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Wedding Dress Shopping

onedaycloser07onedaycloser07
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in Florida-West Coast
Hi everybody!

I am looking at different places to shop for a dress.  Looking to make a couple different appointments around the Tampa Bay area.  I am thinking Alfred Angelo and The White Closet....has anyone been there?  I have heard horrible things about David's Bridal, but I feel like they are going to be the most reasonable.

Any suggestions or feedback from your experiences?
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Re: Wedding Dress Shopping

  • MrsReynolds12MrsReynolds12 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I only had success ath CiCi's bridal. Katie helped me and she was a great. I had to visit the dress 3 times before I purchased it and they were very patient with me.
     
    Davids bridal does have cheaper dresses but I feel many of the dresses are of poor quality. If you do decide to visit DB I suggest you go to the clearwater DB, tampa has horrible customer service.

    I didn't have an appt to try bridal gowns at the White Closet but I did watch a bride as I looked through the bridesmaid dresses.The bride did recieve undivided attention and they do have some really pretty dresses.

    I visited Emelina's bridal and I felt the person who helped me (her name slips my mind) was very rude and treated me like I was an inconvenience to her. Needless to say I refused to consider purchasing a dress there.

    Also there is the Honey Pot bridal boutique and the people there seem very nice. The prices there I thought we pretty reasonable for designer gowns and they often have specials.
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  • Kristin789Kristin789 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    >> I suggest you go to the clearwater DB, tampa has horrible customer service.

    Yeah, well, don't get your hopes up for the Clw DB, because I had a terrible experience there.  These wedding dress shops need some communication workshops...
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Try Demetrios on WestShore Dr. I believe I am buying my dress from there.
    Where is your ceremony site, its so pretty!?
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  • onedaycloser07onedaycloser07
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks girls!  Keep the advice coming for sure!  I'm trying to stay around $800-$1000 for my dress including alterations....do you think that is possbile at the suggested locations? 

    @Breezyec0311  My ceremony is at Emerald Greens Golf and Country Club in Carrollwood which is in Tampa, FL

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  • chescamchescam member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I bought my dress at Alfred Angelo in Tampa (off Dale Mabry)
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  • ltetidrickltetidrick
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Go to Bella Gente in Carrollwood.  Dresses there are in your price range.  I grew up in Carrollwood and trust me the dresses there will fit your look of Emerald Green CC....it is located in the same shopping center as Publix on the corner of Dale Mabry and Linebaugh.... :)

    Very nice people.  Check out Lizfields.com --this is one of the designers that they have.  I tried on some of these dresses that were only $600 and gorgeous. :)
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  • MrsReynolds12MrsReynolds12 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    @ breezy if you are asking me what my ceremony is that is the mirror lake lyceum. Good luck op!
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  • planetkariplanetkari
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I bought my dress at Jon's Bridal, and even though it's in a kind of shady part of town, the salon is nice and the staff were very courteous and professional.  I also had my alterations done there, and their prices were in line with what I expected.
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  • mitchsbridemitchsbride member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Even with the salesperson's inattention, I bought mine at David's bridal.  It did tick me off that I had to pay to have the dress shortened and then later found out I could have ordered it in petite.  I guess they forgot to mention that.

    I did not have them do the alterations though.
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  • rmjones6rmjones6 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Cindy at The White Closet is super nice. They have amazing dresses! 
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  • mandychampmandychamp member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Demetrios is more affordable than David's.  If you don't mind ordering a dress and then having the alterations done locally, preownedweddingdresses.com has amazing deals and designer dresses for under $600.  They even have some dresses in the $100-$200 range that are absolutely gorgeous.
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  • lynns0606lynns0606
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I agree that DB in Tampa can be a nightmare - especially on a weekend.  I bought mine there but after making an appointment on a weekday and then again later in the evening.  I worked w/ a great girl named Kelly.  She picked the dress that I ended up buying.  My alterations are being done by Daisy over in Brandon as others on this board recommended her.  I had a good experience at AA as well and Demetrious too.
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  • jennh516jennh516 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Olga's bridal in Tampa is also really nice.
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  • laurenellilaurenelli
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I was determined NOT to get my dress at David's Bridal...but promised my mom I would take a look and ended up buying one.

    First piece of advice: do not go on a Saturday...it's a zoo. They're open pretty late on weeknights, and if I had to do it over again I would have met my mom and people there after work one night. I discovered this when I went in for my alterations one night at 6:30 and the store was dead quiet and peaceful...the complete opposite of when I bought my dress.

    Second, I learned the hard way that most of the consultants really don't "consult" they pull the dresses you bring pictures of and that's about it. (Maybe my expecations were too high- I've probably watched way too much Say Yes to the Dress.) So if you plan on going, do a ton of research before hand and bring pictures/style numbers of all the dresses you would like to see. It was like pulling teeth to get them to show me stuff that they thought I might like based on what I had brought in, and my mom ended up telling the consultant what she wanted to see on me...which wasn't the best way to go about it.

    Lastly, brides beware...I don't know if this was just my experience or if it happens to everyone, but I noticed everyone from the sales staff to alterations would listen to my mother over me. I think they work on the assumption that the parents pay for everything, so if you have an overbearing parent you will REALLY need to speak up to get their attention and to make sure what you want is what happens.

    All of that being said, I found a gorgeous gown for about a third of the price I thought we would end up paying, and while the alterations price was a little steep, my gown was sewn beautifully and fits me PERFECTLY. I keep telling myself that while the experience wasn't what I had hoped for, the end result was exactly what I wanted.
     
    Good luck!
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