About this vendor
Cleveland's Chic Bridal Boutique
A Bride's Design is a boutique in Avon, OH, specializing in custom wedding dresses. Whether you love dramatic gowns or floaty styles, these experts can help you create a stunning garment for your special day. They bring top-quality service and exquisite designs to the Cleveland area and are proud to serve clients from there and beyond.
Laura Smith is the owner and founder of A Bride's Design. She opened the boutique in 2003 after receiving her bachelor's in fashion design from Kent State University. Laura has assisted numerous clients over the last 20 years, taking delight in crafting their dream wedding gowns. Her expertise in freelance design and custom wedding attire enables her to offer a couture look at a reasonable cost.
When it comes to creating your ideal gown, A Bride's Design offers endless possibilities. From adding sleeves to altering the neckline, Laura and her team can help you find a style you love. If you have a specific design in mind, they can even sketch it up for you. At this full-service boutique, veils, hair accessories, shoes, jewelry, garters, and undergarments are also available.
Details
Dresses
- Bridesmaid Dresses
- Flower Girl Dresses
- Mother of the Bride Dresses
- Shower & Party Dresses
- Wedding Dresses
Fashion Services
- Alterations
- Bridal Stylists
- Custom Designs
- Dry Cleaning & Preservation
- Plus Size Available
- Private Appointments Available
Pricing
Curious to learn more?
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.6
out of 5.072 reviews
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
A Bride's Design receives high praise from reviewers for offering a personalized and attentive experience when selecting wedding dresses. Laura, the owner, is commended for her patience, helpfulness, and ability to understand and cater to different body sizes and preferences. The shop's cozy and intimate setting allows for a one-on-one experience, making brides feel comfortable and supported throughout the process. Laura's expertise in design and alterations ensures that customers leave satisfied with their dream dresses, with many expressing gratitude for her exceptional customer service and attention to detail.- Top reviews
- Newest first
- Oldest first
- Highest rated
- Lowest rated
Sort by
Absolutely loved this dress shop. A lot of choices, but enough to not feel overwhelmed by the choices. She also does custom designing, so the options are endless. Very affordable for the bridal world, everything under 2,000. Would recommend to anyone! The only thing to be aware of, the sample try on dresses are in smaller sizes. I think I ordered a 12 or 13 for my dress size, and there were multiple dresses that would not zip on me, so if you are plus size, keep that in mind. You’re able to order dresses or custom order in your size, but the ones you can try on will be limited!
I had such a wonderful experience at A Bride’s Design with Laura. She went above and beyond to make sure my dress was perfect! Amazing customer service!!
Response from the Vendor on 08/26/2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience at A Bride’s Design. It was a pleasure working with you, and I'm so glad we could make your dress perfect for your big day.
Absolute best experience ever. Laura was extremely patient, had everything I needed & more. Cutest salon ever & I couldn’t be more pleased with the dress I chose!
Response from the Vendor on 01/12/2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm delighted to hear you had the best experience at our salon. It was a pleasure assisting you in finding the perfect dress.
Any questions?
Laura was amazing with helping me pick the perfect dress! Such a cute shop! Glad they offer dress preservation too :)
I went to 6 bridal shops before finding A Bride’s Design and Laura was super super helpful. Her bridal shop feels way more personal than any other one because there’s only one appointment at a time and you have her attention. I was iffy on a dress so I had a second appointment to come back and look and when I walked in for the second appointment she told me a dress had come in that day that she thought I would like … and it was the one!!! After searching so long for a dress she just knew what I would like and then it was such a quick, easy decision. She is really good at her job and has a great vision of how things will look. My dress didn’t come in the way I expected so she worked WONDERS and helped in a way that other bridal shops wouldn’t have been able to. She is a designer and seamstress herself so if something goes wrong you’re in good hands because she totally is capable of making things right. I spent a good amount of time with Laura in the process and I can guarantee you that she is really nice and she will make sure that you’re happy in your dress! I would 100% recommend A Brides Design and would choose it again!
Laura was so so helpful! I walked in and had no idea what I wanted and she was able to pull some and within 4 dresses I found the ONE!!
My dress was everything I dreamt of for my wedding day. Laura was so attentive from the very beginning and custom designed the sleeves to add to my dress. I also felt so comfortable during the try on process thanks to Laura. That was a worry for me because I am curvier, but I truly couldn't have asked for a better experience, and I got so many compliments on my dress the day of!
