but this never happens on designers' bridal gowns. In fact all the things listed, I have never had happen to wedding dress designers' gowns. (Once in a while an occasional zipper may need to be replaced on a designer gown, but this is rare.)

I had a few reviews submitted to this site where brides never received a dress at all. I noticed on other websites that brides are posting on other sites that they have had the same problem of not receiving a gown.

Now again these things may not be present in all the Chinese wedding dresses from eBay or other direct from China shops. But the fact is that a significant amount of dresses has at least one or more of the problems listed.

I did have a bride last year who had a gown she ordered from China that actually wasn't too bad. When I asked her where she ordered it she couldn't remember, because before she received the dress, she was notified twice that the location where it would be made had changed. This kept her on pins and needles worrying whether she would receive a gown.

Another bride ordered a gown that was a copy of a designer dress. It looked very close to the design. It was a little tight in one area, and I had to fix a lining problem. Plus she didn't like the extra fullness they added to the gown which made her look like she had a tummy. But other than that it wasn't too bad.

So what is very evident is that there is that the quality is inconsistent from one source to another source. This is true even from within the same source. One bride can get a gown that is acceptable but then from the same source the next gown the quality isn't the same. I have personally seen this happen.

Some of the China based sources out source their orders to independent contractors but sell them under one brand name. That seems to be the reason for the inconsistent quality within the same brand from style to style.

As I have said before you have to be careful when ordering Chinese wedding dresses on eBay or from wedding dress wholesalers, etc. from China. And have a Plan B in place just in case things don't work out with your order.

March 2011 Update

"Because brides are being duped into thinking that they are actually buying the designer original gown direct from the factory... I had to update this page. "

Some sites selling Chinese wedding dresses on eBay and internet sites are telling brides they are selling bridal gowns identical to designers' gowns. A representative for a bridal manufacuturer has told me this is happening and a bride recently mentioned that this is happening. The facts are...

Designers do not allow the manufacturers to sell directly to brides. This would undercut their main customers, the bridal shops, who they need to market their product. Even though most designer's gowns are manufactured in China, the designer's don't want their dresses to be marketed at such a drastically reduced prices. The designers' have agreements in place to keep this from happening. So that is why you never get the original designer's gowns from China, but only receive knock-offs or replica gowns, which do not look like or fit like the designers' gowns.

The only way you can get authentic designer's gowns at a reduced cost is to order from an online source domestically here in the U. S or in the country you live in. These sources are authorized to sell the designer's gowns and they discount generally between 15% to 30%. Some local bridal shops will discount your gown some if you ask.

On thing you need to do if stll want to order a Chinese wedding dress from a site on the internet is to find your alterations specialist first. Bridal shops in most cases will not alter these gowns for you. And some alterations specialist may decline to alter these gowns. Expect to pay more for your alterations cost because usually there are more fitting and construction problems with these gowns.

Plus... some dry cleaners are declining to press, steam or clean these gowns because they usually don't have the required care tags in them. They don't want the liability of the gown fabrics and trims not holding up because of the inferior quality and workmanship. So make sure you will be able to get someone to work on the gown before you buy one.

Here is a must read article by a wedding blogger warning brides not to buy replica wedding dresses. Take a look at the pictures of the original dress and the copies received. You will see a vast difference in the style and the quality just from the pictures. Pictures are worth a thousand words!

You might also want to take a look at the video entitled "Beware of Counterfeit Wedding Dresses." This is a news clip about the problem of ordering gowns online from unauthorized sources that make you think they are selling authentic designer wedding dresses.

Want to share your experience with buying Chinese wedding dress on Ebay or other internet wholesalers?

Should You Buy Wedding Dresses Direct From China
on Ebay or The Web?

Have you bought a wedding dress direct from China from an Ebay store or on the web? Which stores are great sources to purchase from? And which are not? What was your personal experience ordering this way, or that of a friend or relative's, been with a specific company?

More and more brides are thinking of ordering this way to save money? Was it worth it? We would like to hear from you the good, the bad, and the ugly. Please share your thoughts!

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