A few years back a friend of mine went shopping for a bridal gown. “Sue” was a tall, statuesque woman, big-boned. Yes, she was overweight, but due to her bone structure and excellent posture, carried it quite well. Only the most rude cretin would have ever referred to her as “Fat”. Being a little older (about 30), she was not going to spend months using bridal gown shopping as a fun little hobby for her and her girlfriends with multiple repeat visits to the same store to try on the same gown – she wanted to find a dress and buy it with little drama in one visit. She was also quite wealthy and money would be no object in purchasing a wedding gown (or her bridesmaids gowns or the million other accessory items for a wedding). In other words, a merchant with an ounce of sense should be on their knees thanking the shopping gods that Sue walked into their store that day.
Unfortunately, we did not have that experience with ANY bridal salon. Every single one was incredibly rude to her. We finally went to THE most exclusive salon in the state, assuming wrongly that the ‘nicer’ the salon the nicer you would be treated. We walked in and the clerks just stare at us. STARE at Sue, I mean. No one greets us, although I see subsequent customers being greeted, fawned over, and given complimentary drinks. I finally went over and quietly asked a clerk if someone could help us. The clerks laugh and one finally sneers at me and says very loudly, “NO! We don’t sell to FAT brides here.” I was absolutely dumbfounded. It takes a lot to render me speechless, but I was. And my poor friend – she was aghast and humiliated, not only at the insult but at the scene this clerk was causing. I immediately demanded to see the manager. The manager comes out and I tell her the story and her response was, “Well, my associate is correct. We do NOT provide service to fat brides. They will give potential customers the wrong idea of the quality of our merchandise when they schlump down the aisle.” I have never been so appalled as a customer in my life. Never. I said to her, “My friend here was willing to spend thousands of dollars, today, and you’re telling me—“ She interrupts me, “I don’t care about today’s money. Long term, dressing a fat bride will ruin me.” Needless to say, we left. I wrote a letter on Sue’s behalf to the owner and never received even the courtesy of a reply. Sue ended up having her gown made by a seamstress. She looked lovely.
Years later, I myself worked in the bridal business 1500 miles away and made sure to always give everyone the same excellent treatment and ended up having a lot of larger size customers from around the state. They all told me how badly various salons around our state had treated them if they were a size 12 or higher. If I were ever going to go into a business for myself, I would have opened a salon specializing in merchandise and service for larger size brides.
I have never forgotten that moment. And I sincerely hope all of those rude salon employees end up weighing 300 pounds later in life and learn a valuable lesson about treating everyone with respect. Especially when they have an open wallet in hand.
Merchants0105-07
Asharah's comment: I think OP should have taken out a full page ad in the paper regarding the bridal store saying "If you are more than a size 2, DON"T EVEN BOTHER wasting your time going to this store because they will have NOTHING that fits you! They don't wait on FAT BRIDES!
