Dress shopping suggestions?

TCbride1 · November 2011

Hi everyone! Happy Monday (ugh)

I'm trying to plan out my week/weekend of dress shopping. The only place I've gone was David's Bridal, to kinda break the ice & get a feel for the styles I like.

I thought about going to Wedding Shoppe, Mary Kay Bridal in SLP & Bridal Accents Couture.
Does anyone have any favorite places? Tips for what to bring or what each place is like?

Thank you!!

khornbach · November 2011

I love Raffine in Stillwater. The owner was so sweet and was going to open the shop early to let me show a potential dress to my dad.

My dress was from L'Atelier Couture. They sell the best designers in the Twin Cities, and the sales ladies are all top notch.

hippolover · November 2011

I went to Brides on France. They have a few locations. I went to Edina (DIDN'T like it. The dressing rooms are super small, you can't take pictures, and the staff wasn't friendly). Then I went to the one in Richfield b/c I was looking for a preowned wedding gown to save money. That was the complete opposite! The store owner helped me. Its spacious, and everyone was super friendly. I am unsure if they have new dresses but if you are interested in a preowned wedding dress I HIGHLY suggest this place.

The only tip I recommend that I had wished I had done was not bought a hair piece or vail. You can get them so much cheaper online. I def. over paid for my stuff

.

GL and have fun!

trixie549 · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_dress-shopping-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:81Discussion:efbed982-ced6-4657-92d6-8086bd9232b8Post:dd210bb9-2341-4bf6-8e48-5dd3aa701701">Re: Dress shopping suggestions?</a>:
[QUOTE]I went to Brides on France. They have a few locations. I went to Edina (DIDN'T like it. The dressing rooms are super small, you can't take pictures, and the staff wasn't friendly). Then I went to the one in Richfield b/c I was looking for a preowned wedding gown to save money. That was the complete opposite! The store owner helped me. Its spacious, and everyone was super friendly. I am unsure if they have new dresses but if you are interested in a preowned wedding dress I HIGHLY suggest this place. The only tip I recommend that I had wished I had done was not bought a hair piece or vail. You can get them so much cheaper online. I def. over paid for my stuff :(. GL and have fun!
Posted by hippolover[/QUOTE]

I totally disagree. I loved my experience at Brides of France in Edina and, although I didn't end up purchasing my dress there, I would highly recommend them to anyone. I was the only customer in the store and had both sales women fussing over me and bringing me dresses - I felt like a queen!

I also had a great experience at The Wedding Shoppe, where I did purchase my dress. Ask for Jackie - she was great to work with.

And I definitely agree about veils and accessories - they're highly overpriced at bridal shops. I got a veil for $14.99 on eBay that is exactly identical in look and quality to a veil that was $175 at The Wedding Shoppe!

Cackle6 · November 2011

The consultants at The Wedding Chapel in Crystal are awesome! I loved it there. I didn't try on wedding dresses with them, as I got my dress in Philly, but I've gotten 2 BM dresses from them, and we went there to try on dresses with my BMs. They were super nice and very helpful with everything, and they even let me try on my dress so we could could see what all the BM's dresses looked like with mine. Their prices also seemed very reasonable, and had I not purchased my dress in Philly I would have probably purchased it from them.

I tried on wedding dresses at The Wedding Shoppe. It was an ok experience. The consultant was nice, but didn't seem very interested. The main reason it was an ok expereience is because I had my girls with me.

My SIL had a horrible time with Heartstrings Bridal. They were fine for trying on dresses, but once they had her money, the management was terrible to her. So I would say it's a great place to try on dresses, but I would go elsewhere for purchasing, and for sure go elsewhere for alterations - their seamstress did a TERRIBLE job on my SIL's dress. Oh, and they also made her order up 2 sizes even though the sample fit her perfectly, and of course it had to be taken in 2 sizes. Not cool.

bethanynic87 · November 2011

My sister got her dress at the Wedding Shoppe. We went on a Saturday morning and it was crazy busy. They don't have very big dressing rooms either so she could only bring a couple people with her. But other than that the staff was super nice and they seemed to have a lot of selection!

colstj1 · November 2011

I got my dress from the Wedding Shoppe. For wedding dress shopping they were great. They do have a limit of how many people you can bring and the space overall is a little limited, but my consultant was amazing and found the perfect dress for me! I had so much fun. Just don't go through them for bridesmaids dresses. I had a horrible time with my girls there with horrible customer service. Then when I went to pick up my dress they once again had horrible customer service. I am still glad I found my dress, but almost wish I would have found it somewhere else after the way they treated me picking up my dress. They even forgot to pack my sash when they packaged up my dress for me to go home. So the next day I had to drive out about a half hour to go pick that up.

