Ava Laurenne Bride

tress could do anything I needed to my dress, however, once I got with my seamstress, it was very apparent that the things I wanted done that Ava Laurenne said would be "easy for a seamstress" were not as straight forward as stated. I felt bad for my seamstress, as I was under the impression the asks were not quiet as complicated as they ended up being. Also, when taking my measurements to order my dress, Ava Laurenne insisted on sizing up and not ordering the exact size I measured. I had stressed that I was planning on loosing a bit of weight but they insisted on ordering up. Well, I lost almost 5 dress sizes and my wedding dress never actually fit me the way it should have, even after several alterations (I was in alterations up until the day I left for my wedding and we could not get it fully sat against my skin). It still looked beautiful, but l fought with it most of the day of my wedding. Overall, I would recommend Ava Laurenne to anyone looking for a dress, just stand firm in your asks!

beautiful dresses. The entire team truly feels like your own group of personal hype women, cheering you on every step of the way and making you feel so confident and special. It felt like a true celebration the moment I found my dress! Their genuine excitement and support meant so much to me and made the day feel even more special. I am so grateful for their kindness and expertise and would recommend them to any bride who wants to feel truly celebrated while finding her perfect dress! (Dresses: Aster and Electra)

! I was so excited to see it for myself. We had a great experience working with Abi as our stylist. She was so bubbly and excited for us and brought a great energy to the appointment. Though I didn't buy my dress right away, I did come back a few weeks later to try it on again, and was so happy I did! With some customizations, it ended up being perfect. My wife chose and bought her first gown at the first visit. While we enthusiastically and unanimously agreed with her choice, ultimately it was a disservice to squeeze her into a gown 4 sizes smaller than she would need to order. Of course, we didn't know that until the dress came in. The dress felt very differently on her than it had during try-on. The neckline seemed very different, too. We believed that with the right alterations, it would be alright. Cut to three weeks before our wedding at our final alterations appointment where she realized she still didn't like it. Luckily we were able to secure a different gown for her to wear on the wedding day and she felt amazing! While I understand we should have said something when we picked up the gown, we just couldn't have known. I wish that a) they had used a piece of fabric in the back of the gown when she tried it on instead of squeezing her into it, and b) we didn't feel as much pressure to buy that day. In the end, I know it isn't 100% Ava Laurenne's fault, but worth noting. My only other critique is how over-the-top that first appointment felt after my wife chose her gown. We were taken downstairs to a seating area and were asked (not by our stylist, but another employee) to pull a prompt from a box in what felt like a very manufactured way of getting us to connect with our friends who had come along. We felt like we weren't allowed to leave. It left a strange taste in our mouth.

expertise and guidance helped me find my DREAM gown! I am forever thankful for her and the entire team for making everything so special for me.

was super friendly, would recommend going dress shopping here!

sburg and am so glad I did! I only tried on 5 or so dresses before finding the one for me that same day. My stylist was incredibly kind and helpful in sticking within my budget and recommended additional styles based on what I liked and didn’t. They kept me updated on the progress of my dress and gave me great tips and tailor suggestions! I would not hesitate to recommend them to any future brides!

. Thank you so much!

everyday and know what looks good. My stylist, Brittney, was extremely positive and helped me form my opinion. She started with different extremes of styles and then started narrowing down based on feedback. She really listened to all of my feedback and most importantly watched my expressions to help steer me. She was essential to helping me find the perfect dress and feeling the absolute most confident on my wedding day. She made the whole experience light and breeze!

s around the house when my fiance isn't home lol). I told the lady helping me an idea of what I wanted my wedding dress to look like, and she was spot on with the dresses she picked out for me to try on. On the 4th or 5th dress, I found the dress of my dreams. Immediately I knew it was mine when I put it on, and fit me to a 'T.' Thank you to everyone at Ava Laurenne Bridal for such a magical experience. They were all very professional and kind and I am so grateful!

ghout the process, and found me my perfect dress. She even helped fit me into her schedule the day after my initial appointment so I could have a night to consider my final decision.

ome job helping me narrow down my choices! She kept me well within my budget even with the additions for alternations! 10/10 recommend!

worried that wedding dress shopping was going to be a super stressful experience, but Patty helped me to find my dream dress.

also knew how much I could step out of my box and still feel comfortable. The other girls in the shop were all friendly as well. The shop itself is stunning, the atmosphere is everything you could dream of. Huge selections of beautiful dresses to choose from. Check them out, you will not be disappointed!

