Gilded Bridal

felt about dress shopping before we arrived was gone within a few minutes of meeting her. She is knowledgeable, helpful, professional, and so much fun. She made the experience enjoyable and all-around wonderful! She really listens and attunes to you and tailors the experience. She paid attention to everything I said about our wedding, what I wanted, and what I did or didn't like with each particular dress I picked out to try on, and then helped me find exactly what I wanted within my budget and timeframe. I thought I wanted a specific style and shape of dress, but after starting to try on the ones I picked out, I realized what I thought I wanted wasn't hitting the mark. I'd like the bodice, but not the skirt, or I'd love the neckline, but not the shape/cut/fabric. Susan was paying close attention to everything I was saying, and brought in a dress I hadn't nor would I have picked to try, and it was PERFECT! I felt beautiful, elegant, glamorous, and comfortable, so much so that I didn't want to take it off! She figured out what type of dress I wanted before I did, and then found the one for me; she is truly exceptional at what she does! When I came back for a second try on, ordering and measurements, Susan was out of town at the NYC Bridal Fashion Week, and she arranged for me to meet with Makenzie. Makenzie was also amazing to work with, professional, knowledgeable, so enjoyable to be around, and accommodating. Now that I had decided on the dress, she helped me order, got my measurements, and then helped to advise on different veil styles and options, and even bridesmaid dresses! I visited other bridal shops in the area, and none of them came close to comparing to my experiences with Susan and Makenzie at Gilded Bridal. Life truly is Better Gilded!

eed.

wanting a dress they did not have in store. She ordered it for me and I was back within a week to try it on. It was the one! They are extremely responsive, kind, and helpful. I definitely recommend this shop!

accessories to finish off any style. The staff was helpful and affirming, advocating for me and what they could tell I liked. The appointment was efficient, but not rushed. I ended up finding my dress, and everyone was in love. It was the first dress I tried on, but the experience was so positive that I knew it was right. HIGHLY recommend Gilded Bridal.

roughout my appointment. She was knowledgeable in explaining everything to me and I never felt pressured to buy anything or try on anything I didn’t want to. My mom and I had such a great experience here and highly recommend it!

gown for the first time, their staff kept me grounded. With the help of their staff, I found the dress of my dreams -- one that made me feel confident and beautiful in my own skin.

ing up their consultation. While looking at the dresses, at first we didn't feel like anything jumped out at us, but we were still excited. We were brought to our private room and immediately felt comfortable. It is such a nice touch after being at other studios that are all open. Our consultant came in and asked us various questions about what we liked and didn't like. She picked out a few dresses and a few surprises. She wanted us to try on things we usually would not pick, and I am so happy she did! Because of this, we found my dress. It was something that looked so different on the rack vs on and if it weren't for her expertise, we would never have but also fit what made me feel comfortable. The whole experience was good from start to finish. I am so happy to be a Gilded Bride with the help from Pamela. I am so excited to see the dress. I highly recommend booking an appointment.

cel, and Gilded was graciously able to fit me in last minute. Im a huge planner so was nervous about the last minute change of plans, but I had such a great experience trying on dresses there, and found the perfect dress for my wedding!

ork with! I highly recommend Gilded.

perfect suggestions when I came in not knowing what styles I preferred. I could tell they genuinely cared that I found the perfect dress and I felt so comfortable the whole time.

n't think I'd find anything I'd like on my body. I can't remember who helped me while I was at the shop, but I do remember that she was incredibly kind and made me feel really good. I talked openly about my concerns and how I felt uncomfortable in my own body. She didn't pressure me and I tried on about 8 dresses before I found the one. After getting my dress, I came back to Gilded two more times - once to get measurements and another time to pick up my dress. I worked with Susan both times and I could go on and on about how incredible she is. Susan is kind, easy to talk to, very knowledgeable, helpful and just makes you feel good. The whole process was easy and they recommended me to the most incredible seamstress (Marie Cordella - Cordella Bridal). I can't thank Gilded Bridal and Susan enough for helping me find the dress of my dreams.

