4.8 out of 5 stars and 166 reviews
4.8
(166)Best of Weddings (11x).401 N Great Neck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA
About this vendor
We believe that shopping for your bridal gown, bridesmaids and accessories should be fun and vibrant. Don’t expect any stuffiness here! Whether your wedding is in the country club or barefoot on the beach, your Ava Clara experience is tailored to your needs and desires. We provide a true boutique experience, including endless custom gown options to help you create the wedding dress of your dreams! Our talented stylists work hand-in-hand with you to create your vision for your bridal look and wedding party.
Alex and her staff rely on their shared love of fashion, from vintage to red carpet, to cast a unique light on every bride’s wedding day. Let us show you the Ava Clara Difference!
Details
Accessories
- Hair Accessories
- Flower Crowns
- Headbands
- Pins, Combs & Clips
- Tiaras
- Sashes & Belts
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Dresses
- Bridesmaid Dresses
- Flower Girl Dresses
- Shower & Party Dresses
- Wedding Dresses
Fashion Services
- Bridal Stylists
- Custom Designs
- Dry Cleaning & Preservation
- Plus Size Available
- Private Appointments Available
Suits & Accessories
- Tuxedos & Suits
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.8
out of 5.0166 reviews
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I love my dress!!! The shop is beautiful. I loved that I got to leave with my dress that day. They advised on who to go to for alterations. Thank you!
I had a FANTASTIC experience purchasing my dress here. I had the pleasure of working directly with Alex, the owner, & she was phenomenal! Alex stayed under my desired budget with every dress and matched my veil perfectly. I also purchased all of my accessories here and looked EXACTLY how I envisioned on my special day. Beautiful shop with beautiful dresses, and beautiful people!
Ava Clara made the wedding dress shopping experience everything I could have asked for! Working with Dominique was so incredible and every single person there was so friendly and supportive! If you are looking for where to shop for your wedding dress, look no further and RUN to Ava Clara!
Planning a wedding during the COVID-19 pandemic was undoubtedly challenging, but the team at Ava Clara Bridal made my dress-buying experience an absolute dream come true. From start to finish, they went above and beyond to ensure that I felt safe, comfortable, and utterly special.
The staff at Ava Clara Bridal truly understood the significance of finding the perfect wedding dress, even in these uncertain times. They took the time to listen attentively to my preferences, style, and vision for the big day. Their expertise and knowledge of bridal fashion were evident as they guided me through their exquisite collection of couture gowns. Their personalized approach made me feel valued and heard as if I were their only client.
Despite the limitations posed by the pandemic, the boutique managed to maintain a remarkable selection of wedding dresses. Each gown was a work of art, showcasing the craftsmanship and attention to detail that only couture can offer. From intricate lacework to delicate beadwork, I was spoilt for choice. The staff was patient and accommodating throughout the process, allowing me to try on various styles and ensuring that I felt confident in my decision.
Once I found the dress of my dreams, the boutique's exceptional customer service continued to shine. They provided valuable insights on shipping and care was invaluable because I did not live locally. Ava Clara Bridal was able to ship my dress to IL (where I live) and provided me with a timeline to ensure everything would be okay despite the difference.
In summary, my experience at Ava Clara Bridal was nothing short of extraordinary. Their dedication to providing a safe environment, their expert guidance, and their breathtaking collection of couture gowns made the entire dress-buying process a joyous and stress-free experience. I wholeheartedly recommend Ava Clara Bridal to any bride searching for the perfect wedding dress, pandemic or not. They exceeded all my expectations and played an integral part in making my wedding day truly magical.
Thank you, Ava Clara Bridal, for turning a challenging time into a beautiful memory that will be cherished forever.
Another wonderful experience for wedding dress shopping. Booking an appointment does cost $25 for your first time. It says there is a $75 cancelation when first booking the appointment but the follow up emails said, "$50 Cancellation Fee in the case of a no show or cancellation within 72 hours prior to your scheduled appointment time". The store has the main entry with the front desk in the middle , seating on both sides, then kind of splits with two sides. The right side has two rows of wedding dresses, with 1 dressing rooms on the back left, and in the very back a full 360 mirror. The right said had one row of wedding dresses on the left and more dressing rooms on the right. The dressing rooms are very large size, plenty of room to try and store dresses. I work with Ashlyn and Alaina who was shadowing Ashlyn. Prior to my appointment I looked on their website and favored a few dresses. So upon getting to my appointment they were able to start pulling them. The dresses I tried we all beautiful and gorgeous. She also ensured me that I had time to order which others places told me I was very close to running out of time. The dress I loved she told me I could add a liner and even pick different sleeve add ons. She said a lot of dresses have options to custom to your style. I didn't say yes to any dresses just because I am still browsing all of my options. But the experience was really great and would recommend. Ashlyn and Alaina were great to work with. Patient, kind, made me feel at ease, and super helpful.
Found my wedding dress on the sample sale rack! It was beautiful and the sales associates were very helpful. Highly recommend!
