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Where did you get your dress?

IALIAL member
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in Oregon
I've begun the hunt for the perfect dress. I went to Charlotte's last weekend and thought they were amazing, but didn't quite find "the one" yet. I was wondering where everyone bought they're dresses? My budget is around $1000, so I'm not looking for a super high end place. Thanks!
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Re: Where did you get your dress?

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    jennylee753jennylee753
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I went to Charlotte's twice because I loved them and desperately wanted to buy my dress from them.  However, I didn't see anything there that was THE dress.  Then I went to David's Bridal - big thumbs down.  Sucky service and everyone else gets their dresses there.  Third place I went was Bridal Exclusives in Clackamas.  Found THE dress.  It was $998.  Then I went online and found it for $718 with a free veil and free pair of shoes.  Big money saving tip - find your dress in the boutique and then buy it online.
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    andij1616andij1616 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    JennyLee753, if you don't mind my asking, where online did you purchase your dress? I found a dress that I like at Charlotte's as well, and would love to buy it online for cheaper. TIA
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    IALIAL member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Good advice!! I too want to avoid Davids Bridal at all costs because of the bad service my SIL got. I think I'll check out Bridal Exclusives. And, yes, please do tell where online you found your dress!
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    jennylee753jennylee753
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got my dress at Best Bridal Prices.com  So it's just www.bestbridalprices.com They have a lot of things on there including bridesmaids dresses so you could look there for those too.  They way I found that site was just Google-ing the designer and style number.  Another place I hear is good to check is www.pearlsplace.com
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    reddy123reddy123 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I also got terrible service from David's bridal, sheesh! Some of the other knotties just rave about DB..... I ended up getting mine at Charlotte's.
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    DramaGeekDramaGeek member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    nearly 8 years ago (gulp) I bought my dress from Bridal Exclusives.  At that time, Dee's Studio in Gresham was also a great place to go, so you might look there.I always hear bad things about David's, and have helped perpetuate the poor reputation myself, but we bought SIL's  dress there and we had great service.  However, we planned her wedding in 3 weeks and were looking for a dress off the rack with no alterations needed, so we only dealt with them for a couple of days.
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    ngiguerengiguere member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I went to Ania Bridal on Washington and 4th in Portland. It was the first place I went, and I found my dress after about an hour of trying them on. I recommend making an appointment with Rachel, who is the consultant who helped me. She's VERY open to all of your opinions, wants, likes, dislikes. She is fantastic about helping you into all of the dresses without making you feel "watched" and really insightful. She never pushes her opinion. Anyway, I had an amazing experience, and every time I've called back with questions, Rachel treats me like I'm a close relative. It seems like she has every single detail of my dress and order and measurements committed to memory! My experience there was amazing and I would highly recommend Ania's to anyone looking for a fabulous dress shopping experience! Even if you don't find "the one" in that shop, it's a dress hunting experience worth having, for sure.
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    mayflymanitoumayflymanitou
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I bought my dress from David's on sale and off the rack and couldn't have been happier with the experience.  I made my appointment for a weekday evening, brought all my girls with me to help pull dresses, and we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.  I could see where their "warehouse" feel would be a turn off for some, but I was on a budget and didn't really care about all that.  I wanted a dress and didn't want to spend a month's salary to get it.  David's more than met my needs.
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    tiffgriffin7tiffgriffin7
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I also got my dress at Ania Bridal and loved my experience there. I think I may have had Rachel too, blond hair?? Haha. I went there during a sample sale this summer (amazing!) I got my dress that was originally $900 for $220! They don't even have dresses that price at DB's. It fits me perfectly so I only need to get it hemmed and cleaned. You do get really great service there too. I just happened upon it while shopping with a friend so I didn't have an appointment but they were still really nice and helpful (I would make an appt though if you are going on the weekend). I found my dress after about an hour too.I went to the Silver Lining which is right next to Ania's and they have a lot of great dresses. Many of them are around 1000. Good luck!
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    jpink2jpink2 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got my dress at Bridal Exclusives in Clackamas.  Rebecca was my consultant and she was amazing.  They have great dresses there.  I also really enjoyed my experience at Ania, they were fantastic.  I just didn't find 'the one" there.
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    ngiguerengiguere member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I know I already posted about Ania, But Rachel from Ania's just recently sent me a hand written thank-you card with a fabric sample from my dress! I told her I was hoping to coordinate the ivory and lace into my other wedding decor, and completely forgot I mentioned it to her. She's so thoughtful! Anyway, once again, I can't recommend Ania's enough. Here is their information if you decide you'd like to go there: 419 SW 4th Ave Portland, OR 97204 tel 503-796-9170 www.aniacollection.com Good luck finding your gown!
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    CaliopeSpidrmanCaliopeSpidrman
    First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I got mine online from [url]www.juliusbridal.com[/url].  It was a much smaller operation back then, and everything was super cheap.  It's a bit spendier now, but they can create whatever you want if you just don't find a dress that makes your heart skip a beat.  Other girls who used them have asked them to use the top of one dress, the bottom of another dress, and specified what sort of beating and fabric to use. 
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    "That chick wins at Penises, for sure." -- Fenton
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    pdxmousepdxmouse
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got mine at Lena Medoyeff. She's a local designer with a studio on 23rd. I think most of her dresses are in your price range, mine was $600 after alterations a few years ago. Ducks featured some dresses (including mine) on her blog: http://prosttothehost.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/wedding-dress-wednesday-lena-medoyeff/
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    "The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab

    Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG." I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
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    pdxmousepdxmouse
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    edited December 2011
    Clicky: [url]http://prosttothehost.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/wedding-dress-wednesday-lena-medoyeff/[/url]
    image

    "The meek shall inherit the earth" isn't about children. It's about deer. We're all going to get messed the fuckup by a bunch of cloned super-deer.- samfish2bcrab

    Sometimes I wonder if scientists have never seen a sci-fi movie before. "Oh yes, let's create a super species of deer. NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG." I wonder if State Farm offers a Zombie Deer Attack policy. -CaliopeSpidrman
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    desareee619desareee619
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got my dress at The Silver Lining in Portland. There is a paid parking lot right across the street, so that's nice. It just kind of sucks that you have to pay to park - such is Portland.I suggest making an appointment for sure. They were very busy the first time I went in there, even with an appointment, and I almost left without getting a dress because I was so pissed. But they have such a good selection and I got my dress almost half off. so that was pretty sweet.
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    Samantha CedergrenSamantha Cedergren
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I also went to Ania's in Portland and had a great experience.  I didn't buy my dress there but it was definitely up there on my list to recommend.  I ended up buying mine at The Silver Lining just down the street from Ania's.  I loved that store.  Very spacious.  Great selection (they're also having a sale right now ;D).  And they let me try dresses on when I first walked in.  They also do hand made jewelry and customed jewelry if you want a certain pendant on your necklace. I would highly recommend both places.  They made the dress search fun instead of a work out. 
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    DruckermDruckerm member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I went to The Bridal Gallery in Salem. It is a bit of a drive but was well worth it. They are the only people in Oregon who had the dress I wanted to try on and had the most selection of any great shop. The atmosphere and employees were amazing.
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    missymoo2missymoo2
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If all the brides "go to the Boutiques" to try on the dresses, and then go online to byt them...soon there will be no stores for you all to try on any gowns. They will all be out of business!! I would prefer to do do my gown shopping locally. At least I would have a recourse if anything went wrong.
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    petrieampetrieam
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I went to Bridal Exclusives and had a terrible experience! When I walked in not one person said hello or any other word to me. There were 5 different people working and one at the front desk and no one offered to help me, so I turned around and left after being there for 10 minutes! I then went to Charlotte's. It was AMAZING!!!! i had a one on one appointment and had a big room. My heler-Jackie-was great. She asked me what styles i liked and didn't and if there was anything i had in mind already. I told her everything and then she came back with a ton of dresses she thought i would like and she was right.....I liked all of them but the first one I tried on, one I found online that i loved was also her choice for me...she had it there and it was the first one i tried on and it was THE ONE! the service is outstanding...they even gave me a little 'stay on track-wedding timeline' to help with planning. By buying the wedding gown there you also get a discount on bridesmaid dresses, tuxedos, invitations, and alterations there. They even called the following monday and confirmed the arrangements for the dress i ordered and wanted to know if i needed help with anything else. They were by far the best service I have ever had! My mother was with me and too thought that Charlotte's was a fantastic place and had the best service we have experienced.... I definitely recommend going there!! I have seen some say they are overpriced.....but my dress was actually less than i thought it would be. I would have easily paid more...My dress was just under 1200$, Maggie Sottero "Benecia"- the lacework and extreme detail was definitely worth the price!
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    LizInPDXLizInPDX member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got mine at Lena Medoyeff--highly, highly recommended!
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    bugsincamasbugsincamas
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am going to The Heathman Hotel on Nov. 21 I registered on line at portland/pwg.com and they are giving away a 1800.00 dress from AniA bridal  and all other prizes engagement photos  grooms rings and a honeymoony i just found out  about it from my moms friend
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    Mrs2DUCKSinLOVEMrs2DUCKSinLOVE
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I got mine at Kleinfeld's. Have you tried Rosewood, Tower, English Department, Silver Lining and the new Magnifique? I am headed to Magnifique next Saturday with a bride. I'll post back how it is.
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    schatzibotschatzibot member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If I had bought one form a PDX shop, it would have been from Charlotte's. The thing is, my first visit there was ho-hum; they were nice, but I didn't try on anything I loved. Before leaving, Suzanne (she's so great!) had me describe some designers, dresses, and sites I liked, and when we came back the next week, she had an amazing selection for me to try on, based on my information and feedback from the first session.
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    twoliv4twoliv4 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Hi,

    This is a random thing to ask, but I have been looking EVERYWHERE for a gently used Benecia gown.  If you are interested in selling yours, please email me.  I live in Seattle, and cannot seem to find one that I can afford.

    Thank you so much,
    Elise
    twoliv4@aol.com
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