Starting the wedding dress shopping experience nxt week: advice?

course11

Hello all!

Next week, my mom is flying out to Boston to go wedding dress shopping with me. I assume that I should make a bunch of appointments at different shops, but so far my list only includes these:

-David's Bridal (do I *need* an appt here?)
-VOWS in Watertown
-Priscilla of Boston

That last one may be laughable because my budget is about $1000. But I am hoping to buy off the rack and maybe find a steeply discounted gown.

Any other places I should be sure to visit?

Other advice for a new gown shopper? Thanks so much!!

SweetPea1126

I can only help with David's Bridal.  If you're going on the weekend, then you should definitely make an appointment, it gets crazy in there!  If you're going during the week I don't think you necessarily need to make one, but I did go one day during the week and it was sorta busy so it may be a good idea to make one anyway.. HTH! & Good Luck!

Starmusica

I ended up going to Marry and Tux in Nashua. Its not far from boston and theres no sales tax. You definitely need an appointment there though. They are always slammed.

FutureMrsJRoberts

I had my Mom fly in too and we hit up a bunch in a weekend - definitely make appointments - but allow time for a quick break/drink/snack in between - it's tiring!

I really liked Christina's in Andover - mainly because it was one of the few places where you got to actually see the dresses yourself, they give you like 6 rings and you can tag the dresses you want to try on. PLus they have an under $X and over $X room so you could stay out of the super expensive room if you have a budget.

Madeline's Daughter in Portsmouth was awesome, they bring the dresses to you but they have a huge selection.

My friend who is getting married in May (kind of last minute) said she had an amazing experience at Pure Bliss in Newburyport and her dress is really unusual. I don't know what there prices are like

And what about jcrew? I think they have the actual wedding dresses in their Chestnut Hill store?

Good luck!

snoangel79

I got my dress in Portsmouth NH at Madeline's Daughter it was $1,600, I was willing to pay up to $5k for the right dress (she brought me things that I liked way under that price range). They have a large selection, I am sure you can find something around $1k.

vtbm

I got mine at Bride 'n' Belle in Medford. She's a bit expensive but has a TON of stuff. I also took my mom to Precious Memories in Malden last weekend and was poking through the gowns while she was trying stuff on and they had a good selection under $1000. Good luck!

Areden

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_massachusetts-boston_starting-wedding-dress-shopping-experience-nxt-week-advice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:89Discussion:747942c6-3e66-4d83-88c8-099292c5311aPost:0cc17630-f79c-462e-b8db-e903aa9a4bb2">Re: Starting the wedding dress shopping experience nxt week: advice?</a>:
[QUOTE]I had my Mom fly in too and we hit up a bunch in a weekend - definitely make appointments - but allow time for a quick break/drink/snack in between - it's tiring! <strong>I really liked Christina's in Andover - mainly because it was one of the few places where you got to actually see the dresses yourself, they give you like 6 rings and you can tag the dresses you want to try on. PLus they have an under $X and over $X room so you could stay out of the super expensive room if you have a budget.</strong> Madeline's Daughter in Portsmouth was awesome, they bring the dresses to you but they have a huge selection. My friend who is getting married in May (kind of last minute) said she had an amazing experience at Pure Bliss in Newburyport and her dress is really unusual. I don't know what there prices are like And what about jcrew? I think they have the actual wedding dresses in their Chestnut Hill store? Good luck!
Posted by FutureMrsJRoberts[/QUOTE]

I loooved Cristina's!  Where I got my dress!  They're so sweet there, and their dresses are gorgeous.

Re: advice -- don't have any expectations.  Don't expect yourself to cry when you find "the one," don't expect to find it on your first try but also don't expect that you'll need to try 10 stores to find the perfect dress either.  My dress was only the 6th I tried on, and I've never found another dress I like better!!   Just enjoy the experience, wedding dress shopping was THE BEST part of wedding planning so far.<img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" />

course11

Wow, thank you all! I'm glad my mom will be here for a week, thus giving us a few weekdays to avoid the crowds... and I'm also glad I have a flexible job and can take the time off to do it!

Exciting - and thank you again!

goldiegirl423

Depending on what part of MA you are going to be in, Gianni's in Stoneham is great.  They have a great selection of dresses, and the prices are really great.  But, definitely call for an appointment, cause they can get busy. Their webpage is www.giannabridal.com.

Have fun!!!

noodle_oo

I'll give the stores I liked a plug:

Camilla's in Arlington:  I found my dress here!  They don't have a huge selection, but they are very sweet and they have beautiful dresses.  Mine was $800, they range up to about $2K.  Very busy on weekends, but probalby not bad on a weekday, but you still need an appt.

Precious Memories in Malden:  They were awesome!  They had a lot of selection for me under $1K and the experience was great!

Have fun!  It took me *forever* to find the perfect dress!  Some people are fast and find it the first time out, it took me several weeks and 10 different stores.  Everyone is different!  And definitely don't feel pressured to make a decision quikcly.  I had to go back and visit my dress twice before I was ready to buy it.  it is good to sleep on it to be sure it is the one.  and I didn't cry or get super emotional, I just knew it was perfect and I was ready to buy. 

have fun!