This was probably the worst experience I had with my wedding, and honestly probably in my life in general. I went with my sister, mom and grandma to the shop to try on wedding dresses. The shop is super cute and Laura seemed very nice. I ordered my dress in early November for my July wedding, Laura said that it would take 6 months to come in, which is totally understandable. Before we left the bridal shop, she measured me. Laura never told me the measurements that she took nor the size of the dress that she ordered. She wrote them down on a card and then said she would order the dress. Looking back, I probably should have asked about the size and measurements, but I trusted her and figured she had ordered a bunch of dresses before and she seemed to have mostly good reviews. I started to get nervous when the 6 month point was approaching and I didn't hear anything from her. I tried calling multiple times and left multiple messages and never heard anything back from her. She finally texted me very late at night and I responded but never heard back from her. When I finally got a hold of her a few weeks later, she said that my dress had just came in and asked when I wanted to pick it up. I went to pick it up soon after and I soon as I saw it, I knew something was wrong. It looked so small! When I tried it on, it physically hurt to have her button it up. She assured me that it would just need to be let out just a little and it would be fine. She gave me a list of seamstresses and I contacted one of them. When I brought the dress to her, she was shocked! She told me that my dress was 1, if not 2 sizes too small. My seamstress asked me to contact Laura to see if she had any extra applique that we could use. It took me, once again, at least a week to get ahold of her. She told me that she would try to get me some. I also asked why the dress turned out to be so small. She told me that she would have to remeasure me, so when I went in to pick up the applique, she remeasured me. She then told me that the problem was that I had gained 3 inches in my chest, 2 inches in my waist and my hips had stayed pretty much the same. I told her that wasn't possible because I had been losing weight and actually weighed less than I did when she originally measured me. She kept trying to tell me that maybe it was because I was working out and had gained muscle instead and muscle weights more than fat, which I don't think makes sense. I think asked her "wouldn't my clothes and bras fit different if I gained 3 whole inches." She told me that "Well bras stretch." It was at that point that I just had to leave because I was so upset. She told me that she had ordered me a size 2, which I said, if she had told me that, I would have questioned her because I have never been a size 2 in my life, and my family would have questioned it too. Laura was incredibly difficult to work with, she was unapologetic and just kept blaming me for my dress not fitting, and she was very difficult to get ahold of when I needed her. I would not recommend this place to anyone.
I had the most wonderful experience. I am an odd size. Too large for typical wedding dress shops and too small for plus size. Being a 14-18 was hard to find anything in the style I wanted. Thankfully, a Bride's Design worked with me to find the perfect dress for my wedding day in the perfect size. My dreams were endless and full filled here.
Laura is absolutely amazing! She is sweet and kind and so helpful in finding your dream dress! I had an amazing experience at A Bride's Design that I will never forget, thanks to Laura! I loved the setting of the shop and the ability to work one on one with Laura during my appointment.
I met with Laura, the owner and she was fantastic. After trying on a bunch of dresses, she asked if she could suggest one or two for me. The one she suggested was not something I would have ever picked out for myself and I was pretty skeptical to try it on but decided it couldn’t hurt. Lo and behold, that was the dress I said yes to. Trust the shop owners! They know what they are doing
Laura is wonderful, her selection is lovely, and she actually designs dresses as well that are gorgeous and well-priced.
I had a wonderful experience!! The stylist was so kind and helpful! I would definitely recommend finding a dress here!
I purchased my dress from A Bride's Design and it was so beautiful! I went to several larger bridal shops before this one and felt overwhelmed by the selection at the other stores. Laura's shop is within her home and had a beautiful selection of dresses. I got so many compliments on my dress and it fit wonderfully! I am so happy I got my dress from here!
This shop is amazing! I had bought a dress in September 2019 and as time went on, I stopped loving it as much as I originally did! I went back to Laura and she helped me find my actual dream dress! She was so kind and understanding and her dresses are stunning! I showed her a picture of what I was looking for and she came back with the most perfectly stunning dress. She also can envision anything and is so so creative! Her shop also feels so personable which was super nice compared to the big over crowded shops! I highly recommend you check out a brides design because you will not be disappointed!
While I didn’t end up saying yes to the dress at a Bride’s Design, I still wanted to speak highly of the shop! My girls and I had a great time shopping and felt very safe with Covid Precautions! They listened to my budget and thoughts on what I wanted helped me try to find my vision! Everyone was so nice and polite!
I have to share my terrible experience with my sister. If I could give this terrible establishment less than one star I definitely would. My sister recently moved from Arkansas to Cleveland and I live in Louisiana. I took a 300+ dollar flight to get here and spent almost 10 hours in the air due to bad weather. We were so excited to arrive at this shop and that's when our bad luck began.
We were across the road starting our morning off with coffee at Peace, Love, and Little Donuts. It took us ten minutes to find this obnoxious place because there is NO SIGN. We had to call the phone three times to get an answer for help despite being within their hours of operation and at our appointment time. Finally, we realized it is inside an actual house. Fine, we were still willing to give it a chance.
