Dress size issue, how do I fix it?

I’m confused. The dress sample fit, but they ordered the dress three sizes too big? If the dress doesn’t fit due to their error, I would demand a new dress in the right size. It’s their job to know which size to order, and place that correctly.

View Quoted Comment Sorry for the confusion, the dress I tried on was a 18 which fit and looked like an a-line. They had to order it in a 12 for it to "fit right" but now it fits like a mermaid dress, which isn't what I wanted and it's too tight to put on by myself or sit in.

View Quoted Comment Ok, ya, that’s totally their fault. I would refuse to pay for alterations due to the store ordering the wrong size. Demand a new dress in the correct size (don’t pay for it) or free alterations to fix the current one. That’s ridiculous! Something similar happened to my sister ages ago, except the consultant ordered a dress way too big and then they were going to charge her a ton to take it in. She threw a fit and they ended up getting her a new dress in the right size. That’s on them. I know it’s not helpful, but I hear nothing but bad things about DB. Be strong, this is their error!

Was the dress itself A-line or mermaid?

I have heard from other brides on this site that David’s Bridal allows you to exchange your dress, as long as no alterations have been made. I would have them order you the dress in the correct size and exchange the one you have for it. If the one you have now is fitting THAT tightly, it is going to need extensive alterations, which can very easily not look right if the seamstress isn’t an expert (and there have been A LOT of brides on WW who have been unhappy with even basic alterations from DB). Also, if there is any sort of lace or pattern on the dress, you run the risk of it not lining up properly after alterations. I would also be concerned about the cost. $600 sounds low for the amount of work that would need to be done on your dress, compared to simpler alterations other brides have had done from DB. I would be concerned that the cost for the alterations would be significantly higher once they started in on your dress. If I were you, I would not take the risk.
Before having them order the correct size though, I would also ensure the dress you are ordering is in fact an A-line dress. It sounds as though the skirt was much fuller on the sample you tried on because the dress was too large on you.

I agree with Suzie and Ava, it was their fault so have them fix it or have them order a new dress. They order the wrong size, they should have ordered a dress size one size up and made it fit to you.

View Quoted Comment They said it was an A line dress and it looked like it when I put it on the first time, but they said it's supposed to be tight so I don't really know anymore.

You should be able to exchange the dress. Call sooner than later

Wedding dress sizes tend to run much smaller than typical clothing sizes, so even if you typically wear a size 12 in clothes, you’ll likely need a size 14 or 16 dress. I’m sure they’ll be able to work with you to get this fixed!

Call now and make sure you talk to management if the consultant you speak with can't help. I know it is a very pushy thing to do (asking for management) but my SIL had a similar issue with David's Bridal ordering a size that was too small and it was only resolved when she spoke to a manager at a different store. In the end, they accepted the dress back for a full refund (I don't know if it was credited back to the card or if it was for store credit). This is a problem THEY created. You should not have to pay for it.