ARez726

Most shops are sooooo packed on the weekends, if you have the opportunity to go during the week, I would just do that!  It will be much more enjoyable and less hectic.

CCBelle

At PoB, you may want to lie about your budget - if you want to try on a lot of dresses, that is!  I told them my budget was $2,500, and they only found about 6 for me to try on that fit the description I was looking for (which was pretty standard).  Looking back, I should have said 5-7K - just to try on different styles!

For what it's worth, I found my dress at Ana Hernandez on Newbury.  I have heard that she may be on maternity leave, though, but I'm not positive.

Most importantly, relax and have fun!!

Karen's MOH

I also recommend Precious Memories in Malden. It's not the nicest looking shop from the outside (especially if you come straight from Priscilla, like I did!) but almost everything in there was under $1000. I'd have an idea of what you are looking for before going in there though, otherwise it could be overwhelming. Lots and lots of Maggie Sottero and Casablanca.

I LOVED Country Weddings in Hingham. A little out of the way from Boston, but they had a great selection, and the lady who helped me started picking out dresses for me immediately that were just what I wanted. I don't know how many they have under $1000, so it would be worth asking before making the drive.

I went to Priscilla and the experience was great, but they were pricey.

As for advice, don't space your appointments too close together. I made that mistake and it was really stressful running late and rescheduling all day, which made the process less fun. Also take traffic into consideration. I've lived in Boston 2 years and I still expected travel time to be what google maps said-- it was way longer. Wear a good strapless bra and underwear you are ok with the sales lady, and maybe your mom, seeing you in! Have an idea of what you like in mind, but be open to try on different styles. I ended up getting pretty much what I expected, but I also liked styles I never thought I would.

JBs_Bride

Ditto Karen'sMOH on Country Weddings. I tried on a couple of Jim Hjelm dresses there and they were so nice even though I was just looking and not commiting on buying a dress that day.

I bought my dress from Sabella Couture. They only carry two lines (Enzoani and Simone Carvalli), but they also make custom dresses.

jkepros

Have fun!!! 

Keep expectations low--less stress that way!  Try on dresses in lots of styles if you don't already have something in mind, and if you DO have something in mind, you should still try on some other styles just in case (I knew exactly the dress I wanted before I went in there, and tried it on first...but then tried on a bunch more just to be sure...and after comparing it to other dresses EVERYONE there--my mom & all the sales ladies and other brides--all said the first dress was perfect for me.  I didn't buy that day--but went back & bought it on sale.)

And definitely shave your legs and wear a cute bra & panties that you don't mind people seeing you in (i.e. not a thong!).

And don't forget to post to tell us all about your experience!!

jay10

yea i also got my dress in bride n belle, medford.....its the smaller shops that have better deals I think rather than Boston or chain shops! check out ones near where you live.....i never thought i would find my dress there.  i got a great deal as it was a sample that was discontinued!

opalsky007

Hi! I'm a VOWS bride, so I hope you have a good time there!

What's very helpful about VOWS (on top of the beautiful gowns at great prices) is that their gowns are organized by silhouette, so if it's your first time shopping, you can pull from each silhouette to get an idea of what you like. Try on anything that catches your eye, because it's so hard to translate what you see on a rack into what it will look like on you.

A few tips on how it "works", since it's not your usual bridal store: if you find something you like, you'll put down a deposit and get a few days to think it over while it gets dry cleaned. If you change your mind, you can always apply that deposit toward another gown. If you decide to take it, it's yours as-is, because they don't repair any damage to beading, etc, so look over the dress carefully. If there's a stain that can't be cleaned out after dry-cleaning, they may offer you an even deeper discount (I got $100 off for a teeny spot on the train). Also, since they have a huge stock, it wouldn't hurt to take a peek at their website, bridepower.com, to see what you might like to try on.

Have fun!

StaceyC828

Woohoo exciting! You will def need an appointment for Vows.  The place is great but be ready to dig through!   I got my dress at Pure Bliss in Newburyport and LOVE that place, also need an appointment there.  My dress was under $1000, including alterations!  I was drawn in by their $

Advice - even if you fall in love with the first gown you put on, try on 10 more and leave the store, just in case.  It's fun to try on more, and you can always go back if it was true love   AND, you won't waste deposit money like I did

laura030

You might want to try Occasions Bridal in Wayland. It was super calm and the salespeople were really nice. I went there specifically because they sell the Watter line which I love. Watters makes a lower prices Wtoo line that is similar and a lot are under $1000 (I had the same budget in mind as you.) I actually saw a dress I loved online (Wtoo Natalia) and since they don't normally carry the Wtoo dresses, she had it sent from their headquarters for me to try on, along with a couple others, I think it took about a week to come in, and it was the one I bought!

Have a great time!!! 

greengal24

I second Marry & Tux in Nashua! Definetly need an appointment!  I'm going tomorrow to put a deposit down on my dress! My budget was $1000 also and they have a ton of selections! They sales girls are super nice and sweet! They also give you rings, so you go around and get to go through all the dresses and put rings on the ones you want to try on.  After I tried on those 5 I told the sales girl to put me in whatever she thinks I'll look good in and her first pick was My dress!  Something I would not have choosen for myself in a million years!  My mom started crying the minute I had it on.  She picked the winner!  I tried on a bunch of dresses after that dress there and a couple other places but went back to that dress!