I went to this shop and enjoyed the experience each time. Though I did not find my dress I encourage other brides to give them a shot.
Staff was SO incredible. Everything was so accommodating for my needs. Pricing is fair, and payment options are available as well. CANNOT say enough good things about Ava Clara. Cannot wait to wear my gown in March!
Last November I had the honor of participating in Tulle for Teachers, an event sponsored by Ava Clara where 50 educators received a free wedding gown of their choosing. This generosity alone would be worthy of five stars, but the staff worked so hard with each bride to make us feel appreciated and to help us find the perfect wedding gown. All of the staff were so helpful and made sure each of us left with a wedding dress that we truly loved. They had a wonderful selection of beautiful gowns, the store was beautiful, and staff were all knowledgeable and enthusiastic. My dress was PERFECT for my October 2020 wedding and I received so many compliments about the dress!
Very personable and amazing service. I had to have my dress overnighted to me when it came in and they went above and beyond to help.
Ava Clara is the best! I went wedding dress shopping at Ava Clara in July. Taylor was my bridal consultant and she was amazing! Every dress Taylor picked out was so beautiful. I fell completely in love with one of the dresses. As soon as I put it on I knew it was the one! I felt like she took the vision I had in my head and made it a reality.
Not only was everyone incredibly friendly and professional, but precautions for Covid were flawlessly put in place. I can’t thank everyone at Ava Clara enough! They made wedding dress shopping fun and stress-free even in these crazy times.
I love love loved this bridal shop! This was my last stop after two days of dress shopping with my mom and I am SO glad we decided to go. I originally worked with Leigh and she was very laid back and really helped me figure out what I wanted. She listened to what I was saying (also picking up on some nonverbal cues) and steered me in the right direction without being pushy! The whole experience was really fantastic. The entire staff were friendly and helpful!
I can’t praise the staff of Ava Clara Couture Bridal enough. As a plus-sized bride, the thought of wedding dress shopping brought anxiety, nerves, and I was preparing for a disappointing experience. My experience at Ava Clara was absolutely AMAZING. Melinda was an attentive and knowledgeable stylist. I showed her gowns I had saved on Pinterest and she pulled nine incredible dresses well within my budget. Each one was flattering and unique. I can’t believe I had so many awesome choices. I said yes to the most perfect dress and had a ton of fun with my family and bridesmaids along the way. It was the best day! Melissa is an experienced seamstress to alter your dress to absolute perfection. My dress was everything I could have ever wanted and I’m so thankful for my Ava Clara experience!
Because I was planning on having a small wedding ceremony, I had just assumed a gown would not be a part of my wedding day. I was cycling through mail-order gowns from sites like Morning Lavender and lulus. These options were all pretty and were fine dresses, but none felt truly special.
In October this year, a relative sent me a link to a contest, “Tulle for Teachers” in which Ava Clara Couture Bridal, in Virginia Beach, generously gifts brand new wedding gowns to teacher-brides. I was selected for the event and emailed the shop with a few questions beforehand- the shop was prompt in their reply and super helpful. When the day of the event arrived, I was able to try on as many dresses as I wished within my designated time slot. The ladies at Ava Clara were SO genuinely kind and supportive as I tried on gown after gown (all of which made me feel like a total princess!).
My wedding day was exactly what I had hoped for and more beautiful than I could have imagined, thanks to this cherished and generous gift from Ava Clara!
VERY helpful and professional! I was gifted a free dress by this boutique in the Tulle for Teachers giveaway!!
I was part of an event sponsored by Ava Clara, Tulle For Teachers, in which 50 teachers received a FREE wedding gown! Not only was Ava Clara incredibly generous, but the whole staff really made us feel special and appreciated. Even though we only had 30 minutes to try on dresses, the staff were helpful, kind, and efficient - I left with a dress that I love! Great selection of beautiful gowns and a really nice experience!
When I got engaged the first thing I wanted to check off my list was my wedding gown. Ava Clara Bridal was one of the first places I went to try on gowns. My stylist Jamie was so sweet and awesome. She made me feel really comfortable and I was able to open up to her about what I was looking for. The great thing about Ava Clara is that the stylist really listen to what you want, and respect the budget that you are trying to stay in. Jamie let me know about certain customization's I could do with the wedding dresses I had favored. Which was super helpful because I had no idea there were so many possibilities. I never once felt pressured to buy or rushed. It was really such a great experience for my Mom and I.
After 4 bridal stores in VA beach Ava Clara blew all the others out of the water. From the moment I walked in their store I felt welcome and like a bride! I did not feel rushed and they truly listened. They answered all of my questions with a smile. I would highly recommend buying your wedding dress from Ava Clara. Thank you Ava Clara for making my special day wonderful! A girl only gets this moment once and it’s a memory I won’t forget.
