Let's talk about dresses!!!!

EllenG27

I haven't started looking yet but I'm curious as to where all you Des Moines brides got your dresses!! Include a picture too just for fun
I realize there are good and bad experiences at every place but let's try to keep it positive - the dress is the best part right?!?
This is one of my favorites so far, just from looking in magazines and online:
http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm/Bridal/Additional/Style-8850
Love it!!

kwelder1

I went to david's bridal in Clive. Very good experience.I'll send a link of my dress. I opted to not have the sash... It's not a look that i like.

my dress, I love the back of it!!!

http://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_Allover-beaded-corded-lace-A-line-gown.-CT2406

klovesd

I also got mine at David's Bridal. I mainly went there for the prices- I didn't want to spend over $700 on my dress. The service was pretty average when I went for my dress, it was terrible when we went for my BM's dresses. If you want good service go somewhere else.

JenniferC2010

I don't have mine yet but I'm looking at www.romanticgowns.com for my purchase. They have a store in OH, that I'm considering driving to in September to try on the dress I have my eye on. 

Here's the dress I'm dreaming of:

http://sites.google.com/site/johnandjennifer2011/attire

julieheffling

I went to Schaffer’s, and worked with Tasha Mart.  AMAZING service.  She 100% listened to what we were doing (wedding in Hawaii, and formal reception in DSM), and pretty much found my dress for me.  They are a bit pricy with the alterations though, depending on the dress.  I was really nervous about having a normal seamstress do the alterations, especially the hem, so I ended up going with Schaffer's and they did a great job.  I chose a Pronovias dress, starting price was about $1150, but after negotiation with Schaffer's, they were able to come down under $1000.  Here's a pretty good photo of me in the dress, and then a link to the Pronovias photo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brookenp/4633474011/in/set-72157623998456439/

http://img5.yfrog.com/img5/3797/dango2.jpg

http://www.smartbrideboutique.com/media/user_images/17_57_3_59872__.jpg

I did try David's Bridal first, and did not have a very good experience with them, so we went looking elsewhere.  I was really expecting Schaffer's to have a much more expensive selection, but overall if you stay out of the couture dresses, it's actually pretty comparable in price, plus you can't beat their service!

Lil Lar

We went to the Perry Bridal Boutique in Perry, IA. Its a little ways from DSM but I would recommend that shop to anyone!!! Its a smaller place but they have soo many dresses to choose from, and the manager Tanya is just AMAZING to work with! I can't think of a single negative thing to say about the bridal boutique and they have a huge range of prices there too!  This is the dress I ended up getting, I am so in love with it!

http://www.allurebridals.com/index.php?id=3&product_id=68

FutureMrsThys

I went to David's Bridal, but to the one in Cedar Rapids, because I have had 3 friends go to the one in Clive and have bad experiences, it was usually to the Bridesmaids after the initail visit was over, If the bride wasn't thier the BM's were treated awful, and they are just not as nice as the ladies in CR.

juldar09

I also got mine at Davids Bridal. My experience there wasn't that great either. Not trying to be negative, but being honest. I felt very rushed and like I was asking WAY too much of the associate when I wanted to try on more than 3 dresses. I got my flower girl dress from them but only because it matched mine. We did not get the bridesmaid dresses from there. I put my dress on layaway and each time I went in to make a payment, I checked in at the desk inside the front door, and then I had to wait for a long time for anyone to help me at the counter. And I didn't understand why...there were sales associates there both times. Anyway, I am going in for my first alterations appt Thurs, so we will see how that goes.

mishy112

I also went to David's Bridal in Clive for my dress. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had heard mixed things about it, but I had a pretty good experience overall. My consultant was Sarah K. & she was really helpful.

Julie, we also got married in Hawaii in May and are having a local reception here in a few weeks!

mishy112

Oh, since I don't think anyone mentioned it, there is Bridal Connections in Ankeny. No idea what the experience is like there though.

ebagnall

I went to Stacey's in Des Moines.  It was amazing, the ladies were very nice and I absolutely love my dress.  I would definitely recommend them to anyone else, I don't really have anything bad to say about them.  Good luck!

EllenG27

Thanks ladies! It's fun to see where people went! I plan on going to Schaffer's and if needed, to the Bridal shop in Perry. My future sister-in-law is also engaged and she lives in Perry and got her dress in Perry. I don't even know my budget yet, but I love looking at dresses in magazines

iluvbeagles09

I went to Davids in Cedar Rapids. When I first went it was AWESOME the girl who helped me had been there for like three years but it was her last week there the dress I liked was online and I had to pay for it if I wanted to try it on. I did and I loved it! They were not so great when I went back to pick up my dress. It seemed as if they had already made the sale and werent interested in helping.

I dont have a good pic but its a strapless mermaid ivory dress with a sweetheart neckline. It has beading on the top and bottom the best part it was only 300!

My thoughts are as long as you have dress your happy with and its at the price you want then good service would be a HUGE bonus! But not something you have to have! I hope this helps

ejweed

Definately Schaffers!! The only place I went to, I worked with Lissa, she knew exactly what I had pictured in my head, It was the third dress I tried on, LOVE IT! My dress was 1200, but if you buy it the day you first try it on they give  10% off. GREAT SERVICE. LOVE this store.