Small Boutique Versus David's Bridal

halfbreedfox

I was curious about the good and the bad versus a small bridal boutique compared to the larger chain boutiques like David's Bridal.

I recently just went out my first day shopping for a wedding dress and though I was impressed with some dresses, none of them felt the One Dress. I went to David's Bridal, since it is the only bridal store in my town. I'm a reasonable drive from a big city which has small local boutiques and was interested in what they offer.

So what is the experience from other Brides and their wedding dress shopping? Do you prefer small boutiques or bigger bridal chains? How are the price differences? How is the service?

And anything else you may have had from your experience.

Grits8812

Small boutiques carry designer dresses, and David's has their own gowns that aren't sold at anywhere but a David's store.  So it really depends on what you like and how much you are wanting to spend. 

I found a gown that I loved, for $2,400, and I couldn't justify spending that much money on a dress I would wear once, but David's had one I loved just as much for $800.

meganb1977

I do live in a major metropolitan area where I had many options, but found a dress at a sample sale at the third small boutique I went to.  David's Bridal has a big selection and they do have some lovely gowns and I was satisfied with my experience getting my attendants' dresses there except once when it was chaotic at our appointment time and we had to wait for an associate even though we were on the schedule.  It might be a good idea to check at least one or two of the small stores just so you're aware of your options, you could make a day trip out of it and try on dresses at one store in the morning, do lunch, and then try on dresses at another store in the afternoon.  I too found dresses I loved above my price range at the smaller stores and couldn't justify spending that much so didn't even try them on.

BeachLover2885

I think it's definitely worth going to a small boutique just to check out what they offer.  When I was looking for dresses, I only went to smaller shops and found that the sales associates were for the most part, very knowledgeable about style, fabric, shape, etc. Also, I didn't have a really high budget, and every dress that was pulled was well within my price range.

I have been to David's Bridal for a BM dress, and felt that the associates weren't as interested in us and overall weren't super helpful.  After we went into the dressing room to try on the dress, the sales ladies disappeared which I found strange because we were the only clients in the store. However, I know they would probably treat a bride better, but I have bought a BM dress at a boutique and felt the associates there were much more hands-on and helpful.  

I also think David's varies A LOT by store.  Some stores are raved about on here, and others are the opposite.  

AurorasEnvy

Small boutique for sure - generally thinking I think the service is better and the dresses are better made.  We went into a David's on a whim between BM dress shopping appointments - my BMs were not at all impressed with the quality and quite honestly their dresses weren't any cheaper than the ones we were looking at in other boutiques.  

I'm also a proponent of supporting small businesses.  I'd rather pay a little more (and have the luxury of being able to do that) to support a local boutique.  David's Bridal is the Walmart of wedding dresses - I know a lot of brides on here will take that as offensive, but I mean in the sense that David's Bridal is a national chain that sells so many units using cheaper materials that it can severely undercut other boutiques in the area on price.  Unfortunately at times this also means that the service may not be as great, because DBs isn't going to care if poor service means the loss of one dress sale, whereas the loss of one sale for a consultant at a boutique can be a much bigger deal.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31324765/ns/business-us_business/t/wal-mart-weddings/#.TyQI1VzVV2A

That being said, a lot of girls on here buy their dresses from David's and are totally happy with the product & the service.  Also (esp. with the current economy) a lot of brides simply can't afford to spend a lot on a wedding dress - besides buying a sample or a designer dress used online, DB might be the only store with dresses in their price range.  I think it just really depends on what your expectations are and your budget is - and like PP said, it may simply come down the matter of where you find "the one".  Good luck with the rest of your shopping =]

acaponi87

I ended up going to 3 stores before I bought.

1st was a small boutique. I wasn't especially thrilled about the selection and it was a little too pricey for me (but most girls LOVE it there) but the service was good.

I went to Davids next and did find one that I really liked for about $500. The service wasn't bad, but it wasn't really great. My consultant was helping 3 girls at once so we were basically on our own, which was okay but it would have been nice to have a little more help.

I went to one other place to try on a certain line of dresses that I was interested in once I had figured out what looked good on my body, etc. It was a small boutique and I absolutely loved it there! I worked directly with owner and she was wonderful. The price was good and they had a wonderful selection! 

I think a trip to DB's is usually worth it just because the selection and the prices. However to me, good customer service is HUGE and if I were to do it all over again, I'd probably skip it.

blgrout

I think my experience was backwards from everyone else.