The absolute only stress I had before my wedding day originated from my experience here. Let me be clear- I was not a bridezilla and was very laid back and considerate of everyone involved. I had found the dress I wanted at another store out of town, and I looked for it locally and they happened to have it. I went in and bought it right away- no problem. When it came in I had people from out of the country in town and wanted to try it on. I made an appointment just to try it on. One day before my appointment I got a call saying they actually had another appointment at that time and could not fit me in (even though I made an appointment over a week ahead of time). They only let me come in when we said that we wouldn’t buy the bridesmaid dresses from them. Getting the bridesmaid dresses horrendous. We had an appointment- well ahead of time- and it was beyond crazy during our appointment. It was crowded, other groups seemed well better attended to (maybe because I had already bought my wedding dress?), and we were rushed. We weren’t even there for 45 minutes before we were rushed out the door. The sales associate didn’t even bother getting all the information from the bridesmaids- only their emails (which she wrote down wrong anyway). About two weeks later when I didn’t get a confirmation that they had been ordered, they said they were still waiting on a bridesmaid for her information. They had the wrong email and never thought to call me to see why the bridesmaid hadn’t replied to them. Also, when I called later to confirm again, they had written down that we were ordering CORAL dresses when we were ordering NAVY BLUE. Lastly, I was notified later that they were doing some sort of renovation and would need to pick up my dress in two weeks, even though they said they keep dresses until the wedding. I completely understand that they had unplanned renovations, but I really think they should have found somewhere else to store the dresses for the brides. All my family is out of town, and I didn’t want to keep the dress at my house (where I lived with my fiancé). All in all, it was just a bad experience that left a bad taste.
This is the place where all your bridal dreams will come true! I shopped Ava Clara for my wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses, and both times, the staff at Ava Clara exceeded my expectations. Leigh worked very hard to try and find the perfect wedding dress with every detail that I was looking for. The manager, Melinda, showed me every possible option to get the bridesmaids dresses I wanted for my wedding. Go here! Shop here! You will have your bridal moment here!!
SO PERFECT! I had sort of a fiasco before coming to Ava Clara and impulsively bought a dress somewhere else that I soon regretted. To my dismay Leigh was there to alleviate the stress and helped me find my perfect dress! So thankful for everyone at Ava Clara and couldn't have been happier with how helpful and stress-free the whole process was!
I'm from the DC area and had visited many other bridal boutiques there before coming to Ava Clara on one of my trips to the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area to visit my now-husband. Ava Clara was one of the best boutiques I visited in terms of customer service, the selection of dresses, and just how nice the inside of the store and fitting rooms were. Leigh was really nice and helpful during my first and all my subsequent visits after ordering my dress from them. I was having a hard time finding the dress I was envisioning and Leigh ended up suggesting how I could custom order a dress combining the parts I liked from two dresses I tried on with her. I ended up going with that and it turned out to be amazing and what I was looking for (and failing to find at any other bridal boutique)! They were also very accommodating for my schedule which I really appreciated, since I could only drive down on weekends. One time I was stuck in traffic so long that by the time I got there, I was probably 50 minutes late to my appointment but Leigh still helped me. After my dress came in and we discovered the designer had made a mistake with the measurements, they were really prompt in contacting the designer and resolving the problem quickly, as my wedding was coming up in just a few weeks. I also had minor alterations done at Ava Clara, and the seamstress did a great job. One of the times I had to come in for a fitting, I remember they even let me make an appointment for a Saturday evening that I think was past their normal store hours to help accommodate my schedule. Overall, Leigh and the others who helped me at Ava Clara were so nice and helpful and I definitely recommend them!
I had one day where my mom was going to be in town to shop for my dress, so we had no choice but to visit 5 different bridal shops. Ava Clara was my last appointment of the day, and I happened to find my dress at another shop appointment. I called Ava Clara as soon as I found my dress at the other store, let them know about the situation, and said I needed to cancel my appointment. They said they would still be charging me the cancellation fee. We called back later to question it, and the woman we spoke with on the phone was extremely rude the entire time.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of the cancellation fee completely, but think there should be some leeway when a bride calls to cancel because she found her dress (rather than just canceling for a generic reason). In my opinion, it would have been rude of me and a waste of THEIR time to show up for an 1.5 hour appointment knowing I would not be buying a dress from them. They absolutely could have opened that spot for a walk-in, or called another bride on their waiting list. Charging me a cancellation fee–seemingly as a punishment— because I happened to find my dress that same day at another shop seems opportunistic.
The owner of the other shop (Silk Bridal) where I did purchase my dress overheard what was happening, and offered to take the price of the cancellation fee from Ava Clara off the cost of the dress we were going to purchase. She even offered me a 10% discount because my Fiancé is in the Navy. THAT is good customer service.
I understand every bridal shop has to run their business, but there needs to be some understanding and compassion considering how emotional of a choice this kind of thing is, especially when the customer does their part to be prompt about the cancellation, and be honest about the situation so as not to waste anyone's time.
