Buying bridesmaids’ dresses from a place that isn’t a bridal store can save you money and expand your style options, but their return policies aren’t designed with weddings in mind. Lyndsay bought her attendants’ dresses from the chain White House/Black Market, but needed to return them when a pregnant matron of honor meant changing all of the dresses. While the chain advertises “no hassle” returns, there’s plenty of hassle if more than 60 days have passed since the purchase. Since that’s how return policies work.

I’m going through some issues with White House/Black Market, I’m wondering if you can help.

In late 2011, I had purchased a number of dresses for my bridemaids to wear to my wedding this April. Since then, my matron of honor became pregnant with her first child. I was excited for her, and decided we would return the dresses for store credit (realizing a full refund was likely out of the question since the purchase was from approximately 6 months ago), and go get new dresses at another store that would work better for a pregnant Matron of Honor.

Turns out, when I approached them for merchandise credit, they refused. They have a return policy that is “no hassle”. Well, only if you buy the dress within 30 days of your wedding. (see here – the dresses I’m referring to are technically not “wedding” dresses, so I had 60 days to return them). So basically I am stuck with these dresses, which I feel is not best retail practice. I was ok with receiving store credit, but they won’t even do that!

To be clear, the dresses are brand new/never worn, with all tags still attached. I have some of the receipts (there were multiple purchases to get all the sizes that I needed), but bought them with a Credit Card, so the price that I paid for each order should be easy to track. They have done that for me in the past.

At the very least, I would like to let others know that WH/BM will leave you out to dry if you need any changes with an order for a wedding. Most, if not all other options will at least give you store credit.

This is tough, since dresses from six months ago can’t go back on the rack at full retail price. Even if they accepted the return and gave Lyndsay store credit, they’ll be taking a loss on the transaction. The best bet by now would probably be to sell the dresses at a consignment store: there’s no incentive for White House/Black Market to take them back.

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