“She put us in $300 bridesmaid dresses and then made the wedding 'intimate.'”

The dresses were $300, 'non-negotiable, it's my vision.' The wedding was then downsized to 'intimate' — meaning no bridesmaids, meaning the dress hangs in my closet like a $300 ghost. The vision, it turns out, did not include us. The invoice did.

The venue fell through eight weeks out and the guest list collapsed with it. I lost more than anyone — financially and emotionally. The dress is timeless and can be re-worn, which is more than I can say about my deposit.