Help with Baltimore/DC bridal salon

CLTKate

Im driving up from NC this weekend and plan to do some dress shopping while there.  I have a specific look in mind, but none of the places I've visited in the NC area carry the styles I like.  Everything here is A-line and BIG.

I'm looking for a fitted mermaid style. Love Demetrios and Maggie Sottero lines.  Can any of you recommend a bridal salon?  Online I found Annapolis Formals, Bridals by  Elena, Niko's, Francesca's, and V&C Bridal in Laurel.  Can anyone help me narrow it down to 1 or 2 of the better stores?

Empuesch

Hi.

1st I wanna say you're really pretty!!

2nd I love Francescas I havent done any bridal shopping there but they were amazing for prom and I wouldnt expect anything less for bridal!

Also K&B bridal in Bel Air are having a mini trunk show Friday 11-6 & Saturday 9-5

http://www.kandbbridalsandeventplanning.com/

Niko's okay as well but I can never remember if Nikos or Stella's is the better place. (One of them always had rude workers and another one of them smelled like urine)

SweetCFly

I loved Bridal's by Elena.  I only went once with my best friend for her wedding dress, but she had a great experience there.  They have a huge selection, and the store is very nice (not everything will be A-line and big... my best friend's dress was one of Elena's original designs and was cutsom made for her... lace and pretty straight with a little flare at the bottom).  They can be a little pricey with alterations, I've heard.  So when you go, see if you can cut a deal on alterations from the start so you know what your getting into (since my best friend's gown was custom made by Elena, she really didn't have a separate price for alterations, and I think she made out like a bandit).

Francesca's is really hit or miss, I think.  Some people have an awesome experience there, some have very frustrating/bad experiences... I got my prom dress there, BM dress for said best friend's wedding, and my mom, gmother, and aunts all got their dresses for my wedding there.  They are very pricey on alterations and can be snippy sometimes... just my opinion.   They also have a history of ordering dresses in sizes way too big, and then they charge you hand over foot for the alterations; happened with my prom dress and BM dress, and with all the other BM dresses in my best friend's bridal party... it has also happened to some other knotties on here with their wedding gowns.

I got my dress at Gamberdella's in Towson.  I am probably partial, but I think it's definitely worth checking out!  I have loved my experience with Gamberdella's.  It's different from Elena's and Francesca's in that you don't get to see the stock of gowns.  They take you into  fitting room, ask you they style you like and your maximum price range and then they pick for you... you try the first bunch on, see what you like and don't like, and go from there.  Some people really like that and some people really don't.  I thought it was great! 

Empuesch

Gamberdella's  kinda sounds swanky like Kienfelds! lol Say yes to the dress (but not their prices! lol)

arbolita

I got my dress from Bridals by Elena, and they were amazing.  I had fallen in love with a dress I'd seen online/in a magazine, and they were the first store to actually have it.  Like SweetCFly said, they are pricy with alterations, since you are out of state, you also have the option of taking the dress with you when it arrives and having having someone local to you alter it.

My one thing I knew I did not want going into wedding planning was a big, poofy dress, and they definitely had a great selection of dresses not falling into that category.

smange10.10

I have to second Gamberdella's.  I got my dress there and had a great experience.  I don't think it's swanky or anything.  They had a great selection were super friendly throughout the whole process.  I think it's definitely worth checking out.

CLTKate

I didn't expect to wake up to so much great feedback!! Thank you so much for all the info. Bridals by Elena sounds like a great one and they carry the lines I love. I'll definitely head there and if I have time I'll visit others recommended.  

fakename120

Hey there, if you like Demetrios then Macy's Bridal Salon at Tysons Corner Galleria carries mainly that line, if not exclusively. I ended up getting a larger dress than expected but they had a decent selection of very classic "not big" dresses. I personally had a great shopping experience there but the I would suggest getting the alternations done somewhere else because they are expensive. Good luck!!

Ginabean2011

Stella's is the one where they are rude. Niko's is ok- so I have heard anyway.

ctigna26

Besty Robinson has Maggie Sotteros and Sottero and Midgely dresses. I tried on a bunch of them a their store.

CLTKate

Just wanted to check in to say Thank You!!  We hit rush  hour traffic in DC the night we drove in so I wasnt able to go shopping that night and only had time to go to one place the next morning. 

Katia was nice enough to fit me in without an appt at Bridals by Elena. She told me that the style of dress I'm looking for is going to be hard to find because most brides prefer strapless styles.  I tried on one Martina Liana dress that I loved.  It was really expensive and I'm not sure that it's the best fit for a destination wedding.  She suggested 2 other dresses that fit perfectly, but were a little plain. 

I'm going to keep looking....I may go back to the first dress I tried on there.  It was really beautiful. Thank you for all of  your help.