Kavindi C.
Baf Experience as an Overseas Bride
Unfortunately, I had a very disappointing experience with AMORINE Bridal & Designer Wear as an overseas bride. I initially chose this designer because of the positive Google reviews and because she was very kind and confident that she could create a saree similar to the reference images I provided. After my first trial saree did not turn out as expected, she kindly offered to remake it at no additional cost, which made me continue trusting her service. For my second saree, I provided a clear blue reference image and requested the same pota design with sleeves added. The saree cost Rs. 165,000, which I paid in full without bargaining. I want to clarify that I did approve the updates that were sent to me based on the photographs provided. However, I was ordering from overseas and therefore had to rely entirely on those photos and trust that the quality of the materials and finishing would reflect the Rs. 165,000 price. The outfit, made approximately for a size 14/16, was also adjusted onto a size 8 model for the update photos, so it was difficult to properly judge the overall fit and finishing. Most importantly, I was never shown the completed pota work before collection, so I had never seen or approved the final pota design. Unfortunately, once my family collected and inspected the finished saree, the pota design looked noticeably different from the agreed reference. There were also finishing issues, including visible glue behind the beadwork, missing beads and uneven front pleats. When I raised these concerns, we were unable to reach a satisfactory resolution. A refund was initially mentioned but later changed to redoing the pota work, which I was told would require approximately another 1.5 months. By this point, I had already invested nearly six months into the process. My initial payment was made on 19 September 2025, the design change was made on 8 December 2025, and although I acknowledge that I was slightly late in providing my measurements, once all measurements were submitted I was given 18 January 2026 as the expected completion date. However, I only received the final updates on 18 February 2026 after requesting updates approximately three times. After waiting this long, another 1.5 months for corrections was simply not practical for me as a bride planning a wedding from overseas. She also kindly requested that I pay the remaining amount before I collected the saree. When I asked whether it would be possible to pay after receiving the outfit, she sent me a lengthy message stating that I was rushing her and causing issues. As I had already paid another deposit for my wedding outfit, I decided to pay the entire remaining amount because I did not want to continue being accused or misunderstood. I was also disappointed that my family member, who simply collected the saree, was accused of tampering with it when I questioned the missing beads. What upset me further was being referred to as “cheap” during the dispute. Because I had invested a significant amount of money and time into this order, I seriously considered pursuing the matter formally. However, with my wedding approaching, the situation was becoming an unnecessary source of stress, so I decided not to continue with the dispute and instead simply share my experience. In the end, I took the saree to a smaller designer in Kandy, who did a brilliant job correcting it for considerably less, and I received many compliments on the finished result. For Rs. 165,000, I expected a much higher standard of materials, workmanship and finishing, as well as a result reasonably close to the agreed design. As an overseas customer, I placed a lot of trust in this business and unfortunately lost both money and valuable time. I am sharing my experience so that other customers, particularly overseas brides, can make an informed decision before ordering.