selection of independent designers & gorgeous gowns is phenomenal, and the store is light-filled and spacious. Mackenzie was so helpful, from recommending gowns, sharing about designers, taking photos, and everything in between.

ue designers and a fantastic dressing room for your group

etter when it was my turn to be the bride! The shop is clean, the dresses are spotless, and the selection is extensive. I loved the comfy dressing rooms for my entourage to lounge in while I got dressed and undressed. The only negative I could say is that they didn’t offer champagne per COVID (perhaps bring your own…?). Mackenzie was incredibly helpful and supportive of me through the entire process. She didn’t try and rush me through the try on process or the buying process. She was incredibly patient through my indecisiveness and while I tried on 70+ dresses. I believe the pricing was fair and I can’t wait for my beautiful dress to come in!

appointment I made at popular shops around the Raleigh area resulted in nothing but uncertainty and stress. I liked everything I tried on, but didn’t fall in LOVE with anything. I discovered Gilded Bridal and was pleasantly surprised to find that I really loved every single dress I tried on (not to mention the shop is stunning and feels super welcoming). I would have been so happy with any one of the dresses I tried there - they were all flattering on my body, super comfortable yet elegant, and had a uniqueness about them - but “the one” was actually hand picked by my stylist! I was talking out loud about things I loved, things I wished I could have, etc., and she pulled the most beautiful dress and I fell in love! My stylist really listened to what I was asking for and made my dress decision so easy! Susan and the Gilded Bridal team have been wonderful to work with every step of the way. They are very knowledgeable with all their dresses, customizations, sizing, what accessory pairings can work well together.. the list goes on and on. I cannot recommend Gilded Bridal enough! Don’t waste your time anywhere else!

importantly though, I have to give a major shout out to Pamela (aka the best consultant ever!) She was exceptionally thoughtful and well informed. She was so genuine, patient, transparent, not at all pushy, and she had amazing ideas for how to make the gowns work for my vision (e.g. what kind of slight alterations might be helpful, what accessories would pair well, how each would photograph and move, etc.) I went to several salons over that weekend and reached a point where I was very conflicted between 2 dresses (one at Gilded and one elsewhere), and it was honestly challenging to separate how I felt about the dress from how much I enjoyed the experience of finding it at Gilded. Luckily, there was no need, as Pamela met with me again for a spontaneous second try on and it was clearly the choice for me! She asked super insightful questions that helped me make a great decision and it was a fantastic experience all the way around. I absolutely adore the dress I found at Gilded, and having such a fun experience trying it on has made the memory all the sweeter. Thank you Pamela!!

is so cute with private rooms and she had a wide variety of dresses to try on! I showed her pictures of dress styles I was interested in and she was able to find ones that fit my taste perfectly. I said yes to the dress at Gilded thanks to Susan's help! My bridesmaids and I highly recommend Gilded for anyone looking for a wedding dress.

no idea what kind of dress I wanted and they made it super easy to try on a variety of styles to help me figure out what I liked. Ended up with an Anais Annette dress that was perfect for me

s and helping me figure out what exactly I was looking for in a gown. Their private rooms are so nice when you're shopping with a group (no hot, claustrophobic dressing rooms or walking through a crowded store). I ultimately found the perfect dress here and cannot think of one thing I would change about the experience, cannot thank them enough!