KateJ10 · November 2011

I went to 3 places- Bridal Accents Couture, Che Bella, and the Wedding Shoppe. Of those 3, I by far had the best experience at BAC and ended up buying my dress from there. Going there was my favorite part of the whole planning process, I hope you like it as much as I did, if you do end up going:)

wittyschaffy · November 2011

I got my dress at the Wedding Shoppe and had a great experience. I wouldn't personally recommend their alterations department after my experience there.

Bring - a strapless bra

open minded people who are going to support you, not trash talk you

a hair clip or binder if you know you want to have your hair up when you say I do

a little research regarding what your main style points are for gowns but go with an open mind if the consultant wants you to try on something out of your comfort zone. They might be on to something you hadn't considered but will look great

quincygirl77 · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_dress-shopping-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:81Discussion:efbed982-ced6-4657-92d6-8086bd9232b8Post:063d20e1-ca20-4084-9185-915a856303be">Re: Dress shopping suggestions?</a>:
[QUOTE]I went to 3 places- Bridal Accents Couture, Che Bella, and the Wedding Shoppe. Of those 3, I by far had the best experience at BAC and ended up buying my dress from there. Going there was my favorite part of the whole planning process, I hope you like it as much as I did, if you do end up going:)
Posted by KateJ10[/QUOTE]

<div>A huge second for Bridal Accents, I had a great experience there too. Not sure what your budget is but it can be pretty pricey, so you can always keep your eyes out for their sample sales. </div><div>
</div><div>I also agree on not buying headpieces right away. There are so many cheaper options than what the bridal salons sell, my seamstress actually ended up making mine for next to nothing!</div>

plum10 · November 2011

I got my dress at Wedding Shoppe. I highly suggest a weekday AM and I highly suggest bringing no more than 3 people because too many opinions are always bad. I liked it there, the setting is nice and the options are endless with very reasonable prices.

I went to Mary Kay as a bridesmaid and their dresses are more expensive than Wedding Shoppe but their consultants dress frumpy and are pushy about what they think looks good on you and could care less what you think; at least the two I met. The setting is not visually appealing either and not many dressing rooms.

shan87 · November 2011

I went to Macy's Bridal Salon downtown Mpls. My dress was the 2nd one I tried on. I went there because I love Demeterios dresses and they were the only ones that carry them. They didn't have the one I fell in love with in a magazine, but moved heaven and earth to get it there for me to try on. I didn't go with it in the end but it meant a lot to me that they got it, because it would have bugged me for life.

If you don't go during a trunk sale, reg sale or buy a sample their dresses start out at $1k and go up. If you do decide to go there, make an appointment and don't get sucked into their veils. I feel in love with one and about fell over when I found out the price.

GL Dress shopping was fun and I wish I could have done more.

Sscholfield · November 2011

I went to The Wedding Shoppe in St. Paul and the Wedding Chapel in the New Hope/Crystal area. I ended up getting my dress at Wedding Chapel, and will be ordering BM dresses from there soon. I absolutely LOVED working with Bri! She listened to everything I said and worked so hard to find my perfect dress! I loved all of the one-of-a-kind accessories she paired with the dresses too! My experience at the Wedding Shoppe was quite the opposite. I almost didn't even go there because the woman on the phone scheduling the appointment was so rude. The consultant didn't offer many suggestions, and I guess they just didn't have the personal touch I was looking for. Many women have found luck at The Wedding Shoppe though, so I guess it's worth checking out! Good luck!

graysquirrel · November 2011

I got my dress at Unique Bridal in Blaine and loved it. It is a diamond in the rough sort of place-- not your typical bridal salon. However, they have wonderful dresses at discounts. I got a Soterro and Midgley there for half off. Their alterations people are great, too. They don't farm out their work like most bridal salons do-- they do everything in the shop so that your dress doesn't run the risk of getting damaged or dirty in transport. We got BM dresses at Angeliques also in Blaine and they have amazing bridal gowns. They are worth a stop!

I didn't read all the other posts so sorry if I repeat stuff, but I would bring a strapless bra, lonline bra, or bustier. Some places will make you wear theirs if you don't have one (which I didn't like about Davids) Also make sure to wear panties that cover your backside up. If you are planning on wearing super high heels, I might also bring a pair just so that you can see what it will be like to walk with the different dresses. Some people might not have a problem with this, but the dresses are heavy and some are super full. It will give you a feel for what you might want.

even0004 · November 2011

Raffine is where my dress came from. The owners were so nice! Its in downtown Stillwater. Also Our Shop down the street from them was very nice too.