A man opened the door with NO SHOES ON wearing sweat pants and an old tshirt and his two dogs running around ON THE DRESSES. This was completely unprofessional and I am a dog lover. However, he admitted one of them was a puppy and we all know how puppies can make messes. After we were brought inside, the man left and we were alone in this strange house.
There were only two rooms in this house with MAYBE 20 dresses total. Also, all of the dresses were TINY. Size 0s mostly with a few Size 8 and 12. So if you're an average sized woman, forget it. My sister is a size 14 and she could fit in ONE DRESS.
We spent maybe 15 minutes in this store and now we can not get into any other boutique because we thought this would be a good place to find her perfect dress.
This terrible shop ruined her first dress shopping experience and honestly the level of unprofessionalism and stark lack of courtesy was astounding.
Do not go here if you are a self-respecting woman or bride. Do not go here if you wish to have a pleasant experience. I will not get the time back that we wasted.
Response from the Vendor on 02/11/2020
I regret that you had an unpleasant experience in my shop. I was out of town and my assistant was running a few minutes late in arriving for which I apologize in her behalf. My boutique is a quant store front 1850 Century home. City ordnance p...
rohibits large signs but our name is clearly marked on the mailbox. We carry sizes ranging from 8-22 sample gowns...mostly 12-14, no size 0. Also we have approximately 100 dresses in my boutique and back stock that can all be customized for our brides. We also specialize in complete custom gowns. Our normal business hours on Saturday is 10:00am to 4:00pm. We booked the appointment a half hour early at 9:30 to accommodate your sister and our phone records show that you called at 9:23 and 9:24. My husband was able to get to the phone the second time you rang and kindly let you in so you could look at the dresses until my assistant arrived. I wish I was there to give your sister the magical experience you had hoped for. Again, it was never our intention for you to feel uncomfortable or not have the 5 star experience we strive to give every client. We wish you all the best!
This shop has some of the best dresses that I was able to find on the west side! Unique and beautiful dresses. I absolutely loved my dress. I just wish that my dress would have been ordered at the correct size, it was big on me on my wedding day. The correct alterations were not able to be made on me (tightening in the waist area) because of the way the dress was built; the correct size would have been a perfect fit. Overall, amazing shop and would buy from them again if I could get married to my husband every year ;)
WOW! This shop is perfect! Not only is it absolutely adorable, but Laura is AMAZING! She helped me pick out some dresses at that beginning of the private appointment, but she also helped guide me in the direction of what I was liking and getting away from the things I did not like. Then, when I had it narrowed down to two different dresses, Laura suggested making a custom dress to incorporate the things I liked about each dress into one. She didn't pressure me to make a decision at all, and welcomed me back for a second appointment to help me decide. Laura was so kind and easy to work with. All in all, I decided to go with a dress at another store but have been recommending all the brides-to-be that I know to go here first! I had a lovely time and hope the best for Laura and her shop. THANK YOU AGAIN, LAURA!
Go to this shop before going anywhere else. I cannot say enough positive praise about how lovely this team is and how without them I would not have had the wedding that I've dreamed of since I was a little girl. I lived every girl's nightmare - my wedding dress was destroyed by alterations. I mean in literal pieces held together by safety pins a week before my wedding. Last minute and beyond closing time, A Bride's Design not only squeezed me in, but gave me the full run of the shop to try on absolutely anything they had available. I felt important, appreciated and special throughout the entire process. I not only walked out of the shop with a dress that day, but MY DREAM DRESS and it was better than the original. I am forever grateful to these wonderful women, and I recommend them to any bride.
Response from the Vendor on 10/31/2019
You are so awesome! Thank you so much for loving on us so much! We are super grateful for you taking the time to review us! All our very best to you!!
I highly recommend this store! I didn’t end up getting a dress there but it was an awesome experience. The owner made us feel like we were the only people in the store, the place was beautiful and I just felt like a princess the entire time. The dress clipping was also amazing (I quickly learned this is key)
The most amazing bridal shop - ever! Such wonderful and caring staff. I had a specific look for what I wanted, and the owner, Laura, literally sketched it up and created my dream dress! There's no better feeling than having my own one-of-a-kind dress for our special day! The dress was such great quality and beyond stunning! Also purchased beautiful accessories here too! Highly recommend!
My sister got her dress from Laura and had an excellent experience, so it was my first stop. WOW! So many beautiful and unique dresses! Everything is very reasonable- you don't have to worry about blowing a budget. The one thing that sets A Bride's Design apart from the rest- the one on one catered appointments. As soon as you walk in for an appointment, its just you and Laura. Frank Sinatra playing quietly in the background, nice comfy couch for your ladies, and a HUGE gorgeous mirror to pose in front of. Laura is not afraid to give her opinion or make suggestions. Choosing a dress is a big scary decision, so naturally we want opinions/reassurance. Laura's professionalism and experience were wonderful. I absolutely LOVED my dress and recommend A Bride's Design to all!
