Pennsylvania-Philadelphia

Dress Shop

I started dress shopping this weekend and I found my dress, but I have yet to order it.  The shops I visited in the DC area didn't seem very easy to work with and some have bad online reviews.  Now I'm thinking about heading up to the Philly area to order by my parents' house if I can find a good shop.  If you bought your dress in the Philly/Delaware area could you take a moment to answer the questions below?

1. What shop did you buy your dress from?  If you shopped around for price, how did the prices at this shop compare to other shops?

2. How was the order process?  Did your dress come in on time? 

3. Who was you consultant?

4. Who was your seamstress?  Was she from your bridal shop?

5. How much were your alterations?  What alterations did you have done for that price?

6. How many fittings did you have?

Re: Dress Shop

  • I don't know the answers to all those questions because I have not purchased my wedding dress yet (tried some dresses on) but I have been getting all my formal dresses at Irma's Bridal since getting my prom dress from Irma almost 15 years ago.  

    I would say I've gotten at least 10 dresses from her from prom, to bridesmaids to several gala fundraising event dresses over the past couple of years.  Many times she will pull dresses out that I would never pick for myself..I try them on and I'm blown away.  She really knows what works on each persons body.  she has helped me pick dresses out when I was 70lbs overweight and once I lost the weight and even when overweight I felt good in what she put me in.  

    She can be busy so I would see about making a Sunday appointment (I think thats when they do appointments).  If you do just walk in be prepared to wait but in every case working with Irma it has been worth the wait for me.  

    She is located right outside Philly in Cherry Hill.  IF you go there I would be specific about wanting to work with Irma.  



  • ah sorry I just read that you already know what dress you want so my input may not be valid since you are sort of done the "shopping" part and are just looking to buy. 
  • I dont have all of your answers because I bought a sample dress, negotiated the alterations into the price, and haven't had any fittings yet but I went to Castle Couture.  Its in NJ but I really liked the place, they gave me a good deal, and let their brides borrow up to $25k worth of jewerly.
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  • I can't answer all of your questions because I haven't had any fittings or alterations yet, but I got my dress at the Bridal and Tuxedo Shoppe in Newark. I think Whitney was my consultant. My dress only took 4 months to come in, and I thought it would be at least 6, so I was really pleased.
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  • In Response to Dress Shop:
    1. What shop did you buy your dress from?  If you shopped around for price, how did the prices at this shop compare to other shops?
    I went to A LOT of shops.  I ended up buying at Castle Couture in NJ (where the price was super reasonable).  In the Philly/South Jersey area, I went to:
    -Van Cleve Wedding Pavilion
    -Demetrios at Macy's in Cherry Hill
    -Bridal Garden in Marlton
    -The Wedding Shoppe in Wayne
    -Jay West in Haddonfield
    -Country Way Bridal in Haddonfield
    -Exquisite Bride in Princeton
    If you are looking at any of these bridal shops, let me know and I will give you my feedback!  Also, what designer is your dress?  That will help for me to give shop recs. 

    I can't believe I went to that many shops...

    2. How was the order process?  Did your dress come in on time?
    Dress hasn't come in yet, but Castle Couture has been SUPER responsive, email confirmations regularly.

     3. Who was you consultant?
    I can give you who my favorite consultants were at each of the shops if that helps...

    4. Who was your seamstress?  Was she from your bridal shop?
    I will be using Fashion Stitch in Mt Laurel, NJ.  She is SO GREAT and has done ALL of my alterations since I was in high school.  Affordable and quick.
    Posted by audubonbride2013[/QUOTE]


    Can't answer the rest since I haven't gotten my dress in yet...  Good luck!

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  • Thanks for the feedback! The dress I want to buy is an Allure.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_dress-shop?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:9b07b1e3-9dc5-4886-adb9-cb4e496fff5bPost:a45476ef-a288-4916-89d3-edca74458efd">Re: Dress Shop</a>:
    [QUOTE]I can't answer all of your questions because I haven't had any fittings or alterations yet, but I got my dress at the Bridal and Tuxedo Shoppe in Newark. I think Whitney was my consultant. My dress only took 4 months to come in, and I thought it would be at least 6, so I was really pleased.
    Posted by angelstar975[/QUOTE]

    I was thinking about going to DE because of new taxes. Did you find that they increase dress prices because they can because of that?
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_pennsylvania-philadelphia_dress-shop?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:105Discussion:9b07b1e3-9dc5-4886-adb9-cb4e496fff5bPost:a45476ef-a288-4916-89d3-edca74458efd">Re: Dress Shop</a>:
    [QUOTE]I can't answer all of your questions because I haven't had any fittings or alterations yet, but I got my dress at the Bridal and Tuxedo Shoppe in Newark. I think Whitney was my consultant. My dress only took 4 months to come in, and I thought it would be at least 6, so I was really pleased.
    Posted by angelstar975[/QUOTE]

    Are you getting your alterations done at the Bridal & Tuxedo Shoppe?  Are wedding dresses tax-free in DE?
  • I can't answer all of your questions, because I bought a sample dress. But I did get mine at Bridal and Tuxedo Shoppe in Astro shopping center. (DE) My consultant isn't there anymore, but I did work with Whitney and Carmella and they were both great. They carry Allure now too, so that should help out. The pricing doesn't change because of a lack of sales tax- The store would get the same amount whether they have to charge sales tax or not, because they have to go by Allure's pricing. Same goes for Maggie dresses, etc. The sales tax goes back to the state, and the dress profit goes to the store. 

    I didn't get my alterations done there, but I've talked to numerous friends who have. Carmella and Leslie both are amazing- One friend had bought a sample size 14 dress... she's a 4. Leslie altered it down for her, and it not only fit amazing, it looked beyond gorgeous. They're both reasonably priced too. I think they both do about 2-4 fittings, depending on what needs to be done. 
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