XP: Where did you Say Yes to the Dress? (NY/NJ area brides)

pinkcow13 · June 2014

*** I also posted this on the NYC board, but it tends to be a slow board.***

So I am in the process of dress hunting. Where did you find your dress? So far I have been to Kleinfeld and Lovely Bride. I loved my experience at Kleinfeld, and there is one gown that I fell in love with. I am going to go back with my Mom and maybe MOH to try on that dress, along with 2 others I liked. I loved the overall service at Lovely Bride but did not like their dress selection. While the dresses were very lovely, they were not really my style. They were more Lauren Conrad than Charlotte York (Lol!).

Tomorrow I am doing to David's Bridal, and on Monday during my lunch break to Angelique Bridal. Where did you ladies find your dress? There is an Essence of Australia dress I thought was "the one" based on pics so I want to see it in person, but I have to trek to Jersey or LI for that one.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Or places to avoid? Thanks!

JaniV123 · June 2014

best of luck!! I am going on Monday with a seamstress to the horror store to see how much can the dream dress be let out. If she says that it can I will purchase it right then and there, if not then I have an apt a David's Bridal on Tuesday. I am far far away and know nothing about NY/NJ so can't help there.

CrazyCatLady3 · June 2014

Hi Pink Cow! I got mine at Saks, but not sure if they carry the line you like. Overall I liked that experience better than Kleinfeld because it was much more personalized (never more than 2 brides there at a time every time I went back for alterations, etc.) The alterations dept at Kleinfeld is an absolute zoo. Go back there on a weekend to look in the accessories dept (no appt needed), which is right outside where they do alterations, and you will see what I mean.

I had the same experience as you at Lovely Bride--nice staff, limited selection. I also went to Anjelique--same thing. Nice staff, limited selection (but it's worth a stop--maybe they will have one you like). I would also suggest trying the Wedding Atelier on 5th Ave in the Flatiron District. What is your budget? I can give you more recs based on that.

luckya23 · June 2014

I'm planning on checking out NJ just because I hear you don't pay sales tax!!

If I had the budget I would feel awesome just to have an appt at Kleinfeld's though!

Oh, I'm also planning to go to Vows from "I Found the Gown" in Boston

CrazyCatLady3 · June 2014

Oh, I also wanted to add that you should check out The White Gown, which used to be in Brooklyn but moved to midtown Manhattan.

http://www.thewhitegown.com/whitegown.html

I didn't go there but they have good reviews online, and have a nice selection of mid-range designers.

OliveOilsMom · June 2014

Kelani23 said:

I'm planning on checking out NJ just because I hear you don't pay sales tax!!
If I had the budget I would feel awesome just to have an appt at Kleinfeld's though!
Oh, I'm also planning to go to Vows from "I Found the Gown" in Boston

Don't count on the sales tax thing. It would only be services you don't pay taxes on, like a NJ photographer or DJ. You will pay sales tax on your gown, unless the shop gives you a deal. I'm not sure where in North Jersey it is, but I know there is a Macy's bridal at a mall in North Jersey. I got my gown at a Macy's bridal in South Jersey and it was a really great experience. They carry Demetrios bridal gowns.

JCbride2015 · June 2014

OliveOilsMom said:

show previous quotes

Kelani23 said:

I'm planning on checking out NJ just because I hear you don't pay sales tax!!
If I had the budget I would feel awesome just to have an appt at Kleinfeld's though!
Oh, I'm also planning to go to Vows from "I Found the Gown" in Boston

Don't count on the sales tax thing. It would only be services you don't pay taxes on, like a NJ photographer or DJ. You will pay sales tax on your gown, unless the shop gives you a deal. I'm not sure where in North Jersey it is, but I know there is a Macy's bridal at a mall in North Jersey. I got my gown at a Macy's bridal in South Jersey and it was a really great experience. They carry Demetrios bridal gowns.

My understanding (NJ resident here) is that gowns do not have sales tax. No clothing in NJ has sales tax.

I bought my dress at Kleinfeld, as PinkCow knows! It was a great experience for me and she came in under budget by $800, so it was win-win. I'm not sure I'll use them for alterations, however. I didn't know you could see the alterations dept when shopping for accessories! Maybe I will try that.

