Bella Brides

n helping me to pick out dresses. I had some things I knew I definitely didn't want and she was sure not to bring me anything on my no list. I didn't find anything on my first visit and I went to a few other stores in portland and didn't find anything I loved there either. I visited Sarah on a random day on my lunch break and she was happy to let me come by without an appt. when I went in I was just looking around and suddenly I saw this dress I was sure I hadn't seen before. I knew right away it was my dress and Sarah helped me to try it on and the rest was history. She was very helpful with information on alterations and preserving my dress afterwards. We also rented our suits from her and they were very nice and fitted perfectly. I'm so happy I was able to meet Sarah and have her help and advice along every the way. Thank you!

together until we were married, so he was not here yet, and he hadn't even proposed. But I knew I needed a dress, soon! Because I didn't know anyone, I went into Bella Brides alone on a lunch break. Sara, the owner now, started a friendly conversation asking probably the basic questions, when are you getting married, what kind of dress you want? My answer was, I don't know! I told her I needed a dress for when my man asked me to marry him, because I expected it to be a court house wedding, and I wanted a white dress. I told her I wanted cotton, and comfortable. She did laugh, but I was laughing too! She told me that I would probably not find a cotton dress that matched my description. However she showed me a few that were very simple. I was to nervous to try on ay dresses yet. After a few weeks I went back, she remembered my name, my story, and asked if I was ready to try on dresses, again my answer was no, so she invited me to dinner instead. Then one day as I drove by, I saw a gorgeous Gatsby style dress with a low plunge front, and beaded all over. It was perfect, and opposite of what I was looking for. So I stopped in the next day, and asked to try the dress. It was being tried on already, by another client. Which totally made sense because it was so beautiful. I couldn't try it on because it had already been claimed! Which makes total sense to me. So I looked around and saw the back of a dress which I had scoffed at twice before. I tried it on, it fit perfectly, and I bought it. And after I have this baby, I plan on wearing it around the house... Sara and her employee run the small boutique. I probably wont go in a do business with them again, because I don't plan on getting married again. But I will suggest Bella Brides to any woman who is getting married. Or to any girl looking for a prom dress. Sara was my first friend in this town, all because she was a good person, running a good business. If her service, hospitality, and her dresses weren't great, I wouldn't have bought my dress from her, and I wouldn't call her friend still. Happy dress hunting! PS. It doesn't have to be like the TV shows...

bridal parties tuxes here, some came in the wrong size but she took care of it and everyone looked great! I wish I needed another wedding dress just so I could go back.

She made it fun, easy and productive. After ordering my dress, I took my fiance into the shop to get fitted for a tux. Apparently Nichole had hired a new employee who had never measured a guy before. So Nichole was there teaching her how to measure and place an order. At the time we were told that this girl was from Florida, and had come to work for Nichole to escape a bad relationship. A little weird, but whatever. Later, I took my mom and sister in to look at MOB and MOH dresses. When I called for the appointment, the lady told me that I needed to come pick up my dress immediately and take it to a seamstress to have it fitted. I explained that since my wedding was 9 months away, Nichole and I had agreed that she would store the dress and when the time came for a fitting, I would use the seamstress that comes to their shop. Her response to me was "well I don't know what the previous owner told you, but I can't store your dress, especially not for 9 months and we don't have a seamstress that comes in and works with our clients." Like an idiot, I still booked the appointment to try on dresses and the day was horrible. She started it by coming in 20 minutes late because she shut off her alarm, then couldn't lace up my dress or fit it to me (let alone offer any constructive advice) and ignored us except when she was pushing my mother and sister to buy a dress. When we asked details about a dress she took the dress away and then came back 30 minutes later and asked if we knew which dress we wanted yet. At that point we ran out of there and I refused to go back. Needless to say, I went to the Valley for my bridesmaid's dresses and we went to Prineville Men's Wear for my husband's tuxes. We probably could have saved 10% (if she honored the deal from Nichole) if we had used her shop, but I will NEVER go back there until it is under new ownership. It's too bad too, because that was an icon in the Bend wedding scene. I give it 5 stars when Nichole was there and 0 stars with the new owner.

ad a customer already trying on dresses. Perhaps, more help should be hired?