Response from the Vendor on 12/12/2018
Thank you so much for your kind words, Megan. We really appreciate you taking the time out to share your experience with us! We count ourselves blessed for customers like you. xoxo
Laura and her staff we absolutely wonderful! They were super flexible with scheduling and very tedious with their work! I highly recommend A Bride’s Design.
Such great staff! Super friendly!
A Bride’s Design was a dream to work with since the moment I walked in. They can accommodate a ton of alterations/modifications to their designs to make your dress exactly what you’re looking for & the prices are amazing! Couldn’t have asked for a better dress team than Laura & Erin. Such a pleasure to work with them. Highly, highly recommend. Thank you ladies!!
Response from the Vendor on 10/29/2018
Thank you so much Christine for the kind words!! You looked GORGEOUS in your dress ❤️ we are so happy to be apart of your special day! xoxo
Working with Erin and Laura was a wonderful experience. From my initial meeting with Erin, where she effortlessly sketched my dream dress in minutes, to my final alteration appointment, it was a pleasure working with these talented women. Lucky to have found A Bride’s Design!
My daughter and I looked and looked in area bridal stores for a dress she would love but didn't find much. She had pictures of wedding dresses she liked for one reason or another. We heard about A Bride's Design and Laura's amazing talents. We were not disappointed! My daughter sat with Laura and her sketchbook and they designed exactly the gown my daughter envisioned. Laura found the fabric - a brocade, and through the next few months, she and my daughter created a breathtaking wedding dress. It was everything my daughter wanted and there were so many compliments on the dress at the wedding. The dress was flawless with superb finishing touches (like side pockets!) and my daughter was gorgeous AND comfortable. For such an important event, make sure you stop at A Bride's Design. I would recommend Laura and her staff to any bride-to-be.
Love this shop! Laura and her whole crew were so amazing from the day we walked in, to finding "the" dress through the day we walked out with my dress to wear.
They were great with our bridesmaids who got their dresses in the Watters Too line, and helped find the perfect accessories for my big day. Laura even had my maid of honor take a video of her bustling the back of my dress so she could remember how to do it for the reception!
I would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking to feel special picking out their dress and making the whole process of getting married seamless!
I absolutely loved my dress from A Bride’s Design and I have recommended many friends to look there for their wedding dress. I have never felt more beautiful than I did the day of my wedding. Thank you to Laura and her team for making my dream dress perfect for my special day!
Truth be told, I was dreading the dress-finding process. I do not wear a lot of dresses in general, and I the prospect of trying on dozens in one day was incredibly stressful. A Bride's Design was my final stop of the day, and I have to say I'm glad it was. After hours of being crammed into gowns that were not my style and feeling like the salespeople were only interested in making the biggest possible commission, I walked into a beautiful old home and was greeted by the fabulous Laura. I instantly felt like Laura cared about making my day special and ensuring I loved my gown. Her designs are all lovely in unique ways and can be customized with the multitude of accessories she offers. When it was clear I'd found "the dress," Laura went to work. Before I knew it, I was also wearing a gorgeous veil, a blingy sash, sparkly earrings and a matching bracelet. It was all so perfect together, and made me feel for the first time like a real bride-to-be. Needless to say, I bought the whole package.
Laura and her team were also wonderful in helping me schedule fittings on a tricky timeline (I live in California), and made sure to keep me updated on the status of everything in the months leading up to the big day. I couldn't have been happier with my dress or the quality of service I received at A Bride's Design. Thanks again!
I had a truly wonderful experience at A Bride's Design! Laura is an amazing store owner and wedding dress designer. She was completely accommodating to all of my needs and went out of her way to ensure everything was perfect with my dress. Having previous experience working in two bridal salons I can honestly say you will not find another shop that this caliber of high quality dresses and outstanding customer service. Laura takes the time to get to know each one of her brides and truly strives to create the best overall bridal experience. She made sure that she understood my entire bridal vision and worked to not only help me find the perfect dress but ensure I was able to incorporate a very special piece into my look. My grandmother has passed away before my wedding and had left me her wedding gown from the 1920's. Laura was able to deconstruct the dress and make an amazing silk and lace garter for me to wear on my special day. This piece was absolutely stunning and completely made my bridal look. If you are looking for a personalized bridal experience A Bride's Design is the place to go.
I purchased my wedding gown from a Bride's Design and had the most amazing experience. Not only was the salon beautiful but it was a very personal, one on one experience from start to beginning.