 I would definetly try on as many dresses as you can before deciding on one dress! It doesn't hurt to try, its fun, and you will definetly know it's your dress once you can compare to a bunch of others. I would definetly buget an hour and a half at least at each place too!  Have fun!!

~Tuck~

I did not purchase my dress in Boston, but as far as advice goes, enjoy the experience!  It's a very special time, don't try to rush through it.  Take the time to really take it all in.  You don't have to buy the first thing that you try on, and don't be afraid to shop around.  I wish you luck!

soxgal12

Another Bride n' Belle girl here!  I thought the selection there was HUGE and I loved that they just let you go through the entire room of dresses and just grab whichever ones you wanted to try on.  The dressing rooms are not the greatest, but I thought the prices, service, and selection was amazing!  I got my BMs dresses there as well.  The came in 2 weeks ago, 1 month earlier than expected and my dress came in last week which was like 6 weeks earlier than expected.  Can't say enough good things about them. 

kfay707

I'm a VOWS bride as well. I ended up going on a Saturday on a whim w/ my mom and found the dress and bought it that day. HOWEVER, I wouldn't recommend going there on a Saturday. They don't take appointments on Saturdays - it's walk in only and it's a little nuts. We got there early and it wasn't too bad when we started, but they only let you take 5 dresses in at a time and when I wanted to try on a second round of gowns, I had to wait like 15 minutes for a dressing room. It was just a little overwhelming with so many people there.

When I went  to pick up my dress, I went on a weekday and it was like night and day - much calmer and way fewer people because it's by appointment only. Good luck!

amccarthy3

Another VOWS bride here! I also went there on a whim after going to about 4 other places in one day. We got there around 3:30 on a Saturday and it wasn't too busy (when I went to pick it up this past Sat it was much busier). The ladies there are so nice and didn't seem pushy about making a sale which made me feel much more at ease. 

I went in expecting to have that moment when you know it's the dress, like you see on TV but didn't. I wish that was something people had let me kow before haha. Also I would suggest trying on different silhouettes. I ended up with a dress that I love but different than what I had pictured. Good luck!

megandjay

You got  lots of advice for bridal salons, in general I would say to wear a white strapless bra and underwear that you feel comfortable having your Mom and a lady from the shop see you in. Some places have shoes, but you might want to bring your own heels (that are easy to slip on/off).

smilecrazy8

I'm interested in hearing what you found out! I've been to David's Bridal several times now and have yet to find a dress. I'm on a pretty strict budget and have had a hard time finding cheaper dresses anywhere else. But my budget is $400. It sounds like I shouldn't even look at POB. Would I be able to find something in my price range at VOWS or Precious Memories or even Bride n Belle? Is there any other place that would have cheaper dresses that you've found closer to Boston?

course11

Thanks so much for all of the advice! I have been to six places, and I think I've found THE ONE!!!

I started w/ David's Bridal and found one I really liked - a halter top with a unique back for $650. Mom was tempted to say "let's quit now" but since I had 8 more appointments on the schedule for the rest of the week, I said no way.

We went to Bride 'n' Belle and Precious Memories yesterday, and I found 2-3 at each that I really liked. To my surprise, strapless gowns look great on me, as do trumpet/mermaid silhouettes and lots of ruching (sp?).

Today continued with Christina's in Andover (the only place where I didn't find anything I really liked), Pure Bliss in Newburyport (I liked several there by the Something Blue designer), and Madeleine's Daughter...where after trying 4-5 gowns on, I stepped into a Jacquelin and about fell over in surprise that I absolutely loved it - diamond white and all (I've been trying on only ivory and champagne colors). It's strapless with a trumpet silhouette and a pick-up skirt around the bottom, with diagonal ruching throughout the bodice. I may get two different sashes to wear with it - one simple buttercream colored one for the ceremony (so as not to compete with the flowers) and a blingy, beady, gorgeous sash for the reception. It's a little bit couture, but within budget. (Well, okay, the fancy sash would put me way over budget, but now I get why people say 'yes to the dress' and screw their finances!)

I was prepared not to have the "moment" where I knew I'd found the one...and in fact, I had been happy with several gowns already... but the Jacquelin just blew them all out of the water. I still have 3 appointments tomorrow (Priscilla of Boston, VOWS, and Camilla's) but I don't expect to find anything better. Today, wearing the gown, was also the first time I got incredibly excited about the wedding itself - I'm excited to be marrying my fiance, but the day has now taken on a special-ness because of the dress. Dang, I've become one of those blushing brides!!

So thanks again.

Smilecrazy - I don't know how much help I can be - because my budget is $1000, all but two or three dresses I've tried on were over $500. The 2-3 that were $250-300 were at David's Bridal. You might consider looking on eBay & craigslist; or look for $600-ish dresses for which you might buy the sample size with a steep discount. Good luck!!