I also went to RK, which honestly I wouldn't recommend. It was kind of a zoo. I had a lovely experience at Alfred Angelo in Cherry Hill, NJ, but they were sort of below my budget (and Pink I think you are the same or higher than me) and just didn't have enough WOW factor that I was looking for.

daria24 · June 2014

I got my dress at Kleinfeld and had a great experience. I did get my alterations done there, because I didn't know whereas to go, and The Wedding Dresser quoted me the same price. If you have somewhere cheaper to go, do it.

The only other stores I looked at were in PA, so unfortunately I don't have any other suggestions.

misshart00 · June 2014

I have nothing to add, but to all you people that bought your dress at kleinfeld: I always like to pretend I see you somewhere in the background when I watch SYTTD.

JCbride2015 · June 2014

misshart00 said:

I have nothing to add, but to all you people that bought your dress at kleinfeld: I always like to pretend I see you somewhere in the background when I watch SYTTD.

They were not filming that day (thank goodness, as I really have no desire to be on TV). But I met a few people who are on the show and it was pretty fun. Sadly, Randy wasn't in that day. Would have loved to meet him!

daria24 · June 2014

misshart00 said:
I have nothing to add, but to all you people that bought your dress at kleinfeld: I always like to pretend I see you somewhere in the background when I watch SYTTD.

They weren't filming the day I bought my dress either. One of the days I went in for my fitting they were but not in the alterations area.

Cookie Pusher · June 2014

I'm not of any help since I bought my dress on Ebay, but good luck!!

FutureMrsN3312 · June 2014

I used Arlene's bridal in Bloomfield NJ. My girls got their dresses at Hollywood Bridal in Kenilworth NJ. Both stores were great to work with.

banana468 · June 2014

I'm in CT but if you want to make a drive up the shore and hit the Clinton outlets, just a short drive from there is a place called The White Dress By The Shore. I got my dress there and loved their selection and service.

MaryGraceRich · June 2014

Castle Couture in Marlboro NJ. I had an amazing experience there. My consultant was awesome and the seamstress that altered my dress did a great job in about 3 visits and I had a ton of alterations because I am only 5 feet tall.
ETA: I live in NY but shopped in NJ because there was no sales tax. My Aunt bought my dress. Its saved her a ton of money.

pinkcow13 · June 2014

Thanks for all the recommendations ladies!!!

CrazyCatLady3 - I was thinking of making an appointment at the White Gown. I saw they did have good reviews on Yelp. For my budget, a max of $2500. And I would prefer to keep it on the lower end of my budget lol. I also did not know that you could see the alterations area at Kleinfeld.

JaniV123, good luck on Monday!!! I remember your post about your experience there. I really hope it works out for you!

misshart00 - One of my bridesmaids sister was so excited because she thought we were going to be on the show lol. I have no desire to be on it (although my BM was surprised I didn't want to be on tv), and on top of that you don't get anything out of being on the show! No free dress, money, nada!

FutureMrsN3312 - Arlene's bridal sounds really familiar. That may be the location in Jersey that carries the dress I love. If it is, then I will definitely go there.

JCbride2015 - I must say, with one of the gowns that I am going back to Kleinfeld for, she came under by $900.00. The dress that I LOVED was also under by $600. Now, the 3rd dress she only under by $100, and she did not try to push that one on me at all. She put it aside as the "Say no to the dress" dress for when I go back to show the ladies LOL. I really liked that they were not pushy at all. I was really wondering about RK, because I knew you had gone there. I wanted to go there but I didn't know if it would be too hectic, so your experience rules them out for me lol. I was also wondering about Alfred Angelo because I used to like a lot of his gowns before.

pinkcow13 · June 2014

MaryGraceRich awesome thanks! And you know, I had completely forgotten about the no sales tax thing in Jersey lol.

JCbride2015 · June 2014

pinkcow13 said:
JCbride2015 - I must say, with one of the gowns that I am going back to Kleinfeld for, she came under by $900.00. The dress that I LOVED was also under by $600. Now, the 3rd dress she only under by $100, and she did not try to push that one on me at all. She put it aside as the "Say no to the dress" dress for when I go back to show the ladies LOL. I really liked that they were not pushy at all. I was really wondering about RK, because I knew you had gone there. I wanted to go there but I didn't know if it would be too hectic.