My daughter needed alterations in a hurry on her dress for homecoming. I contacted Laura at A Bride's Design and she got us in quickly for an appointment. The alterations were done perfectly to my daughter's wishes and well before the date she needed the dress. The cost was very reasonable. I would highly recommend A Bride's Design. My son is getting married in the next year and I will definitely look here for my mother of the groom dress.
Laura and her team did such an amazing job on my dress. I walked in to the store and saw a sample in my style. Once I tried the sample on, Laura sketched up the dress I was looking for and got it on order. I could not have asked for a better dress! The price was reasonable for having ordered a personally designed dress and alterations are also extra. I ordered the dress in October of 2016, and we came down to the wire and the week of my wedding in late August 2017 for it to be finished, but it fit and looked beautiful on my day. I have received many compliments. I also ordered my veil from here. I highly recommend working with A Bride's Design!
I knew which dress I wanted the "Penelope by Love Marley". I tried this dress on at BHLDN in Chicago in size 8 and it was PERFECT.Comfy, lightweight, fitted to my chest as is.However,I didn't want to buy the dress that day.I am from the CLE area so it makes more sense to buy it from somewhere local.I searched many shops and a few had this dress I wanted, needed, had to have. I found my dress at A Brides Design their sample size was an 8! I tried it on and it fit perfectly! She took my measurements just to "ensure the right size", paid for half the dress and left. I had to call and set up my own first fitting appointment. When I got there, the dress was huge! A size 12. It was falling off, not tight at all, not at all how it was supposed it fit. Laura assured me everything would be fine that the seamstresses would fix it to make it fit perfectly. I was so confused why she did not order the 8 and when I asked her about it she said my hip measurements were size 16, so she ordered the size in the middle. THIS IS AN A LINE DRESS. Its not fitted in the hips. Not at all. The size 8 sample dress I tried on wasn't tight in the hips at all. Since this is the first wedding dress I have ever bought I was unaware that I should have specifically asked for her to order a size 8. She assured me it would be okay, so I went on with it. Fast forward to 8 weeks later. Im ready for my 2nd and final fitting. The dress had cups sewn in to fix the looseness in the chest, they look like they were stitched in by a 5 year old. Its something I can live with though because it is the inside of the dress, and they do seem secure. The sides were taken in and had leftover fabric that was never removed, which makes it so hard to zip because all of it has to be pushed aside. I am so nervous to break the zipper every time. The straps needed shortened and they did a terrible job with that. First off there is a hole. Secondly they aren't straight or even. The worst part is now this dress I loved so much is so uncomfortable. When they took it in, on the side without a zipper, they just folded a piece of material. The fit is so awkward. I would never recommend making a size 12 dress fit a size 8 person. I wish I could just buy a new size 8 and return this dress. I am so unhappy with it. I should have complained, in the shop I was in and out of the dress and didn't notice any of these things. Now it is so close to my wedding it is not an option. I would not suggest this shop to friends or family. Save yourself time and money and go anywhere else. I would like to update this review. After I wrote this review I was personally contacted by the shop owner who did not apologize, but did tell me if I came in that she would fix the dress. So I took the dress in and she uttered it for the 2nd time. The cups sewn in on the inside that were sewn in with visible thick white string, she removed and sewed them back in with what appeared and felt like fishing line. It now had a better appearance, but was very uncomfortable, poking me and rubbing my chest raw by the end of the night. The straps that she fixed did look much better. Im not sure if this is her error, or if it is the dress material but the right strap ripped by the end of the day. After she had fixed the dress alterations I received a very beautiful card in the mail asking me to take down this post. I will not take it down because this is the truth, and buying your wedding dress from a place like this,you deserve at least that.
Highly recommend A Bride's Design! From the moment I walked in until the wedding day I had a wonderful experience. My dress was amazing and exactly what I had asked for. I ordered one of her dresses but made some personal changes to it. I turned out perfect. Go see Laura at A Bride's Design, you will not regret it!
A Bride's Design is absolutely the most incredible bridal shop. Laura the owner is completely incredible and so great to work with. Any of the ladies who work in the shop are wonderful at helping and so kind. Everyone here makes the experience so special. I bought my custom wedding dress, custom veil and a custom hair piece from a Bride's Design. Every single piece was completely gorgeous and I received so compliments on it all. The whole process with them makes you feel so special. Their shop is so adorable and personal. It truly makes you feel like a bride from the moment you walk in. She has a huge selection of anything you could want as a bride and everything is high quality, reasonably priced and completely gorgeous. I highly recommend working with a Bride's Design! I am eternally grateful for how much they impacted my perfect day!