y first dress from them, and were so kind and helpful. I was afraid my appointment would be a bit of a downer, since I didn’t have any friends or family in town to go with me. But Julie was like an immediate best friend, she was very upbeat and I had so much fun even under the circumstances. Julie was very careful to proactively look up which dresses would be available on my short time frame, and I ended up going home with a new dress I liked even better than my first. Thank you all so much for your kindness and help!

owing down dresses for her based on her preferences. She was able to get a dress she loved on her first visit and I was too! They are true professionals and didn't try to sell me on a dress I didn't like, and were patient when I wanted to try gowns on multiple times. I was able to wear my dress this past weekend and it was beautiful - thank you Ava Laurenne!

rwhelming.

was accurate. Brittany was my consultant and she helped guide me through the whole process and made me feel like I was actually heard when she asked me what I liked or didn’t like about a dress I had on. The day of my wedding, I couldn’t have been happier with my choice and received so many compliments on my dress from both guests and vendors!

d guiding me to what I eventually found to be the answer. I had the most amazing experience, and found a dress that made me immediately burst out in tears! Ava Laurenne is amazing. There's no need to ever look elsewhere!

l Sale during the month of July. I ended up getting engaged on July 29th, which happened to be the last day of the sale, so I just missed it. I talked to the stylist that runs their Instagram a few times to discuss various concerns and she eased ALL of my worries. The day of my appointment, my stylist was Abi, and she was the BEST!! I felt like we were lifelong friends just catching up! Abi listened to my vision and found dresses that were perfect, but also dresses that were a little different. I was thankful that she knew when to bring the dresses that were outside of my vision so that I could still see them just in case. When I was torn between two dresses, Abi never questioned my idea of adding a belt, and agreed with it. Sure enough, once she added the cathedral veil, I knew that dress was the one! The experience at ALB is better than anything I’ve seen on TLC and I would encourage anyone to go to the Fredericksburg, VA location or check out the new location in SC. I am so happy to be an Ava Laurénne Bride and love that I can go back to visit whenever! I’ve even thought about trying to work there part time to help other brides find their dream dress.

ng that checked all the boxes. Julie, my consultant, was a joy to work with. She took me out of my own head, reminded me that this decision had to be made by feeling (instead of just thinking!), and was so knowledgable about alterations/customizations (while also being completely respectful of budget!). We found "the one" in minutes, and I came back a month later with my mom to show her before purchasing. My mom is very opinionated, but Julie and Bea handled the situation like pros so that I could enjoy saying yes to the dress. The experience at ALB felt very reminiscent of sorority recruitment, which some folks may not feel comfortable with, but I didn't mind. Everyone was genuinely nice and extremely professional, and they really made the dress shopping experience feel special. Thank you, ALB!

ack and was able to leave my dress at the store until I was ready for fitting and alterations with Shannon from Mackenzie Clare who works out of the Ava Laurenne store. They have also been super helpful with recommending places for steaming before the wedding closer to home for me and very responsive to questions about cleaning and preservation after the wedding. I highly recommend Ava Laurenne!

gorgeous and inviting, and all of the dresses were stunning. Natalie made me feel so comfortable and special trying on dresses. She encouraged me to try on all different styles and I am so grateful for her advice, because I ended up with a dress that I never expected that made me feel so beautiful and special!

sleep on the "White Friday" sale around the holidays. I found my veil at a great discount.

le. Natali helped me find my dress - I went in with an idea of what I wanted and she helped me pick and chose the aspects of the dress that were important to me. Overall - I went with a dress I wouldn't have expected to chose but it was PERFECTION.

his was so special for my mom and MIL to see my dress for the first time.

her brides and stylists in the salon. Virginia, her stylist, did a fantastic job helping her navigate the emotional journey of bridal. Bravo Team Ava Laurenne!

s at Ava Laurenne and I can't recommend them enough! When I got engaged I knew this is where I wanted to go and I was no let down! Thank you again for the most amazing wedding dress!!!

picky I am but our assistant really understood what I was looking for and appealed to my taste. They made my “say yes to the dress” day feel as special and memorable as the wedding itself!

op is gorgeous and massive! I had the whole place to myself! So many beautiful dresses on display, even in the upper level. My stylist was so kind and so fun to work with, she pulled a few different dresses for me to try and helped me in, clipping me in so I would be able to visualize what the dress would look like even though it was too small/big on. The experience was seriously something out of a movie. Definitely worth the 1+ hour drive for me!

ere some communication mistakes on their part and they completely took ownership and did everything (above and beyond!!) they possibly could to make it right. I bought my dress “Jamie” there and couldn’t be happier with how beautiful it was on our big day!

