Weddingbee Blog

Have you ever walked into a fancy boutique and felt like you didn’t belong? Maybe you felt like you weren’t dressed properly or had on trendy enough shoes to be able to be so lucky as to even set (your Steve Madden peep toe shod) foot into an expensive department store. And then, when you actually did go in, with a real purpose and mission, you were dismissed as someone who didn’t matter?

Yeah, I call that having a “Pretty Woman Moment.”

I have always drooled over the shoes celebrities wear on the red carpet and over whatever Carrie Bradshaw had on her feet. I’ve always told myself that if I ever had something super important and formal to go to, I would finally buy myself a pair of designer shoes. Can you think of a better reason than your wedding? The day you get to marry your best friend? I can’t!

Over the weekend, I wandered into a fancy department store (the one on the avenue between 4th and 6th) ready to find a great pair of heels to wear on one of the most important days of my life. I had on a new outfit from Banana Republic, some cute Grecian sandals from Gap, my hair looked good, my make-up was alright and I think my personal hygiene was up to most normal standards.

But I still can’t figure out where on my forehead it said “Poor. Can’t afford even a button in this place. No commission here. Don’t help her.”

I found a gorgeous pair of Louboutins that would look stunning with my dress. I asked for them in a size 8, and the lady rolled her eyes and said “That would be a 38, hon.” OK….my bad! 10 minutes later (waiting for the shoes), I see the lady walk by and I ask her if they had my size. “Oh, yeah,” she says and points to the other side of the store and goes “I put them over there.” Wow, I figured for that much money I would at least get the shoes brought over to where I was sitting. I thought wrong. I tried them on and let her know the shoes didn’t fit. Normally, one would expect to hear “Can I get you another size?” Not me. She grabbed them out of my hands and said “Oh, well thanks for coming in. Goodbye.” I got shoo’ed out of there faster than you can say “Julia Roberts.”

I felt so defeated. All I wanted to do was find special wedding shoes. Here they are, by the way. And no, I didn’t buy them, nor will I from that store.

Sadly, this has happened more than once. I went to a ritzy bridal boutique to look for veils, only to have a sales person tell me, “12 weeks, but it’s over $700″ when I inquired about the amount of time it would take to order said veil. Um, thanks, but I can read the price on the tag just fine!

I don’t understand this level of service. I mean, come on… I know the store (where you are EMPLOYED to help me) is pricey, but did you think I was clueless before I walked in, like “Oops, I got this place confused with Shoe Mart?” And bridal shops with couture gowns—Ok, I’m getting married. I know all things wedding are expensive. I know this dress I’m trying on is more than a mortgage payment. I’ve done my research!

Have any of you felt like this before? What do you make of this kind of treatment?