over the holidays, I decided to give the Raleigh area a try. Gilded came recommended to me by my boss and I was immediately impressed by the selection of designers listed on their website. I was cautiously optimistic for my first appointment. I met with Jensen who works at Gilded full-time and is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about her work. She was the total opposite of some of the consultants I worked with at other shops who were clearly doing this as a side gig or a means to an end. Jensen pulled some of the gowns I had pre-requested but also walked me through their entire, expansive inventory and made suggestions as we went. We pulled a lot of the dresses I thought I wanted (full lace, fit and flare), but my bridesmaid (who clearly knows me better than myself), insisted I try a more simple crepe gown. It was the very first one I ended up trying on and throughout the rest of the appointment (10-15 gowns later), I kept saying how much I liked the simple one more. Jensen was so so patient with me, spending over 2 hours selecting dresses, walking me around the store, and pairing veils with my frontrunner dress. However, I simply wasn't convinced it was my dress... After all, it was so different from what I thought I wanted. A week and a half, and a failed shop experience later, I returned to Gilded to try on my favorite dress as well as a few others. Jensen suggested I try on new dresses first and come back to my frontrunner at the end. Boy, did that trick work! As soon as I put back on that dress my posture relaxed and something along the lines of "I mean yeah, this is my dress" came out of my mouth. Yet, I was afraid of commitment. And once again, Jensen was SO patient. She explained all the possible customizations, what I could do in alterations, and played around with more veils and accessories with me. At one point I felt so overwhelmed I just asked her what to do. She with absolutely no pressure, explained how my behavior was different in this dress and that she knew it was "the one" since my last visit. Between her confident statement and my bridesmaid's tears, I decided to finally bite the bullet! I truly cannot recommend Gilded, and specifically Jensen, enough! They have a great selection and above and beyond customer service. Their dresses fall within a reasonable price range and they have everything from ballgowns to boho slips and everything in between. They make you feel special, calm, and confident. I can't thank them enough for all that they did for me!

un day I have always dreamed about. Makenzie even ended up pulling another dress which is the dress I ended up buying. Makenzie is amazing and Gilded is where you want to go to try on unique, romantic, chic bridal gowns. I wish I could go everyday! Lol you will not be disappointed!

dress I liked, but it was... large, overwhelming, and I felt lost. When we got to Gilded though, Susan helped so much by making the appointment comfortable. She listened to my ideas and thoughts, saw what I had originally been looking at, and together with my sister, we pieced together my dress. I hadn't expected to MAKE my wedding dress, but Susan made it an absolute dream to work with her. Picking up my dress was just as easy, even with the craziness of COVID they were prepared and had both customers & workers' safety & health in mind. I can't #1.) Thank my sister enough for suggesting and finding Gilded and #2.) Thank Susan for turning a stressful event into an amazing set of memories. I will forever recommend Gilded to everyone. It's a MUST, and you won't regret it.

aying in my price range and which designers would have dresses in the style I was looking for. She also nailed it with accessory recommendations and the fitting rooms were so cute and comfy! The champagne was a nice touch as well!

helpful and non pressuring

t accessories to go along with it. They always made sure that I knew when my products were coming in and what was going on. They also serve the most fantastic cava for when you are trying on dresses! Susan and her team are hands down the best. Susan also helped in making recommendations surrounding other aspects of our wedding that saved the day for us! They are all fantastic and you should seriously get your dress from them

g the initial dress search, I was not rushed or swayed in a certain way for the benefit of the Gilded employees and I left knowing I had found the perfect dress. Communication for when the dress would arrive and scheduling my fitting/pickup was prompt and easy as well. I went to quite a few stores and Gilded Bridal is THE place to go in the Raleigh area for your dress.

dra Grecco dress here for my wedding and Gilded got a sample in from the designer for me to try on in store even though they didn't have it in stock. Their sized me for a dress and recommended split sizing - when it came, it fit like a glove and needed very little alteration. They also asked the designer to raise the neckline for me and I was so happy with how it turned out. For a unique and high quality dresses with amazing service, look no further than Gilded Bridal when you are shopping for your perfect wedding dress!

would be like. I walked out an hour later with THE wedding dress. Seriously, they're that good. Not only did Gilded have a fantastic collection but also they're true to their name: relaxed and for the modern bride. Major props also for corralling my mother in a way that didn't offend her and also made sure I got the attention/dress that I wanted. I can't recommend Gilded highly enough!

alk in. You have your own individual dressing room that could be the size of a small apartment, and their sales consultants are there to spend all the time in the world with you. Never do you feel rushed, pushed into a sale, or pressured to do anything. The entire Gilded experience was absolutely lovely!

st system for trying on dresses so it's not a hard decision. From experience, I am the worst at making decisions, but I picked my dress on the first visit! My family loves her and I still chat with her every now again. I am a #Gildedbride for life and will always suggest brides to stop at her shop first! #Lifeisbettergilded

ke a decision, and the atmosphere was fun and laid back. I'd recommend any bride to shop at Gilded!

