Suzanne's was the first place I went to try on dresses. I didn't expect to find "the dress" that day; I didn't even have a clue as to what kind of dress I was looking for yet. However, the girls at Suzanne's brought a variety of 8-10 dresses ov...er for me, and I immediately fell in love with the second dress I tried on! I tried the rest on just to be sure, but not before cancelling the bridal salon appointment I had made for later that day because the second dress I tried was "the one."
A few negative aspects of my experience, which would not cause me to go somewhere else but are worth mentioning to warn brides-to-be: They didn't tell me until I bought the dress that they would be doing the alterations, and then I wasn't told until my first fitting that all alterations would cost an additional $200+ so that was disappointing. After reading some recent reviews, I see the sales agreement may state we do not have to get our alterations there, but having failed to read the entire agreement, the sales girls did not give me the impression that I had a choice whatsoever. If I had spoken up/known what questions to ask, perhaps I could have figured this out, but I feel the sales girls could be a little more open and honest to avoid misunderstandings like this. I ended up having to go in for like 5 different fittings, and during 2-3 of those fittings I didn't see any difference in my dress from one appointment to the next. Ultimately, I would give the final product an 8/10 because while the dress was absolutely beautiful, it didn't fit me 100% perfectly in the waist/chest area and I believe it could have been taken in just a little more in those areas. The girls had talked me into getting a larger size than I knew I needed, saying it's easier to take the dress in than to make it bigger (which made sense), but it may not have been so hard to take so much in so it could fit fit me perfectly if they had ordered me the smaller size I had originally asked for. After all, the size 10 I tried on in the store was very big on me; I should have ordered that size and had just a little taken in (or maybe it would have fit perfectly), but they talked me into getting another size up. They said the size 10 I tried on in the store had been worn in from all the girls who had tried it on, but that size 10 was so big on me I can't imagine it was THAT worn in. It's also possible they've experienced having brides get bigger between their try-on date and final fitting, but I would have preferred if they said it won't be their fault if I get bigger and the dress no longer fits me in 6 months. I will say, Suzanne has the most beautiful dresses, and she is super nice and easy to work with/schedule for fittings. She listened to my concerns as we went through the fittings and in the end I still wouldn't change anything! Also, even though I was still a tiny bit critical of how the dress fit me, I got SO many compliments from our guests and friends who saw photos later, that I had the most beautiful and perfect dress and I looked like a bridal model. I would like to believe if I had spoken up/insisted on one more alteration to the waist/bust I wouldn't have any negatives to discuss here, but at the same time I did try to speak up about this and the sales girl said I was wrong. Also, my last fitting was only 1 week before my wedding (I didn't get my dress until TWO days before- 5 fittings made it cut a little too close for comfort!). All in all, THANK YOU to Suzanne!