This was my second bridal salon and the most enjoyable! The salon is cute, clean, and has unique and affordable gowns. Jamie was super helpful! She picked out dresses based off of my style I explained to her, and led me to a dress better than one I dreamed of!
I would definitely recommend Ava Clara as your first choice. You will not be disappointed.
I throughly enjoyed my time wedding dress shopping with Ava Clara! They took my budget into consideration and were so friendly the entire time. They were helpful when I called to make sure my dress was on the way and allowed me to take it the day before for a final steaming! I did not use their on-site alterations.
I was invited to participate in the 2018 inaugural Tulle for Teachers event on November 12th. This was a spectacular opportunity to give back to teachers who provide so much to our community. I was honored to have been selected and was treated like a true star. We were all welcomed warmly and with a lot of excitement. I was fortunate to have been third in line, but I felt like I was the first and only person there. Jamie, my bridal consultant, helped me with selecting and fitting my dresses. The gowns that had been selected for us were breathtaking, unique and were certainly couture. As it ended up, the first dress I tried on was the one that I said yes to! I tried on 7 total. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and feel an enormous amount of relief that such an important aspect of my nuptials has now been taken care of. I am going to look like a dream on my wedding day and I cannot wait to share this with Ava Clara. I would highly recommend Ava Clara to anyone. They have an immense selection of couture dresses in all styles and the staff is magnificent.
I got the most wonderful dress from Ava Clara. I was a part of their program called Tulle for Teachers where they gave 30 lucky teachers a free wedding dress. Just the sheer generosity of the salon would have been enough for 5 stars, but the quality of service I got from my consultant Leigh and the beautiful dresses they were offering was was above and beyond what I was expecting. They made me feel special, beautiful, and I cannot sing their praises enough. Thank you ladies so much for all you have done.
I LOVED shopping at this bridal shop. Gina was amazing and helped me pick out just what I was looking for. My dress fit perfectly and was absolutely beautiful on my wedding day!
Ava Clara is the absolute BEST bridal boutique. Alex and Gina were amazing at finding the perfect combination for myself and my bridesmaids. All the gowns are stunning, the prices are affordable and the customer service is unmatched. Every time I walk in to the boutique I feel welcomed into the Ava Clara family. I feel like I have the dress I have dreamed about since I was a little girl and it is because of their amazing team! So happy I am an Ava Clara bride!!
Words cannot express how thankful I am for the ladies at Ava Clara. They helped me find my dream dress! It was exactly what I wanted plus some! Best bridal studio around hands down.
I loved this place and I didn't even get a dress there. Everyone was incredibly nice and helpful, and there was no pressure at all. Definitely recommend!
I loved my experience at this bridal boutique! Everyone was super sweet and helpful! The person they have doing alterations was also fantastic and did a wonderful job! I would highly recommend going there! It was wonderful!
Beautiful selection and professional, knowledable staff! Their seamstress was incredibly patient and listened to every request. You can tell they love their jobs.
Ava Clara Bridal made my dress shopping experience amazing! My first consultation was with Alex, the owner, who truly has a passion for what she does. I didn't realize she was the owner until I asked her how long she had been working there haha. She has such a knowledge and love for what she does and it shows. She choose the first gown that I tried on and it ended up being the dress that I chose. She ensures that you feel comfortable during the entire process and never pushes you to make a decision you aren't ready for. I didn't purchase the dress on my first visit. I visited a couple more bridal salons and tried on way too many dresses but kept going back to that first one. I even tried on the dress at a few other bridal salons but decided to go back to Ava Clara to purchase the dress based on the amazing experience they provided on my first visit. The rest of her employees are very nice and knowledgeable as well. I used their in house seamstress for my alterations - she was great and was able to do everything I wanted to my dress!
I have never felt more like a fairy tale princess than on my wedding day! Thank you for the wonderful experience!!
Beautiful selection but disappointing customer service. I found my dream dress, ordered, paid the deposit and waited patiently for it to come in. When it arrived, it was two inches too short - you could see the top of my feet! The sales associate responded that I "must have been looking down when they measured me". As a professional, I'd expect them to tell me to stand up straight if that was even the case. They refused to order a new dress, but did cover the cost of adding additional lace at the bottom (It looks great, but I was devastated that they had to band aid the dress). I then won tickets to a bridal show from a giveaway they posted on Instagram. I was out of the country for the holidays, and asked if I could pick it up a day later than what they had posted, and they declined, stating I'd have to have someone pick them up for me. I had hoped, with the trouble with my dress, they'd extend that courtesy to me, and was surprised when they didn't. I went in yesterday to pick up my dress, showed up 45 minutes early at their request, and was hurried along. As soon as I got it on, Melinda said, "well, looks like it still fits" (Yes, I think that was the plan). I was not allowed to try on the belt, my shoes, my jewelry, anything with the dress. She pulled the dress off of me. I asked if they could steam my belt (which they had promised that they would when my mom asked), and she said, "You just have to take an iron to it. We'd have to set up a different apparatus to steam it, and we're trying to close early". I responded that you should never tell a paying customer that, and that I had had a terrible experience with Ava Clara from the beginning. She then mentioned that she had had a family emergency, and while I pray that every thing was okay, there was another associate in the store that could have helped me and there was no reason for me to have been treated so poorly. Just a very disappointing experience - once the sale is made, they don't seem to care about you.