think they have something to suit every taste, but generally their gowns were unique, well made, and on trend. I found most of the bridal shops I visited to be very traditional, but Gilded Bridal had so many stunning options that looked really fresh. The shop is beautiful and their dressing rooms are well decorated, spacious, and private. Their staff is friendly, welcoming, and helpful and really went above and beyond. When I was scheduled to come in for a second appointment to choose between two dresses I liked, the power in downtown Raleigh unexpectedly went out. I had driven two hours from Wilmington to be there and rather than just closing and making me drive home and back a different day, Heather lit candles and found some battery powered lights so we could have our appointment. It was probably more special and memorable than if things had gone smoothly! Gilded stayed in communication with me as I was waiting for my dress to arrive. Since I was coming from out of town they were able to provide me with updates as it was shipping etc so I was able to schedule my pick up appointment well in advance. When my dress came in I had some issues with the fit and Susan, the owner, went wayyy above and beyond to coordinate with the designer and get my issues fixed quickly. My dress is awesome and I cannot wait to wear it for my wedding!!! I am so thankful that I chose Gilded Bridal- my entire experience was excellent from start to finish. From their great client experience to their top notch customer service, they truly care about what they are doing. I would recommend to anyone!

as so patient and knowledgeable. The salon is beautiful with a great setup. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I ended up choosing a dress that day and can't wait to wear it!

so unique and unlike anything else I have ever seen on any other bride. The friendly staff definitely make the wedding gown experience the best and most FUN. 10/10

ant, Heather, was equally the same and took her time with me to find the perfect dress (even though it took 3 appointments)! She was knowledgeable, kind, patient, and it felt like I was with a good friend. I never got a sales pitch and she respected my budget! Their selection of gowns is simply wonderful - a modern take on the “typical A-line gown” with American designers that make absolutely stunning gowns!

med my group with champagne, and we walked through the elegant studio and perused the dresses at our own pace. Never once did I feel pressured to hurry up or to go outside of my budget. The team listened to what I was interested in and helped guide us to styles that matched. They are also helpful with accessories, including bridal belts, hair, and veils. I found my dress there and would highly Gilded recommend to anyone!

e my family the perfect experience. The owner and her mom were also there, and they were very helpful. I loved my dress- it was more than I could have asked for!

all sizes. She has such a unique selection of dresses in so many styles and price ranges. I highly recommend Gilded!

d her a few dresses that I liked and she was off picking out dresses that were similar to the ones that I showed her. Between her picks and my bridal party's picks, there were about 8 dresses all together and by number 4, I knew I had my dress. She made the process so easy and I really enjoyed it! Susan... Sweet Susan, I cannot say enough about my pickup experience! My dress was a bit delayed by the designer (not an issue though!), but Susan emailed me every step of the way to give me updates on the dress and the new expected delivery date. She absolutely went out of her way to accommodate my pickup appointment (they were supposed to be closed that day) because I was set to have my first alteration appointment the day after it arrived. She was so honest with her suggestions when I put the dress on for the first time and gave me some really valuable feedback about the fit and a few things that I was interested in altering. That woman is aces and made something that could have been super stressful into an enjoyable 40 minutes. The store itself is so beautiful and the selection of gowns there is simply incredible. Go for the dresses and stay for the incredible staff, so glad I chose Gilded! (too cheesy? :) )

t of gowns is beautifully chosen, featuring independent designers with really unique styles and a wide range of options. Susan was AMAZING (I literally had to hug her at the end). She made me feel so comfortable and excited about trying on options. Not only was she incredibly knowledgeable about every dress and each designer, she was incredibly friendly and laid back...truthfully, you forget she's a salesperson because she feels like a knowledgeable friend! She also was there with ideas you might need to tweak a dress you have reservations about (IE: We can alter this, order this dress with a different skirt for you, change the straps if you want...etc) to make sure you know all of your options. Pro Tip: Check out the designers on their Instagram before you go!