I visited BrideNBelle with my mother and sister. It was my first time trying on gowns, and I ultimately ended up purchasing a sample gown at a generously discounted price during their holiday sale. In honesty, I had a mixed experience – but I a...lso acknowledge that some of it may be that I needed to learn a bit more about expectations for this process:
- What I loved: Their seamstress did a fabulous job listening to my concerns about the features of 2 of the gowns I tried, clipping and pinning multiple gowns so I could visualize different options such as adding sleeves or lowering a neckline. I appreciated her on-the-spot skills. They do carry a wide selection of styles in the main room. They also give you a bottle of champagne when you purchase a gown, and each guest gets an adorable mini bottle, which is a sweet touch.
- What I didn’t love: I had emailed previously about my desired (modest) budget including cost of alterations, knowing that I would be looking at sample gowns. I also happen to be a street size 14-16. The shop owner informed us that “sizes run small,” brought us to the back room, and began pulling gowns with minimal consultation about my preferences for style, stating that she was just looking through gowns mostly based on size. I wish there had been more of a conversation explaining the baseline cost of alterations (which I only learned midway through appointment), how this may limit the selection of gowns available in my size given my budget – because truthfully, I could have adjusted my expectations and budget accordingly early on. Instead, I felt that because I shared desired budget and required a larger size, my opinions about style and aesthetic were an inconvenience. My mother actually found the dress I ended up purchasing.
- I will also note that the owner/seamstress have some more traditional opinions about gowns and accessories: I heard some opinionated comments about how many brides nowadays are looking for brightly colored gowns, that certain styles of gowns should be limited to certain age ranges, and how no one wears blusher veils nowadays, and if they do, they can only be worn at the crown of the head or it will look silly (though blusher veils are common in my culture, and I’ve seen many pinned further back that I think look gorgeous). I genuinely think these comments were made somewhat humorously to build a familiar rapport, but I was a bit surprised given the diversity of their potential clientele in the Boston area.
All this said – I am optimistic about returning for my alterations appointment to transform the gown into my dream dress! The seamstress seems very skilled, and I know what to expect and how to communicate my vision, and inquire about costs realistically.