I wasn't one of those brides who had envisioned what my dress would look like when I was little, but once I saw this dress at a bridal show, and then tried it on at Laura's shop, I knew that it was the one. It's a beautiful dress from the front, but once you see it from the back, you can see how incredibly talented Laura is. It's truly a work of art. I wish that I could spend a day trying on every dress in her beautiful shop! Plus, all of the dresses there are so reasonably priced, and I was able to take my dress back there to have it cleaned and preserved after the wedding. Highly recommend A Bride's Design!
I purchased my dress from another store and took it in to A Bride's Design in February since I enjoyed my experience there shopping for dresses and it was highly recommended by friends for alterations. My wedding was in May and I was able to pick up my dress the week before the wedding. The bustle was quite complicated on my dress and Laura did a fantastic job with it and patiently took it up and down to help my mom learn where all the buttons were. I did have to go back a couple more times for a couple issues with the fit of the dress (one side was off and the length was a little too long initially) but Laura and Erin worked with me to ensure the fit was perfect. I really felt like they were willing to do whatever it took to make the fit perfect. Laura even shortened it a bit more the final pick up day as I was concerned about it dragging on the ground (we had a very rainy wedding week). Thank you so much for all of your work on my dress. It looked PERFECT!
When I first went to the store I had a great experience, the girl who helped me was really nice and I loved the dresses. I went back a couple of weeks later to make a final decision I decided to buy my dress. Fast forward to my 1st fitting, I met up with Laura, put on the dress and right away I notice how it wasn’t fitted in my stomach area, it was “baggy” and it had what seemed like excess fabric in that area. She told me she would get that fixed and I asked her about the hem and she said it had the perfect length and it wouldn’t need to be adjusted.
Went back for my 2nd fitting, put on the dress and I notice how the dress still looked exactly the same! I showed her how there was still excess fabric around my waist and how it didn’t look right and she agreed it needed to be fixed again. I go back to my 3rd fitting thinking it would be the last one since it was 3 weeks away from my wedding. To my surprise the dress still didn’t look right, it still had excess fabric in the stomach area, and it wasn’t fitted at all. Laura asked me what I thought she had to do to fix it and I said “I don’t know, you’re the expert”. I couldn’t believe she was asking me how to fix the dress when she’s the dress designer. My sister in law pointed out how she thought the hem was too long and asked me to walk around the store, something Laura never suggested me to do. I walk around and yes, the hem is too long and Laura says “oh yeah, I guess the hem is too long.” So not only she has to fix that extra fabric mistake, she also has to do the hem. At that point I was already freaking out because it was too close to my wedding date but she guaranteed it would be ok. I go back for my 4th fitting, ONE WEEK before my wedding day and the hem seemed fixed but the excess fabric was still there, at that point I just gave up, I tell Laura I’m still really unhappy with it and she offers to fix it again and I said no, I’ll take it somewhere else because you already tried to fix this THREE TIMES with no success. I left the store and I cried all day wondering what I would do to fix that dress, I had to call numerous places and I finally found someone who agreed to see me next day and said she would take care of it. I get there and put on the dress and I noticed there were HOLES all around the hem. So not only I had to fix the excess fabric I also had to pay her to somehow fix the holes. I had to pay $205.00 on top of everything else I paid at A Brides Design but at least my dress was finally fixed and I picked it up TWO days before my wedding. The seamstress asked me if I bought the dress at a new location and asked me if the person who fixed my dress was unexperienced because she couldn’t understand how she couldn’t fix my dress the first time. The store has pretty dresses but I’d never recommend it to any of my friends. If you really want to buy a dress there make sure you get it altered somewhere else.
I can't say enough wonderful things about Laura and her crew. I tried on so many dresses, and I just couldn't find the perfect dress. I wanted a design that was uniquely me, and would fit and flatter my shape. ( I'm not tiny or young :) ). Two different people raved about Laura, so I went to see her. She listened, and designed the perfect dress for me. It was gorgeous, and the most impressive thing about the dress for me was how well made it was. Everything about it was perfection! It was comfy and made me feel beautiful until the end of the wedding. Laura and her staff are so sweet, and great to work with. I refer anyone who is getting married to A bride's design. Why buy a prefab wedding dress when you can have one of Laura's special works of art made just for you? She's the best!
Laura was great and made me the most amazing custom rehearsal dinner dress. I had fabric from a Central Asian country I had lived in for several years and she worked so well with it. It meant a lot to me and she understood that. The dress is 100% unique and absolutely beautiful! Laura works quickly and is professional.overall great experience!
Both of my daughters purchased their dresses from Laura and couldn't have been more pleased. We loved the experience from start to finish. Their dresses were customized to their specifications and were perfect. After shopping at several different salons, we knew Laura would provide us with the best gowns within our budget.
Laura is great. Not only does she believe we larger girls deserve a beautiful dress, she doesn't judge and will design a dress just for you. She also moved heaven and earth to get the dress done for me when we had to move up the date due to my father's illness. She was kind and compassionate and there when I needed her. Fantastic person, designer, and has a beautiful little boutique. Seriously you won't go wrong if you choose Laura.
