Elite Secrets Bridal

Let me start by saying: do not waste your time or money at Elite Secrets Bridal. The lack of communication, accountability, and professionalism at this shop is shocking for any business in 2024. Here’s my experience: I scheduled a bridal appointment and filled out a questionnaire beforehand, but when I arrived with my friend, the owner, Tonya, asked me the same questions I had already answered. Not a huge deal, but a clear sign of disorganization. She pulled about three dresses for me and told us we could pull one as well. I was then informed there’s a $50 fee to try on dresses, which would be credited toward a purchase. I’ve visited several bridal shops, and this was the first time I’d encountered a fee just to try on dresses, but I went along with it. Tonya told me that if I purchased the sample dress, I could have it altered and customized for an additional $700, saving the time of ordering a new one. She called out the seamstress while I was trying the dress on, and I explained the customizations I wanted. I specifically asked if any of my requests were unreasonable, and both Tonya and the seamstress assured me everything could be done. I paid about 90% of the total cost for the dress and alterations and was told I could pay the remaining balance at my second fitting. Now fast-forward to my second fitting. I called to reschedule, only to find out none of the details from my first appointment had been communicated to the staff, including LaTonya, the operations manager. LaTonya assured me we could reschedule for the following week and the dress would be completed by then. I showed up the next week, only to find that none of the customizations had been done. The seamstress threw together a sleeve that was so poorly made I could have done it myself. There was absolutely no accountability, and the seamstress didn’t remember anything from our first appointment. She stood there clueless, like a deer in headlights. When I asked for Tonya, I was told she was on medical leave, but they assured me the alterations would be completed by my final fitting. By this point, I had no confidence, but I had already paid for the dress. At my final fitting, I immediately knew the dress was ruined. The sleeves were butchered, and the breast cups I requested were poorly fitted. They asked me to leave for an hour while they attempted to fix the issues. I came back an hour and a half later, and nothing had improved. I asked them to wrap up my dress so I could take it elsewhere to be fixed. I brought the dress to an experienced seamstress, who confirmed that Elite Secrets Bridal had butchered my dress. The hem was uneven, the split was done incorrectly, and there were two holes in the dress. My new seamstress said that one of the holes could have caused the entire bottom of the dress to tear apart. I contacted the bridal shop, and LaTonya offered me $350—half of the cost of the alterations. She also had the nerve to tell me I could have bought my dress anywhere, which was completely unprofessional. I’ve been more than patient, but as a bride and someone in the bridal industry, I will never recommend this shop. I’ll be advising all my clients, friends, and industry contacts to steer clear of Elite Secrets Bridal. This has been the most stressful part of planning my wedding, and the shop deserves zero stars. None of my requests were unreasonable. This shop lacks any kind of bridal experience. No music, no champagne—just an offer of water. Save yourself the time, money, and mental health, and go elsewhere. Take a look at the photos of the dress they ruined.