bwanhala · November 2011

<p><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" />In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_minnesota-minneapolis-st-paul_dress-shopping-suggestions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:81Discussion:efbed982-ced6-4657-92d6-8086bd9232b8Post:174e6585-df2d-4f62-bcfc-b384ab8a3974">Re: Dress shopping suggestions?</a>:
[QUOTE]I went to The Wedding Shoppe in St. Paul and the Wedding Chapel in the New Hope/Crystal area. I ended up getting my dress at Wedding Chapel, and will be ordering BM dresses from there soon. I absolutely LOVED working with Bri! She listened to everything I said and worked so hard to find my perfect dress! I loved all of the one-of-a-kind accessories she paired with the dresses too! My experience at the Wedding Shoppe was quite the opposite. I almost didn't even go there because the woman on the phone scheduling the appointment was so rude. The consultant didn't offer many suggestions, and I guess they just didn't have the personal touch I was looking for. Many women have found luck at The Wedding Shoppe though, so I guess it's worth checking out! Good luck!
Posted by Sscholfield[/QUOTE]

I'm going to the Wedding Shoppe this Thursday and will honestly say I am a little nervous because I had the same experience with the woman scheduling my appointment. She was very unpleasant! </p>
<p>For the ladies who have gone there, do they select dresses for you upon going in for your appt? They were asking a lot of questions as to exactly what I was looking for style wise.</p>
<p>On a better note, I would suggest Angelique's in Blaine. My consultant Lois was AMAZING!!!!! I was the only one in the shop, and got to roam and pick whatever I wanted to try on. She wasn't pushy, and didn't force me to try on anything that I didn't like. I am almost positive I will be going with them for my dress, but figured I should make 100% sure there's nothing else out there that I love, since hopefully this wedding is a one time deal! <img src="http://cdn.cl9.vanillaforums.com/downloaded/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /></p>

jnev77 · November 2011

I purchased my dress from Posh's Wayzata store. There isn't a huge selection of dresses, but I really liked what I saw. Their main location is in Semple Mansion. I can't speak for the selection at that store, but everyone I have talked to has been incredibly nice. Also, I know they are having a sample sale at the Minneapolis location on Thursday. I would recommend making an appointment if you're interested.

jennipea382 · November 2011

So far I've been to Mestad's and Carrie Johnson Bridal in St. Cloud and David's in Richfield. I do really want to go to The Wedding Shoppe in St. Paul but haven't had a chance yet. My cousin got her dress there and a friend of mine works there. I've heard good things, I'm hoping to check it out soon!

If you happen to venture to St. Cloud, Mestad's disappointed me. Didn't really get any help and they seemed annoyed when I asked them to help me into the dresses (I had a friend there but some were a little confusing and difficult lol). I liked Carrie Johnson but I also had a friend helping me there so.. yeah. Haha.

SMIT0006 · November 2011

I had a great experience at the Wedding Shoppe but highly suggest going on a weekday morning to avoid the chaos. I found my dress during the Maggie Sotterro trunk show and was able to save some money. My consultant was super sweet and really focused on finding what I wanted.

Hated Angeliques, no recommendations were made they didn't even fully lace up the dresses so it was hard to get an idea of the shape. I felt rushed and uncomfortable.I also didn't like that the cut the tags out of the dress. A lot of the dresses had broken zippers and sleeves.

Posh at the Semple Mansion was probably my most fun experience, wine and cheesecake was complimentary, beautiful setting. It is a must! Downside is the smaller selection of dresses.

ktanne44 · November 2011

I got my dress at the Little Bridal Shop in Rogers. Great experience!! You should give them a try.
I didnt have a good time at Davids Bridal.
Hope that helps.

Germanda · November 2011

Check out Bella Bridal Boutique.

I bought my dress there after 3 stops at other stores. They were amazing. They don't hover over you while you are looking at dresses or presure you into moving faster or buying a dress. They also have a pretty large selection and price ranges.

http://www.bellabridalboutique.com/

gettingmarriedin2011 · November 2011

Another suggestion for the wedding shoppe but appointment is needed...its a busy place.

[Deleted User] · December 2011

Here is my suggestion if you decide to go to The Wedding Shoppe (which is where I ended up getting my dress):

1) Schedule your appointment for an early morning on a weekday or a late night on a weekday -- try to avoid the weekends there altogether if possible.
2) Have somewhat of an idea of things you like and don't like -- you don't need to have exact styles picked out, but they have a LOT of dresses so it can get a little overwhelming.
3) Have fun with your consultant -- talk to her, laugh with her, make her feel like she is really helping you... I used to be a consultant when I lived in ND and the toughest brides were the ones who were too serious.
4) Have a smaller group -- I made the mistake of bringing 4 other people with me the first day I tried on dresses, but when I went to The Wedding Shoppe there were only 2 people with me (my mom and sister) so that made it much more bearable.
5) If you decide to go with them for bridesmaid dresses, make one appointment to go only with your maid of honor that way she can try on a whole bunch of dresses and narrow them down to top 3 or top 5 then set up another appointment for your whole bridal party to come in and try on those 3 or 5 dresses.
6) Check out their website for sales!!! You can get some great deals if you just keep your eyes peeled.

I hope that helps!!!

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