I loved A Bride's Design. It was such an easy and personal experience. Laura is so talented and willing to help work with you in any way. Her designs are beautiful and she made me feel so wonderful!
A Bride's Design was such a good find for me and my bridal party! Located right in my hometown, A Bride's Design offers a variety of dresses for both bride and bridesmaids at a variety of prices. Laura was amazing to work with and was so willing to offer as much time as needed to get the perfect bridal look! Definitely recommend A Bride's Design to anyone!
I can't rave enough about Laura and A Bride's Design! From day 1 of trying on dresses to pick-up before the wedding, everything was perfect! Her boutique is beautiful- simple and elegant, not overwhelming, and she's there with you every step of the way with each dress you try on. Her designs are beautiful, and you can really tell the time, attention, detail, and love she pours into her work. Tell her what you have in mind, and she'll give you just that, and suggest a few others that she thinks would look great on you. I tried on 5 dresses and found the one!
She made me a beautiful veil with a few ideas that I had from other veils, and combined my ideas into beautiful perfection! I also purchased my wedding earrings from her boutique, which they handcrafted for me based on a few ideas that I had for what I wanted my earrings to look like.
Laura is so easy to talk to and design your dream wedding with! I highly recommend her and A Bride's Design to all of you Bride's out there (and anyone looking for formal wear or alterations)!
Thank you Laura for helping to make my wedding day just the way I dreamed it to be :)
Laura made the most amazing dress for me! It was beautiful and my husband loved it. She is very easy to work with and will do any changes you ask. I had her take off lace from my mom's dress for my bouquet and change up my mom's veil for me. If I ever need a fancy dress again, I will definitely use her! She is amazing!!!!
The shop it self is very chic and comfortable. There are just enough dresses and styles to choose from so that you are not overwhelmed. Laura helps you with your style and provides excellent suggestions. She is also willing to work within your budget and help adjust the dress to exactly what you are looking for. I cannot speak high enough of A Bride's Design. I feel very lucky to have found this shop and ultimately purchase the wedding dress of my dreams!
Laura is great!! I went there for my dress and then 2 of bridesmaids ended up getting there dresses there. She is so nice to work with through the entire process. She has a great selection of dresses and will even make a custom dress if you would like.
A Bride's Design is amazing!! Laura, the designer and owner, is awesome. She designs all of the dresses herself and she also does completely custom gowns. This sounds really expensive, I know, but it's not. Her prices are very reasonable. Plus, Laura also does all of the alterations herself so she can make your dress exactly how you want it. You never feel pressured to buy anything but A Bride's Design has all the wedding accessories too.
I highly recommend A Bride's Design. It's the best wedding dress shopping experience you could ask for. You definitely want to check it out. You will fall in love!
I had a hard time finding the right dress. I wanted it to be lace, ivory and most importantly unique. I was frustrated after trying on dresses at other locations until hearing about A Brides Design. Her business is right out of her adorable Victorian home. Her dresses are high quality and unique. I just felt special the second I walked in there! A wedding dress should make you feel like princess on the big day, and that's how I felt throughout the entire process. She made last minute alterations quickly when it was a bit big the week before. She also had beautiful jewelry right there in store making it easy to accessorize. She was willing to do any type of additions to the dress if I wanted to make it my own.
Wedding planning can be stressful and this was one aspect that was just very pleasant through and through thanks to Laura!!! I highly recommend this business!
This is the cutest boutique ever!!! When you walk in you feel like a bride! All the wedding dress's were so different and it wasn't at all cookie cutter. They had there own flair. The gowns were made so well. She also does handmade belts, garters, headbands. For me it was a one stop shop.
I used this vendor for my wedding gown alterations mainly because from where I purchased my dress, they wanted to have 3 fittings!!! I know this is normal but I wasn't having it, so I called A Bride's Design and they were able to accommodate me, only wanting one fitting. When the dress wasn't ready the first time they said it would be, they were able to get it within a few days and gave me a discount. They were very pleasant to work with and it's such a cute little shop!
I loved my wedding dress. Laura was awesome to work with, and she makes the dresses herself. She was a pleasure to work with and was such a sweet person. She will do anything to make the dress perfect for you.
I bought a jeweled sash for my dress and earrings from A Bride's Design. They were beautiful and less expensive than a lot of designers that I had previously been looking at.
She also made me a comb for my hair made from my grandmother's old costume jewelry which was beautiful!
I had an amazing experience from start to finish with Laura and A Bride's Design. When pictures were posted on social media I had strangers commenting on how beautiful my dress was. The dress was even better than I had dreamed up in my head. Even the color choices for bridesmaids dresses we great! She had the one color I couldn't find anywhere else! I already have recommended Laura and her shop to other people and I will continue to in the future! Thanks Laura!
