I was recently in a local Orlando bridal shop and must admit that I LOVE the look on a bride’s face when she finds THE dress! There is something magical about that exact moment when a “dream” (yes, THE dress is the one visual a bride has been dreaming of for years!) becomes a reality and she is standing in front of the mirror with tears in her eyes. A few days later, I read that a local Bridal store closed their doors…..  (Savannah Grace Waterford Lakes FL) leaving that “dream” dress inside, with the bride’s deposit. Wow, that is a tough one, considering that most brides will only find this out as their date approaches and they call for their first fitting!

So, how can you protect yourself from such an issue?

The Better Business Bureau has advice for how brides can protect themselves from becoming victims.

• Do your homework – Check with the BBB to see if the bridal salon has a history of complaints. Check with other brides who have done business with the salon to see what their experiences were. The blogs and wedding websites are a great resource when doing research.  Be sure to check out Wedding wire .While researching before contracting with them is always good advice, the BBB may not have any indication that stores on the brink of closing.

• Pay with a credit card – Pay for your dress and all related expenses with a credit card. If there is a problem with the services not being performed or merchandise not being received, you may be able to recoup the money paid if your credit card offers buyer protections. Many brides paid by cash, check or debit card and lost thousands of dollars. Check your credit card options BEFORE you buy your dress!

• Never pay in full – When you order your dress pay only the minimum deposit required. Be careful about being offered discounts to brides who paid 100% upfront.

• Get it in writing- Most bridal shops will require you to sign a contract to complete your purchase. It’s a good idea to ask about the shops cancellation and refund policy. If you are comfortable with the policy and are ready to make your purchase, be sure to verify that the contract explicitly states the designer, style, size and color. You may even want to ask to look at the designer’s sizing chart to verify that the size of the dress is correct. Mistakes are often made and you are usually liable for the dress if you sign the contract. Make sure you are given a timeline to receive your dress. Remember that alterations (whether through the shop or another tailor) must be made and that you will have enough time to get fitted. If you put a deposit down for the dress, make sure that this is clearly stated on the contract.

Make sure you receive the following information in writing before making your purchase:

• Designer, style and style number written on the contract.
• Price of dress is written on contract. If the price is not clearly stated, the boutique may charge you a different price than you were promised. If you are putting a deposit down, make sure it is clearly stated the amount that you are paying.
• Size of dress. Make sure the size is correct by verifying your measurements on the designer’s measuring chart.
• Color of dress is specified.
• Date on when you should be expecting the dress to arrive. Be sure you give yourself enough time for alterations.
• Make sure the bridal shop is authorized to sell the designer.
• Any special requests.
• Payment schedule (if deposit is required).
• The cancellation or refund policy is clearly stated.

• Confirm your order – After you order your gown from a bridal shop, call your dress designer a few weeks later to confirm that the bridal shop actually placed the order with the designer. Also, be sure to confirm that the bridal shop has paid for the dress order or has established good credit with the designer.

• Watch for sample dress switches – If you are buying a new dress, make sure you don’t end up with a sample dress. When your dress arrives, scrutinize every inch of it for any stains, tears or other signs that the dress is not new. I have heard of stores across the country that allegedly had sample dresses cleaned and sold them as new gowns to unsuspecting brides.

• Double check on delays – If your bridal shop tells you your dress is delayed at the designer, call the designer to confirm the story.

• Use a trusted tailor – You may want to have alterations on your dress done by a local tailor that you trust. There are stories about brides that  had her dress at stores for final alterations when the store abruptly closed and she lost her dress four days before her wedding.  Some stores also allegedly have sold dresses that were in the store for alterations to other brides as new dresses.

Hopefully you will never need to deal with the idea of “locked doors” when the day comes but should that happen, and you have taken the above No industry statistics are available about how often such disputes are won by consumers. But to maximize their chances, consumers should know how to navigate the maze of rules governing credit card disputes.  Under federal law, “You’re entitled to an investigation (of the dispute) but not entitled to a particular result,” says Chi Chi Wu, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center.

• Be prepared to arbitrate. Most disputes are settled between the merchant and the consumer. But your credit card issuer could also try to resolve it with the merchant’s bank. If that doesn’t work, the final step often is arbitration, where the issue is decided by Visa or MasterCard. It’s rare for cases to go to arbitration: At Visa, only one-tenth of 1% of disputes are decided in arbitration, spokeswoman Randa Ghnaim says. Credit card disputes can last up to 270 days, including the arbitration process, although 99% of card disputes are settled much sooner, says Monteiro of MasterCard