back from bridal gown shopping. the good, the horrible and this could get ugly

i went to a little place on Queens blvd. I didnt really like a lot of there selections. They are very very tiny (if they had 60 gowns they had a lot) but the service was really nice. I tried on about 10 gowns and the woman was so nice about everything. She brought me over veils, necklaces, bracelets, more veils, headpieces, you name it i could have gotten married tomorrow. My BM saw a BM dress she liked and the woman asked her would you like to try this on, and she did. She had the dress on for about an hour, walked around, sat down, drank her coffee, hung out and the woman never said a thing. She was really nice and so sweet about everything

They told me if i find a dress that i like i can go into the store with a picture and they'll order it for me.

the first 2 alterations are free and there are huge discounts if i buy everything thru them. the place was really nice and very accomadating

what i didnt like was she didnt talk to me about the dress. if something looked funny i felt as a seamstress she should of told me ok with this style and because you are short we have to cut from the bottom and it make take away from the design, etc...she just helped me get dressed and then walked me out of the dressing room and she took a step back and let my mom, BM and I to discuss what we did or didnt like.

all in all it was a nice experience and i really liked being in that environment

i then went to a second place in astoria, HATE IT!! I almost got into a fight and my BM actually told the guy off. HORRIBLE!!!! Its very boutiquish. not my style. i told him what i wanted and liked and he brought me out the opposite. I told hm i like halter and off the shoulder with appliques (sp) no bows and no beading (in the first place i tried on an off the shoulder that blew the halter out of the water. it looked beyond amazing on me, i just didnt like the way the dress look. it too much going on. some beads and it just didnt work for me, it didnt give me that i am a princess feel, but the off the shoulder look really looked fantastic on me) and this guy put aside 6 dresses for me without me even looking at them and i had to go in the back and the seamstress would just help me getting it on. i did not get to look thru and dresses. i told him what i like and he choose the dress. he brought me me out corsets with more beading on the dress then material for the dress. I was furious after the first 3. I told him what did i say, NO BEADS so what does he do he brings me out a dress that has half beads on it. Then i tell him off the shoulder no corset, what does he do a 2 piece corset that was pulled so tight i couldnt breath. i thought i was going to faint. OMG this is where i got mad and my BM told him off. He was adjusting the dress and he put his hand down my bra to fix my breast. I said excuse me do you mind. he got so mad and said well you are big busted and for it to look right your chest needs to be adjusted. Well my BM didnt handle that too well. She told him listen she is the bride you do what she tells you to do. how many times does she have to tell you what she likes. now get your hand away from her chest or i will break your hand. Then i said to the guy i want something with no beads. So he got nasty and said to me we have nothing, everything has beads on it. I said why the hell didnt you tell me this. why did you have me try on 6 dresses. you know what fine, went in the back and ripped off the dress, grabbed my clothes, put them on as quicikly as possible, walked out of there with the dress on the floor, grabbed my mom and BM and said f you and your shop.

OMG that was the worst experience of my life. I seriously hope I never have to go thru that again with a store like that.

I think the only good thing about it is he was honest, i showed him the dres i love and he told me as a girl who has a big chest that dress is cut too low on the sides and that my chest would pop out. its not exactly made for me.

but beyond that, it was HORRIBLE!!

I am going to make appointments for March 22 at other locations out in Long island.

so back to square one of checking out bridal shops. i am going march 22.

any suggestions on places???

OMG!! That is HORRIBLE! I would've slapped him What a jerk.

Well, I'm glad that you at least had a good experience at the first place. That's how every place should be.

On the island I went to Burton's. They had nice dresses and the lady was very nice and helpful. I also went to Lilette's in Baldwin and dealt with Gerri. She was really nice. I also went to Moonlight Couture in Merrick, but they didn't have that big of a selection.

Sorry about the one place. I can't believe he touched you, I would have smacked him.
At least you had a good experience at the other one.
The best thing though, is now you know what you like, and don't like. I swore I didn't want strapless, but I got one! Sometimes you just have to try on different styles.
I have to suggest Lillettes in Baldwin because I had such a fabulous experience there. The dresses range from I think $600-2400.

Chipp, I am so sorry about your experience, trust me, they will not all be this way. I had a similar experience at bridal reflections in carle place and it turned me off of dress shopping which i was really mad about! But, the next place I tried was macys in manhasset and I loved it! I dont like the boutiquish thing either and this place the people were just so down to earth! I wound up ordering my dress from them and they became like my second family. I also am very big chested and every time I went there for a fitting, it became more of a jokish thing than something that embarrassed me....

If you do go, try to deal with Charmaine! She is wonderful!!!!!!!! So professional and yet sooooooooooo sweet! I got a halter dress and they had manny to choose from there. You pick the dresses you want to try on and you can spend hours there. I know many girls claimed they didnt like it there because they didnt get that PRINCESS LIKE attention but I know for myself that i dont really like that too much. They treated me special but didnt go overboard ya know....good luck girl and enjoy shopping..its the best part!