I've seen very mixed service at different David's bridals.  I  had a stellar experience with them, picking out my dress and also picking out my BM dresses, but didn't have a great time when I was with my MOH picking out her wedding dress at David's last year (her consultant was horrible and didn't listen to what my MOH wanted AT ALL).  Both days I went into David's it was slow (both were Mondays), so I got great service.  (Added bonus: my consultant looked exactly like Megan from the movie "Bridesmaids".  Hilarious!)  I didn't pick from there because of budget necessarily, but I also didn't want to spend thousands on a dress that I will wear once. 


I did try to go to a small boutique locally, and was appalled at the service.  They asked me how long until my wedding, and when I told them 6 months, they laughed in my face and told me I was wasting their time because it takes 9-12 months to get a dress from them, so clearly I wasn't going to be able to buy from them unless I was willing to move my wedding date.

TNBride2012

My experience is more like blgrout, I've been to about 5 David's Bridals in TN, TX and IN (long story, found my dress which turned out to be new SIL's dress from last May, had to start over), and found very kind and helpful attendants at every store. I would definitely recommend them as a company, but it's probably best to go at a slower time, i. e. weekday/weekday night.

DiLynn83

Support small business!

kleslater

I also tried both. I had originally went into a local store because the closest Davids had horrible reviews on Yelp. But after seeing the average price of the gowns in the local store was around $2000, I thought I would try Davids, just to see. I am also very picky about customer service. I made an appointment, and didn't really know what kind of dress other than the siliouette that I wanted. The consultant went around the store pulling out dresses for me to try on. She was extremely helpful, which I needed since most of my family lives out of state, and I was pretty much on my own. Since she has followed up several times, making sure all is on track. My dress did take 16 weeks to come in. I was able to get in for a fitting right away, and am due to pick up my dress in a little over a month.

My MOH also had a great experience in a entirely different state, and she had to try on dresses being 8 months pregnant having no idea what size she will be in for the wedding! I would at least try them out, especially if you're on a budget. My dress was $499 on sale, and I got their card which is 6 months interest free.

Johan&Kimmie

I only went to David's when my sisters and I were shopping for their bm dresses.  The sales associate seemed nice enough, but we definitely felt like we were left hanging out to dry.  It was on a relatively slow day, but it was obvious she was jumping from one client to the other.  I actually felt sorry for the poor girl, she didn't seem to have very good multi-tasking skills.

In my bridal shopping I found that I preferred the local boutique experience.  My consultant, Sarah, was very good, knew her stuff, and made me comfortable; the atmosphere was extremely relaxed because they're a very small shop and literally only take one appointment per hour during weekdays so my mom, sisters and I were the only ones in the shop; the walls were pretty (it may seem like a small thing, but I found that the pretty, girly atmosphere really added to the experience as opposed to the more functional look of David's) and there was NO PRESSURE.  She even encouraged me to go home and sleep on it when she saw I was debating between two dresses.

Contrast that with, not David's Bridal, but a chain called Amanda's Bridal.  (I'm not sure, but I think they may just be a Colorado chain.)  At any rate, they're roughly comparable to David's.  The sales associate was very pushy and vocal about her opinion on the dresses I was trying on, without me asking her.  She talked more than my mom, sisters, and me all combined!  I know she's trying to make a sale, but sheesh!  She was also extremely business-like, I don't believe she even told me her name or asked mine.  Add to that the horrid purple and white decor, the huge, almost warehouse-ish feel, and I wanted nothing more than to get out of there ASAP.

Add to all that what PP's have mentioned about wanting to support local business and it seemed a no-brainer to me.  

random4180

I loved my DB shopping experience! I found my dress on one trip; I had a clear budget for my dress (<$500) and was able to find a dress that was originally $1250 for $449! My saleslady was super helpful and friendly and it was essentially what I wanted in my dress experience- no drawn out search, no pushy salespeople, something totally in my budget and something that totally fit what I wanted my gown to look like. I pretty much knew from the start that I'd probably be going there for my dress because of my budget and if I hadn't found what I was looking for on my first trip , there are a few other shops I'd have tried but I wouldn't have called any of them "small boutiques." Most places in NYC that might fall under that description really wouldn't have too much to offer a fuller figure lady with a $500 budget.

melntaitt

I absolutely believe in supporting local businesses as well and I was relieved that the dress I fell in love with was at Nancy's. Also, when it came to the WP dresses she offered to order their sizes for them to try because they weren't in the store. If they hated them, they can go as off the rack purchases. She really was very accomodating; the prices were excellent and she is chatty by nature but certainly not pushy. I hope you found your dress!