extremely understanding and even asked if there was anything they could do. I HIGHLY recommend this shop, they are great!!

itself is beautiful -- so clean, and such friendly people! Virginia pulled several dresses for me to try based on the photos I showed her, and the first dress I tried on ended up being "the one"! I cannot recommend Ava Laurenne and Virginia enough!

d be an ALB!!!

ted I got set up with my girl Katie who was seriously the best in helping me find my perfect dress. Her and Jordan then helped make it even more special for me by adding a jacket to the look to give me the 3/4 length sleeve option I loved. I still had appointments at other shops but couldn't get Ava Laurenne or the combo they put together for me out of my mind, so with Katie's help I went back a few days later to officially say yes to my private label Amira dress with Justin Alexander jacket. Katie also did my pick up appointment and helped me find a veil. I loved having the same stylist each time I visited the shop, so personal and caring. Truly the most amazing experience and now community to be a part of!

did everything they could to make sure I had the dress I wanted.

us find only a few dresses in. It was one of those dresses we walked past and didn’t jump out, but we should have known... because once she put it on she was transformed! Virginia was helping us that day and she was such a pleasure to work with!! As a planner I have now sent countless brides their way and each and every one has had the same wonderful experience with Katie, ans Brittany and the whole team!! Then a beautiful partnership bloomed! I have partnered with them both as a calligrapher and style/ designer and used them in my own shoots and it’s a sincere pleasure to work with them every time. They’re helpful, supportive when you want to take creative chances, and they have a real knack for pulling together creative people and giving them space to shine. I look forward to each and every opportunity to make magic with them! So whether you’re a bride looking to find your dream dress with a team of wonderfully kind, knowledgeable, and honest people who are just a pleasure to be around, or a creative in the industry looking for a business to help grow, challenge, support, and inspire you- Ava Laurenne is the perfect place for you!

d what COVID-19 precautions they were taking. The person I spoke with was incredibly helpful over the phone and made me feel like the drive to Fredericksburg (from Richmond) would be worth it. Natalie was my consultant during the appointment and I feel like she not only listened to what I was looking for, but really helped me figure out exactly what look I was going for. I especially appreciated that every dress she brought me to try was under budget! I tried on about 6 or 7 dresses total and Natalie was so accommodating - she knew exactly what questions to ask and made sure that I got plenty of pictures in each style. The samples were very clean and you can tell the staff takes a lot of care with them to keep them in good condition. Their space is beautifully decorated and comfortable. While I only brought one guest with me, but there is ample space for larger parties. There is plenty of distance between the many try on areas and I never felt like I was fighting for mirror space or intruding on another bride's appointment. I ended up choosing one of their private label dresses and paid in November. When I went to pick it up in January, they were kind enough to let me FaceTime my mom when I tried it on and let me try it with a few veils to get an idea of what looked best. Lastly, one of the best parts was the online payment portal they provide you with after you decide to purchase. I really liked that I was able to pay for my dress over the course of a few months instead of a one-time, large payment. Having that flexibility was great, especially when you're balancing deposits with all the other wedding vendors. I couldn't be happier with my dress and buying from Ava Laurenne - from start to finish, it was just beyond my expectations!

huge selection that is under 2K which was oddly hard to find when calling around to bridal salons. The consultants are great at asking the right questions to help you eliminate styles and find what is truly perfect. Like most brides the dress I said "yes" to was the OPPOSITE of what I came in for! It was with the help of the Ava Laurenne team that I found the PERFECT gown. I cannot wait until May/June when it arrives and I get to put it on again :) I did a standard 90 minute appointment, we went over on time but the staff was very friendly about it. If you are able to afford the Princess Experience (3-4 hour appointment) you should do it! They have SO many dresses that 90 minutes really did feel rushed.

group. They heard and understood every little detail that I wanted in a dress and I walked out with the one! I cannot thank them enough!

mpliments for the uniqueness of my gown. Definitely a great experience!

like becoming apart of a sisterhood. Their located is amazing and the staff is so involved to make sure you find the PERFECT dress. Call them today!

s trying on various dresses and ended up putting together a skirt/jacket/belt combo that truly was my dream dress. It was everything I had envisioned and she was able to put it together in just our one hour visit, while being completely respectful of my budget!! And after the purchase, I have to say everyone was great -- especially given the tighter timeline because of the current situation. They kept us updated, were very friendly and always helpful. If you are looking for your dress, this is the place to go!