You will definitely find things under your budget at RK. It was just not a "fun" experience. You put your name on a clipboard and while your'e waiting, you can choose 5 gowns to try. But everything is just on these overstuffed racks and all the dresses are in bags, so it's nearly impossible to see what they really look like. I almost-loved a dress there which was actually on a mannequin, so that's how we were able to really see it. That one was $3100.

We went to Kleinfeld later in the day and she wow'ed me with the dress I ended up buying, for only $2200. So both the price point and experience at Kleinfeld were drastically better. I was intimidated to go there because I know they also carry the sky-high prices, but she brought me dresses as low as $1200. She was very respectful of my budget and I didn't feel pressured.

Peaseblossom55 · June 2014

OliveOilsMom said:

show previous quotes

Kelani23 said:

I'm planning on checking out NJ just because I hear you don't pay sales tax!!
If I had the budget I would feel awesome just to have an appt at Kleinfeld's though!
Oh, I'm also planning to go to Vows from "I Found the Gown" in Boston

Don't count on the sales tax thing. It would only be services you don't pay taxes on, like a NJ photographer or DJ. You will pay sales tax on your gown, unless the shop gives you a deal. I'm not sure where in North Jersey it is, but I know there is a Macy's bridal at a mall in North Jersey. I got my gown at a Macy's bridal in South Jersey and it was a really great experience. They carry Demetrios bridal gowns.

Ditto on this. I also got my dress at Macy's bridal in central NJ they carry a line called Demetrios I loved my dress and the alterations were done perfectly.

MaryGraceRich · June 2014

There was definity no sales tax and if your budget is $2500 you have plenty of options at castle couture. My budget was $2000 and I got my dress and veil for $1510

climbingsingle · June 2014

Nothing to add except that RK bridal is a nightmare. Avoid like the plague!

pinkcow13 · June 2014

Thanks ClimbingBrideNY, I will definitaely not be going to RK then. I just got back from David's Bridal and I did not like it at all. The customer service sucked, and I felt that the quality of the dresses for the price was not worth it. I tried on a gown that was only $200 cheaper than one of the dresses I loved at Kleinfeld, and the difference in quality was very obvious. It makes me wonder if for their higher end dresses (I tried from the Vera Wang line, and some other pricier brand), maybe they use low quality materials and then hike up the price astronomically.

Sugargirl1019 · June 2014

What Essence of Australia dress is it? Mines an essence! But I couldn't go shop in NY, so I didn't go to kleinfelds.

OliveOilsMom · June 2014

@JCbride2015 Thanks for correcting the sales tax thing. Not sure what I was thinking when I typed that. I've lived in Jersey all my life and never paid sales tax on clothes.

JCbride2015 · June 2014

OliveOilsMom said:

@JCbride2015 Thanks for correcting the sales tax thing. Not sure what I was thinking when I typed that. I've lived in Jersey all my life and never paid sales tax on clothes.

No prob. I know a wedding gown is definitely not what the legislature was thinking of when they chose not to tax "essentials" like clothes and food! But yep, no tax.

CrazyCatLady3 · June 2014

Ok another place worth checking out is Designer Loft on 37th street in the garment district. Most of their stuff is in your budget and they carry some lines you don't see at all the other stores. I tried on a beautiful Matthew Christopher gown there that was one of my runner-ups.

HobokensFury · June 2014

I went to AA in Cherry Hill and had a great experience. Their PA store was a little closer bug as PP have stated I saved money by not paying sales tax.

pinkcow13 · June 2014

Sugargirl1019 - this is the dress. I think I'm going to go look for it next weekend, since I'll have to travel for it.

CrazyCatLady3! I'll check out Designer Loft too!

mintberry · June 2014

I got my dress at the Bridal Garden in Marlton/Cherry Hill area and thought they had a great selection of nice quality dresses. I also second PP's suggestion of Wedding Atelier on Madison Ave, my friend got her dress there and loved the experience. Happy shopping!

XP: Where did you Say Yes to the Dress? (NY/NJ area brides)

Re: XP: Where did you Say Yes to the Dress? (NY/NJ area brides)

Choose Another Board

Search Boards