SheilaDancer43

I think it would be best to try both. I didn't go to DB so idk about the service, but I've heard great things, horrible things, and everything in between. My first appointment was a small boutique and I loved it there. They had a good selection of designers I liked (I chose that store because I knew I liked designers they had), and I was the only bride in the store for the first hour (I was there for about and hour and a half). They were friendly, and since it was just me in there, all of my consultant's attention was on me. I didn't end up buying my dress there, I got mine from Bridals by Lori in Atlanta, but the small boutique was a great experience, especially for my first time trying dresses on. I went to a store that I *assume* would be similar to DB in service. There were tons of dressing rooms, two 3-way mirrors, and people were every where. While my consultant was nice and helpful, she wasn't as personal as the small boutique, or even Bridals by Lori. I had to wait to get onto a pedestal in front of a mirror. It was too hectic and impersonal for me.

Starfish0116

I went to a smaller salon, but it wasn't really that high end. I mean, I had a consultant but she really didn't do anything (we pulled our own dresses, and my MOH helped me into them all). That being said, the dresses were more expensive than David's. I choose that place because in resarching online I didn't really see anything at David's that I even somewhat liked. I knew in my mind what I wanted  and I went to one salon that carried designers that met that criteria, and found my (Allure) dress. I didn't get outstanding customer service (really not any CS) but I was happy with my purchase.

After that we went to DB to look at BM dresses. We had medicore service, and seeing the other brides up on pedistals made me really glad I went where I went. Even there, I still didnt' really see anything that I was too excited about.

I think it all depends on the style of dress you want and your budget. I knew I wanted something fitted and lace. I also knew that DB had maybe 1-2 dresses in the style I wanted. Even if I ended up hating the style on me, I still wanted more options than that. Also, I'm a wedding photographer and I see the same dress every.single.time. It was important to me to get something a little different. 

kiki1978

I only went to David's Bridal. I really liked that I could save a bunch of favorites on their website and they pulled them out for me to try on when I got there.  My consultant was also great!  She was very honest about which dresses looked good and which ones weren't so flattering.  I understand going to a small boutique, but the prices are really high.  I got my dress for $600 and love it. They also have the Vera Wang White series if you want something more designer.

francienyc

I've been to DB's twice--for a bridesmaid dress (for myself) and then my wedding dress--two different branches.

For the BM dress I found the service ok, but not necessarily attentive.  This was in Westchester.  Yesterday, though, I went to the one in Westbury on Long Island, and they were absolutely great.  My consultant gave us enough space, but was also really helpful, and she was *great* about letting me try on tons of dresses even though I sort of knew from the first one that was it.  The store manager was also really great, and helped make sure I got what I wanted and offered helpful advice but only when we asked.  Everyone was really sweet and cheerful, and it wasn't the prettiest of places, but I was extremely happy.  I also have to say that my consultant got me discounts on absoultely everything I bought, and I got a gorgeous gown and veil and slip for a really reasonable price.

I did go to a smaller boutique and it was much more aesthetically pleasing, but the service was not that much better.  Also, I have to be honest--I just liked the gowns at DB better.  I had to think between three whereas at the boutique I only found one that I kind of liked.

ccollins327

I went to David's Bridal twice, and a small bridal consignment shop. The first time was TERRIBLE. We had made an appointment a few weeks in advanced, but when we got there they had to call up three different people until one could finally take us. He (I had a guy) just showed my my size area and then pretty much left. My MOH helped me carry all my dresses to the dressing room and helped to get them on. Our consultant would show up every once in awhile to tell me "nope, thats not the dress!" Thanks...

The second time I went was in a different state, and I had a lady and was her only client. She was super helpful and nice. She wasn't pushy, and I found a dress I liked for $300 it was on sample sale. To get it altered though (I'm only 5ft tall) the seamstress said it would be minimum $120, and prob a lot more because of the bustle. 

Then I went to the bridal consignment shop. It was a small place, and the owner is the only person who works there. They have designer dresses, but are used so they are not full retail price. The lady was super nice and helpful, and had a seamstress there to help and give opinions for things. I ended up getting my dress there for only $400, and am only paying $100 to get it hemmed, beading added to the top and back, bustle done, and back straps changed. Yeah!

LAMuehlen

maybe its just oregon, but i went to two small dress shops and davids bridal. the two small shops did nothing to help me. they picked out dresses for me that i said i did not want(i was being put into princessy, ball gowns long trains) nothing like the simple dresses i wanted. also they were way out of my price point and i felt rushed more by those shops to make a desicion than at davids bridal saying i had to buy my dress that day instead of taking some time to think about it.

Going to davids bridal was a breathe of fresh air. my consultant jillian took me through the racks only showed me dresses i was interested in and was in my price point and i could get in time for my june nuptuals. when it came down to two dresses i really loved they didnt pressure me into buying. they suggested i go out to lunch with my parents  and come back and let them know if i would be getting my dresss. I went back after lunch and got the dress i loved along with my wedding shoes(which i adore) and my under garments and bird cage veil.