I got the most PERFECT dress at Ava Clara! They had really unique and beautiful dresses there and the staff was amazing. I tried on a good 10 dresses before I finally found "the one" (which was also the last dress I tried on). The process to get the dress fitted was super easy and the staff was helpful the entire time. Everyone commented on how beautiful the dress was and how it really stood out from other wedding dresses you see. Can't recommend them enough!
Melinda and the staff at Ava Clara are the best in town! I never once felt like I was a number or a commission. Although ultimately I bought my dress from another store (design was not available with their designers), I would highly recommend Ava Clara for any bride!
Hands down, Ava Clara is the place to go for a wedding dress! I worked with Melinda, who was amazing. She was very patient and could tell right away whether or not I liked a dress. She was great at pulling styles and helping me narrow down what I was looking for. I am a very quiet person and she helped me find what I wanted, not what my family wanted for me. For my bridesmaids dresses, I wanted a fitted lace dress in a specific shade of plum. Melinda went through all of the catalogs to find a dress I would be happy with.
The salon was very clean and organized. The designers they carry make quality dresses. Even my seamstress commented on the quality of my dress.
When I first found my dress at Eva Clara, they did not have their own seamstress. I started to run into some issues with the seamstress I had and, at that point, Ava Clara had hired their own. Two days before my wedding, their seamstress helped to fix the alterations that had been done to my dress.
The staff at Ava Clara always went above and beyond to make sure my dress and my bridesmaids dresses were what I wanted.
We enjoyed our experience with Ava Clara. Gina was very sweet and helpful and we were able to find a beautiful dress that in the end I loved. My only complaint would be the sales people should know the type of dress that is best for each body type and make recommendations based on that. Sometimes the dress you love will fit you differently when it comes in and the difference between the showroom dress and your dress should be talked about. I have a very small bust and the dress I chose was very wrong for my body. I also was extremely disappointed with their alterations recommendation, if you buy a dress from Ava Clara, look elsewhere for alterations. The woman (very nice) didn’t know how to fix the problem without adding 2 DD padded cups into my dress. I don’t have a bust, how does adding that much padding even make sense? Overall the experience was good, and now it’s the only high-end shop in town.
I went into Ava Clara on a sale day thankfully. I had been to two stores previously and hadn’t found “the one”. The consultants worked with me and found the perfect floor model which helped me save tons!
The only down fall is they don’t have their own seamstress in store. However they gave me a great recommendation and she was amazing. She spent hours on my dress until it was just how I wanted it.
The Ava Clara experience was amazing! I was pretty nervous to try on dresses since several friends warned sizes are so very different in bridal. But, from the minute I walked into the store, I was welcomed and made to feel special-what more could a bride want! The ladies were all accommodating, especially Gina. They made my family feel part of the process by helping select dresses from the racks and Gina listened intently on what my vision was for my big day. Together, we picked out what felt like a lot of dresses but, with Gina's help we narrowed down our selections to a favorite. I had another appointment at a local salon that afternoon and I compared that experience to my experience at Ava Clara. I left that salon and knew I had to come back for my dress. So, excited for the dress to arrive and I know it will be beautiful and perfect for the big day. Thank you Gina and Ava Clara for making a nervous bride feel at ease and so excited!
I had a great experience at Ava Clara! This was my first dress shopping experience so I didn't really know what to expect. I was a walk-in and they got me in quickly. I felt welcomed and I felt like they genuinely wanted to help me find that special gown. Gina was great and really listened to what I liked and didn't like. It only took 3 dresses to find the perfect dress. I can't wait to wear it on my special day! :) Thank you, again to Gina and everyone at Ava Clara! :)
Absolutely magnificent! Their stock covers a wide range of styles and designers, and the staff is so sweet and attentive, as well as knowledgeable and very professional. Charming boutique with incredible customer service and great quality. Don't go anywhere else if you're looking to buy your dress in Virginia Beach!
Great selection, attentive staff and reasonable prices! Ava Clara carries all of the best wedding gown designers (yes not all stores in the area have access to the designer of your choosing). I suggest to go in with an open mind and try on what the consultant recommends. The owner and staff are not sales staff—they are true stylists with superb taste. They have the gift of knowing what looks best on your body type, so you don’t look like an idiot on your wedding day. Alex let me try on a variety of dresses of my choosing and brought me other dresses she thought I may like. Alex handpicked the dress that I fell in love with. She was honest in her opinions and asked me questions throughout the appointment to understand my thoughts and my feelings. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The best and only place to go in town.