You can also try Lynbrook Bridal on Sunrise Highway in Lynbrook. They have all different sizes, and even have dresses in larger sizes that you can try on.

thanks girls.

I am not going to let that jerk ruin my experience. I had a good time with my mom and BM (due to weather one BM couldnt make it and my MOH had to help her sister with some family stuff) and we had a good time.

So our next appointment will be March 22 and I am definatly going to give those places a call you ladies suggested

I went to Bridal Garden in Bethpage and Lillette's in Baldwin. I would recommend both places. I also went to a bridal salon in Forest Hills and had a similar experience that you had in Astoria. This woman kept on picking dresses that I said I didn't want. I wanted simple with very, very, very little beading, rhinestones, etc, and she would pick the opposite. Then she said that I should let her pick the dresses because she's the expert and knows what she's doing. After 'she' selected this dress that 'I' was going to wear at my wedding, she tried to coerce me into buying it then and there. I told her I needed my mother with me, but she lives two hours away and works nights and weekends. So this witch said that she would schedule me to come in that Saturday and my mother would drive 2 hours to Queens after working the night shift to see me in this dress. I just said sure, knowing I was not going to keep this appointment. So when this woman penciled me into her calendar, I noticed the date - my mother's birthday! I mentioned this to the evil woman and she actually said 'What mother would not want to spend her birthday seeing her daughter in THE wedding dress.' Sure, my mother would be willing to drive 2 hours after working all night to see me in an ugly dress (not). I canceled the appointment several days later and they kept leaving me messages.

All I can say is that we will all have some sort of this type of experience in our planning and the only thing we can do is laugh, because it is actually pretty funny!

Chippa...I'm mad and happy for you all at the same time. Happy that you had an opportunity to go shopping today in spite of the horrible weather..and mad that things got outta control at that 2nd joint.

Adding my 2 cents: Went to David's Bridal yesterday. I stood at the counter waiting for service for nearly 10 minutes with this other lady who was visably upset that it was taking so long for someone to help us. The lady took a dress a placed it near the front door so that the alarm would go off in hopes of someone coming out to help. STILL NO ONE IN SIGHT!! So the lady calmly found her size, removed it from the hanger, and walked out the door. It was hilarious!

I figured that this would be the beginning of a horrible relationship between myself and David's...so I left!

Needless to say, I found a bridal boutique...where the customer service was unbelivable..and I purchased a dress today! It takes 4 months to be shipped but a serious load has been lifted off of my shoulders!

Julybaby: the one in forest hills, is it on Austin Street???

I have heard bad things about that place. Mostly things about the same experience as you had.

UH! I dont like that, i like to be able to look at dresses and let me be the judge. I am the one who has to wear it and look at myself in the mirror and in photo's of myself in the dress.



I am definatly going to give those places the ladies have suggested a call on monday to set up an appointment

Like ive said in past posts BRIDAL PARADISE in suffolk county in patchogue on main street,i dont know where you are coming from but it may be worth the trip Hope you have better luck next time around

Radiostar: Yay you found your dress. aww how great. You must be so excited.

I cant believe that woman just walked out with her dress. Serves Davids right, but i could just imagine what that must have looked like seeing this woman so mad and just calmy find her dress and walking out with it.

It just amazes me how some of these places still remain in business

HELENE are you from the patchogue area?BRIDAL PARADISE has been in business for years they are wonderful

allure - you have FM

You know how much I love Beautiful Bride. I would recommend them without a second thought. I had the same problem with the b**bs and the halter. They were creeping out from every which way but under. I am sure you will find something soon...

Chippa,

That ****s!! You handled alot better than I would have. I would def broken his hand. Sorry that your experience ****ed so much in the other shop. I went through that too. I had a bad experience at Davids Bridal, The women at the Bridal place in Garden City were rude when I called to ask a question, so I never even made an appt. And then I had prob with a Bridal Shop in Bethpage. The only shop on the island I liked was Bridal Reflections in Carle Place. I walked in w/ no appt they were sweet and accomodating. Dont let it get to you. You'll find your dream dress somewhere!!

Chipp: I live in Queens also and use to get a ton of calls form the bridal shop in Forest Hills trying to solicit my business. It was very annoying!!!

I got my dress from the Weddding Salon in Manhasset - they were very sweet and extremely professional. I was extremely shy about the dress shopping experience so I use to go during the week when I knew the stores were less crowded.

Go luck with shopping, I'm sure you will find the perfect dress.

Chip welcome to dress shopping!

Was the place in Astoria on Steinway? Because if it is I remember when I was looking for shoes, they are dumb in there!

You should have went to David's while you were in Astoria, you were so close and you could have just gotten an idea in there.

Good Luck with your dress search