Laura at a Bride's Design gave me the best wedding dress shopping experience I could've asked for. Because she is by appointment only you receive personalized attention without being rushed or pressured. Laura is like a knowledgeable friend that you go shopping with! Her shop is adorable. Her dresses are unique and beautiful and reasonably priced. I also had my alterations done there and my dressed cleaned. Her service is timely and honest and I would recommend her to anyone for a top notch wedding dress experience!
Laura from A Bride's Design was so wonderful to work with. Her shop is adorable and her designs are absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend A Bride's Design to everyone!
Laura the owner of A Bride's Design designs some of the dresses that she carries. Mine was one of them. My dress was gorgeous!! Everyone loved it! I even had someone ask to borrow it. lol..
She's wonderful to work with and her dresses are fabulous! I highly recommend her!
n/a
I did not buy my dress here, but had it altered and had my head piece made here. Very nice, but not great with communication and some things were over priced.
Big Selection of styles and sizes
I had Laura from A Bride's Design do my alterations for my dress (which I purchased elsewhere) and I couldn't have been happier with the results. Her work is excellent and she is very professional and wonderful to work with. I would highly recommend her for dress shopping and/or alterations! (Her designs are also beautiful!)
My dress was very well made and I loved it! Service on the other hand varied. I started at the David's Bridal in Mayfield,Ohio. They had horrible customer service and I was left to fend for myself once I was in the dressing room. No one came to check on me and the sales girl that was hanging around had no idea how to answer any of anyone's questions. When I complained to the manager about my experience her only response was " Yeah I figured you didn't get the best service, she's new and I don't think she working out". That pathetic. I switched to the David's in North Olmsted and they were AWESOME! Friend staff, helpful, and the alterations department was some of the best customer service I've ever received. They know what they are doing and do it well!!!!
Laura truly made my dress beautiful! I had her do alterations and the bustle was magnificent!!!
Laura altered my wedding dress and did some of my bridesmaid alterations. Her dresses are beautiful as well! She is so flexible and does great work! I also bought my earrings and veil from her -- which were stunning.
Laura did the alterations to the wedding dress I bought from Ann Taylor (online). I needed the length hemmed and she did an awesome job. She even offered me a garment bag to take my dress home in free of charge!
I bought my dress off the rack almost a year before my wedding, so I needed alterations and minor repairs. Laura worked wonders. I had heard horror stories about multiple fittings, but I had only one fitting before I went back to pick up my dress in its finished, perfect condition. Laura perfectly altered the dress to fit me, changed the straps, and created a beautiful 12-point bustle with decorative hooks. Laura was also very personable which made it a pleasure to work with her.
Laura is one of a kind when it comes to bridal alterations. She is also a STEAL!! She used my mother's veil to form a halter strap on my dress. She also made it detachable in case the fabric was to abrasive. She also took my dress in 2 inches, de-beaded some of the detail around my arms (it was a little scratchy) and put in an under bustle. My bill was still under $200. Great value!! I highly recommend her!! I am not sure if she wants me to post her phone number, but she gets all her emails sent to her blackberry so she will respond promptly.
Laura called a designer and had them send the dress of my dreams into her shop. It just needed to be hemmed, but that was a challenge due to all the beading along the hemline. During my wedding planning, A Bride's Design closed and Laura took the shop to her home. She would meet with us whenever was convenient and did so much work making my dress just perfect. She also made me a purse from my first communion veil :) Laura is now opening a new store in North Ridgeville with her own designs. Check out lauralynncollection.com
They offer free alterations! And they let me buy a sample dress because there wasn't enough time to order one.
Contact
37375 Detroit Rd, Avon, OH
Interested?
Meet the team
Laura Smith
Owner
Owner Laura Smith received her BA in Fashion Design at Kent State University in 2002. Immediately following in 2003 she opened A Bride’s Design, due to her passion for classic elegance, sophisticated styles and exquisite knowledge of fabrics and laces.
For the past 18 years, she has had the pleasure of assisting thousands of brides in discovering their dream wedding gown. By providing exceptional service and designing with a personal touch, Laura ensures that every bride has a charming and unique experience. She specializes in custom bridal ware and freelance design.
Message vendor
Contact for Appointment
Laura Smith
OWNER
- Messaging our verified vendors on The Knot is free, safe and secure.
- Conveniently track vendor messages and planning details all in one place.
- Our mobile apps make it easy to stay in touch with vendors while you're on‑the‑go.
- For personalized pricing and package details, sending the vendor a message is the fastest way to get info.
A Bride's Design
A Bride's Design's photos