I love Ava Clara!!Being a bride and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints meant that I was looking for a modest wedding gown that had class, style, made me feel beautiful, and most importantly honored God and my husband to be on my wedding day. After visiting several other studios I was fearful I might not find such a gown and then I went to Ava Clara. Melinda was wonderful and took the time to understand my needs and desires and to help me find the perfect gown for me. Her suggestions were right on and she definitely knew what I wanted even before I did! I love this studio and will continue to recommend them.
I don't even know where to being. I will start off by saying I was one of the brides left without a dress due to another local shop closing. With that being said Alex opened the doors to Ava Clara and helped dozens of brides in the same situation find the perfect dress.
My appointment was with Melinda and she was AMAZING... AMAZING!! Both her and Alex went above and beyond to help me find a dress that could be here on time for my wedding.
Ava Clara truly cares about their brides and takes the time getting to know you. Both of these women are extremely genuine. They are the type of women you just want to hug and say thank you so much for making everything so perfect! Their generosity and kindness brought tears to my Mom's eyes. I promise you, you will have THE BEST possible experience at Ava Clara.
I had a very stressful experience dress shopping UNTIL I got to Ava Clara! Everyone involved from beginning to end was so accommodating, respectful, helpful, knowledgeable, and shared in my every joy! It was well worth the wait to be able to customize my dress exactly how I wanted it and the ladies at Ava Clara mad sure that it happened smoothly and talked with the designer every step of the way. They even comped my bow I wanted as an addition to the dress. If you want excellent service, a fair price, a beautiful dress, and a memorable experience, go to Ava Clara Couture Bridal
Ava Clara was by far the best bridal experience in the Hampton Roads area. It was actually the last one I visited after 3 others and I was so happy I ended up there. Melinda was amazing at helping me find my dream dress. We ended up also getting a beautiful veil and headpiece too. They have a great selection, alot of which I did not find in other stores in the area. I loved my experience here!
My wedding is in 3 days, and I can not wait to wear my dress from Ava Clara! Not only did Gina help me find my perfect dress from Modern Trousseau, she stayed within my budget and even found a beautiful silk ribbon to add an elegant touch to the dress. Gina also gave me kind reassurances which meant a lot. I am new to Virginia (the Navy moved my fiance and me from CA!) and did not have the opportunity to bring friends and family with me to my appointment. But I never felt awkward or lonely when I came into Ava Clara, and Gina was really kind and took lots of pictures for me to send to my friends. Thank you so much!!
I found my dream dress at Ava Clara, finally, after going to so many other stores. It was a very pretty salon with a big collection, enough to fit any budget as well. Melinda helped me that day and she was awesome. She listened to what I had in mind for the overall look and brought about 3 or 4 dresses. All were beautiful but finally found “the one” between those few. I should’ve just come here first!! My mother and mother-in-law came with me and they were super excited as well! Melinda treated us so well which made it a really fun experience! My dress came in a lot sooner than expected too which was fantastic! Definitely go to Ava Clara, they have a beautiful collection and great people! Thank you so much Melinda
I had an amazing experience at Ava Clara Bridal. I was somewhat apprehensive about the experience beforehand since it was my first bridal shop visit, but my consultant, Melinda, made it wonderful! She helped me find a style that I felt comfortable in and that suited me, along with encouraging me to choose a dress that I loved. She made the experience a lot of fun, and I felt no pressure to choose anything that I didn't like. She is very knowledgeable and pleasant, and I enjoyed working with her! I am so pleased with my visit and my beautiful dress. I encourage any future brides visit this wonderful boutique! Great experience!
I will never come back to this place. The owner and assistants are extremely rude and unprofessional. It's supposed to be a fun day and we were asked not to touch dresses when getting in the dresses? How exactly do you make that happen? I've never witnessed so much rudeness. I've been to 5 other places today and had wonderful experiences. Brides--do yourself a favor and skip this place.
This place has superior customer service - they surpassed my expectations, they listen to my needs and worked with my budget. I couldn't be happier with the wedding dress I bough. Excellent - Excellent - Excellent!
Ava Clara is hands down the best! The staff was so welcoming when I arrived. Melinda was so helpful and listened to what exactly I wanted and she helped me pick out the perfect dress! I highly recommend this bridal store for anyone who is in the market for a wedding gown!
I had went all over town and FINALLY found the ONE at Ava Clara Couture Bridal. The staff was so helpful and pleasant and saw the vision I had for my wedding. I would recommend them to anyone.
I had an AWESOME experience with Ava Clara. Even though I went on a busy day, they were SO apologetic (which they didn't need to be, by any means!) and tried to help me in anyway possible. They really make an effort to help you find the perfect dress without being overbearing. The dress selection they have is awesome - a wide variety for sure.
I would recommend this place to anyone!
Ava Clara is by far the best place in town to purchase a wedding dress. The staff is so professional. With the awesome selection of dresses, any bride is sure to find their dream wedding gown. They also have bridesmaids dresses, accessories, veils and dresses for your little flower girls. I would highly recommend Ava Clara to any bride to be!
I stumbled upon Ava Clara during a quick google search and am so thankful I did. Besides the fact that I found the PERFECT dress that garnered endless compliments on my weddingg day the staff of Ava Clara are AMAZING. Courteous, professional, cheerful, knowledgable - these are the words I would use to describe every staff member I interacted with. The dress I ended up with was not anything like I thought I would - but it was even better. A testament to the knowledge of the Ava Clara staff member I worked with. I would highly recommend any bride to shop here!
Ava Clara was the perfect bridal boutique!! After visiting many, this was definitely the place that was the easiest to work with, and I found my dream dress. All of the employees are fabulous- especially Gina! Thank you for all you do for brides in Hampton roads, Ava Clara!
Ava Clara Bridal is a GREAT place to find a dress. They have so many options and within a reasonable price range. Everything was so organized, clean and they really catered to you as a bride. I felt pampered and well taken care of even as I tried on a million dresses! Thank you to everyone who was so sweet, kind and accommodating to me and my "entourage" :)
Excellent butique, beautiful dresses, very wonderful and helpful staff. Great experience!
I went to 3 other places before coming here, and I wish it was the first and only place I went to! I wanted a modest dress with sleeves which was a little tougher to find given the love for strapless, skin exposing dresses out there. My consultant Melinda instantly was able to find me exactly what I was looking for and was very calm and encouraging throughout the process without making me feel any kind of pressure or need to buy. She encouraged me to find a dress where I didn't want to change anything about it rather than finding a good dress but modifying it a lot. It was the best advice, and I knew I found "the one" when there wasn't anything I disliked about it! I went back a second time to show my mother, and she absolutely fell in love with my dress too! Melinda is an excellent consultant, and I encourage anyone looking to meet her at least once :)
I have never felt confident with my body. I'm short and I don't have a womanly figure like other women my age do. Melinda made me feel comfortable and confident from the first moment. She never pressured me to walk out of the store with a dress the way other salons tried. She asked my opinion before she gave my group the opening to start judging. She also helped me stay in budget. Ava Clara was a great experience and I'm so happy they had my dream dress. I can't wait to walk down the aisle because I know my dress will be perfection.
I could not be more impressed with Ava Clara and Melinda! Melinda quickly learned what I was looking for, and she was sure to ask what I liked/didn't like about each dress I tried on. I'm so appreciative because I feel like I didn't have to waste time trying on dresses that just weren't "me." Everyone was so welcoming and excited for me and my group of girls. And most of all, they helped me find the perfect dress!
I cannot say enough great things about Ava Clara and Julia! She was so helpful and genuinely listened to my thoughts, suggestions or concerns and would tailor to my comments. I am so excited about my dress and CANNOT wait for my BIG DAY. You're doing yourself a major disservice by not visiting these fantastic ladies. XOXOXO
My consultant was kind and extremely helpful. I ordered my dress expecting to only have two days to alter it before the wedding, the boutique made sure it would be possible, ended up getting the dress in a month early! They gifted me a head piece that I absolutely adore. All around a great experience!
I was somewhat nervous going into Ava Clara because of the experience I had looking at dresses at another place. Right when I walked in, any doubts I had disappeared. I'm a plus-sized bride, and I felt comfortable the entire time. It was such a great experience! Melinda helped me find the dress! She was so professional, encouraging, and so much fun to work with! Every dress at Ava Clara was so beautiful, so I knew I wouldn't leave the boutique disappointed.
Fantastic selection and the staff are wonderful! As a Sophia Tolli lover, they had more of her dresses than I could have imagined! Lovely shop, personal service is on point! Will definitely be back!
Julia helped me find the perfect wedding gown. She was professional, helpful, and made me feel completely at ease throughout the whole gown-buying process. I had a wonderful experience at Ava Clara and highly recommend this bridal salon to other brides!
Ava Clara was absolutely wonderful! They have gorgeous dresses! Not only did I find the perfect dress and veil but I also got my bridesmaids dresses at Ava Clara! The staff was so friendly and helpful! I am so glad I got my dress at Ava Clara!
I had an excellent experience with Ava Clara's Melinda, she was a true professional and helped me find THE DRESS!
Had the pleasure of being part of the Brides Across America event at Ava Clara today! Even with the large number of brides they had on their hands, they took the time to make me feel special. I said yes to a beautiful James Clifford gown. It was an amazing experience at a beautiful boutique! Thank you Ava Clara for the beautiful dress and supporting the troops!
Ava Clara has beautiful dresses! Very intimate and a very well taken care of boutique. I came from out of state and went dress shopping with my sister, and Gina had already been helping my sister a couple times when she went to try on dresses before. Gina was so patient and so helpful when trying on dresses it made the experience so wonderful, we truly appreciate the wonderful customer service, it truly led to my sister making her major decision on purchasing her wedding dress from here. In the end my sister decided on a beautiful Tara Keely dress! Thanks so much Ava Clara Boutique and Gina for a wonderful wedding dress shopping experience!
Ava Clara has a wonderful selection in both bridal gowns and bridesmaids dresses. I found both here! They helped me find my dream dress...the designer had discontinued the dress, but they called the designer and worked it out so I could order. It was amazing, and I really appreciate all of their help! I recommend them to family and friends.
This was my first experience trying on wedding dresses. I was nervous and unsure of what I wanted. My consultant Julia not only made me feel immediately at ease, but seemed to read my mind on exactly what I wanted. I ended up finding a dress I absolutely loved! Everyone was friendly and professional, and I had an amazing experience! Thank you Julia!!
I had the best experience when I went here to find my wedding dress. I worked with Gina and she made it a great experience for my family and I! You do not feel like you are rushed in and out of the store to get the next appointment in like some other bridal stores. I would recommend Ava Clara to any bride!
Julia was very nice and helpful to help me try different dresses.
FINALLY! A couture bridal salon with gorgeous gowns and knowledgeable customer service, all impeccably wrapped up into a boutique-style experience! I truly felt like the only bride in the store and felt cared for every step of the way! My consultant catered to my every whim, and introduced me to my perfect wedding gown. I can't imagine having this special experience anywhere but Ava Clara!
When i started looking for my dress, it was a little stressful since i had no idea what style i wanted. I went to Ava Clara and Melinda was a dream to work with, she pulled a couple different styles, listened to what i liked and didn't like and helped me find the perfect dress. I cannot say enough nice things about her, she was so pleasant to work with and put me at ease from the moment i walked in! Ava Clara has such a wide variety of beautiful dresses at affordable prices and the shop is so cute and personable. Thank you to all the women that helped me find my dream dress!!
I wish I had known about Ava Clara when I bought my wedding dress 5 years ago. I was fortunate enough to share in the experience of two family members who purchased their dresses here. Not only were the dresses themselves gorgeous, but the customer service was above and beyond. Top notch! In addition my daughter was asked to be a flower girl, my daughter was treated as if she were a bride herself. The "fitting" was absolutely adorable and my daughter felt like a princess! We walked away with a beautiful flower girl dress and an experience my daughter will never forget.
I can't say enough about Alex and Ava Clara. From the beautiful decor of the shop, to the wide selection of gorgeous gowns, to the individually focused attentiveness and professionalism you receive upon walking in the door. I came to Ava Clara as a 2nd time bride, so this wasn't my first rodeo and I had some very specific styles in mind. Alex understood my wants and needs immediately and displayed such an intuitive nature when it came to trying the dresses on. She could tell immediately if there was something "off" and did a great job communicating how they could tweak or fix something to meet my needs. I said yes to the dress at Ava Clara, and I couldn't be happier! Thanks to Alex and her team. You guys rock!
I had such a great experience at Ava Clara! I arrived with 5-6 people in tow and tried on a couple dresses. The consultant was great at narrowing down what I wanted. I ended up finding my dream dress that day. It arrived back to the store a great time. The whole experience was amazing, and I would highly recommend this boutique to anyone!
My Dream Dress
Ava Clara Couture was the best decision I could have made regarding my wedding other than choosing my groom! It was the first place we went to look for my dress and it was the only place we needed to go. As anxious as I was about not finding "the dress", my fears and worries were left at the door when I stepped foot into the store. I was greeted with a smiling face and asked about what my dream dress would look like. Karen smiled, nodded her head and said "I'll be back in a minute". The very first dress she pulled was exactly what I had envisioned to wear. Needless to say, that first dress ended up being "the dress". Tears were flowing, faces were grinning and we all knew that was the dress I was going to walk down the aisle in. We're excited for our professional pictures to arrive but just seeing photos from camera phones I'm beyond happy with my decision to have gone to Ava Clara Couture Bridal to find my dream wedding dress!
I had a great experience at Ava Clara! I had already been to 3-4 different shops and was feeling very frustrated. Melinda was great at pulling dresses she thought would look great. I even ended up getting a dress she chose ... and I didn't even like it on the hangar! Everything in the process went smoothly and they recommended a great seamstress for my alterations and even steamed my dress right before the wedding. LOVED Ava Clara!
I found my perfect wedding dress at Ava Clara. The staff is wonderful- they let me return to the salon to try the sample on for my mother in-law after already ordering the dress. I was extremely happy that they let me custom order the dress to my size so I didn't need alterations. They steamed it before the wedding in a timely manner.
The only reason I didn't give 5 stars for quality and value, is because I spent more money than I had planned on, and during my wedding day the pickups in my tulle came unstitched early in the evening (aka the dress was falling apart). This was not Ava Clara's fault, but the designers. Had I known this would happen- I would have had the stitching re-enforced. Overall, many thanks go to this salon for making find the dress one of the most enjoyable parts of the wedding planning experience!
The staff at Ava Clara was extremely nice and helpful. I had no idea what I was looking for and they helped me find the perfect dress after only trying on three options.
I had a terrible experience with this company.