m. Elizabeth Bridal (formerly l'atelier couture)

r the vibe I was looking for, the theme of our wedding, and my budget. Though she did put me in several dresses I really did not like, there were 2 that blew me away. However, my mom wasn't with me on this initial trip so I wanted to wait to make it official. I went in a couple of weeks later and made my decision. It turned out that this dress I loved was DOUBLE the budget I had originally given. My mom and I were shocked, but I was so in love with the dress we bargained a little and made it work. However, it was still more expensive than I wanted. After signing the contract, I was told my dress would arrive and be ready for alterations in 12-15 weeks. After 15 weeks I called to check in and was told it would, in fact, take 6-9 months (not including alterations). Again, I was shocked by this, but I had enough time before the wedding that it wouldn't effect anything. Still, I bought my dress much earlier than most brides would so this is very concerning. At 4 months, I was billed for the second half of the dress. I assumed this meant the dress would be in soon (as the contract states that the remaining balance is to be paid at shipping date). After a few weeks, I called again and they basically couldn't tell me anything except it hadn't shipped. In April, I found out I would be moving at the end of May and there was still no word. At this point, I had left several messages (both by machines and with an employee) asking for an update, but never received more communication. It wasn't until I messaged the designer that the owner emailed me and actually seemed to take an interest. Over the next 6 weeks, I was made multiple promises about which date my dress would be in. It was constantly delayed and shifted and I could not get a straight answer about anything. At one point, the owner asked me to text her personal number to discuss rather than email. I understand that some people might appreciate this, but I thought it was a very uncomfortable overstep. I had thus far only had a nightmare of an experience, there was no way I was going to continue communication on anything other than m. Elizabeth's email server. Once the dress shipped, I asked for tracking information and was told that it couldn't be provided because the order included other dresses. They wouldn't even give me a solid date to expect! I finally got my dress and it's beautiful. However, I was never once offered an apology or compensation for the constant miscommunication, rude employees, or overall frustration. I would never recommend this place to a friend.

floor model of the dress came in in the spring, someone would contact me to try on a size that would better fit me (I'm about a size 8-10 in normal women's clothing with a short/petite body). No one contacted me. In August, when 6 months had passed, I reached out to the shop again, and was told my dress was on its way and would be in the shop in the next couple of weeks. I called back later, talked to a different person who said they had absolutely no news on my dress at all. Nearing mid-September, still without the dress, I decided to just walk into the salon and get a straight answer about my dress. The woman who helped me was great, and it turns out there were some shipping issues with the hurricane season, but assured me that the dress would come in and that their alterations could get it done in plenty of time. My dress came in in October. With only weeks til the wedding, the alterations woman scolded me for bringing my dress in so late. They did a beautiful job with alterations and bustling, but at the beginning of the reception, the bustle broke, and I had to deal with fixing it or just holding my dress for the rest of the evening. I would recommend going elsewhere. The dress became the most stressful part of my wedding planning because of their lack of follow-up and poor customer service.

d recommend this beautiful shop to all brides!

rfect. Madeline, the manager, who also helped find my dress knew the gown so well that she really helped assist in the perfect alterations for my dress. Loved every moment of the process there! We also bought my earrings from the shop as well for myself and my mom.

st like I did when I tried on my dress that it was "the one". I'm a size 10 and pretty busty so I was nervous to go shopping for a dress, but honestly L'Atelier just knew what they were doing and we able to help me ensure that the dress became everything I needed it to. It's definitely pricey, but in my opinion really worth it for the experience and the perfect dress.

experience - your own private room, champagne, top designers - just like in the movies. I ended up not buying my dress from l'atelier only because I ultimately thought a dress from another shop just looked the best on me, but I have no doubt that the entire experience would have been as refined as the try-on appointment.

not changed at all between ordering and my first fitting, however, when I tried it on, the dress was clearly way too tight. It barely zipped all the way in back, it was difficult for me to breathe, and it did not look flattering because it was squeezing my back so tightly. The sales lady assured me that this was normal. She said that the fabric would conform to my body. I was not convinced, but having never purchased a wedding dress before, decided to listen. I took my dress in for alterations at their recommended seamstress and the woman there said she couldn't believe they let me leave the store looking like that. She said this was clearly not a good fit and could barely get the gown zipped. They ended up having to let out all the extra fabric to achieve a good fit. Thankfully they fixed it, but the alterations were very costly. If my measurements didn't change at all, there should be no reason a $4,000 dress custom ordered to my measurements should need to be let out all the way in order to zip. I am especially convinced of their mistake after purchasing a cocktail dress. I found a dress and the woman mentioned that the sample was shorter than they typically come in. I'm short so when I ordered the dress, I told them that I wanted it to be the same length as the sample. I went in to try on my dress the day before my rehearsal. The gown was wrinkled and way too long. The sales lady insisted they ordered the shorter hem line. We found the sample and a manager came in and measured the gowns. The sample was 30" in length and my dress was 35". She checked the order sheet and agreed my dress was off by several inches. They offered to hem my dress in time for my dinner. It was inconvenient for me to make another trip to the salon the day before my wedding, but to make matters worse, they charged us for alterations even though it was admittedly their mistake! She even said she was "waiving the fee" to steam the dress that they handed to me wrinkled! We then mentioned that my wedding dress, too, had been off by an inch or so and the sales woman said she is sure she did a cup adjustment to make sure it was fitting properly. We most certainly did not have one, so now I feel like they didn't do something they should have done. This experience was so ridiculous that my mother wrote a letter to the owner who referred my mother to the office manager. The office manager refunded our alterations fee, did not offer any kind of apology for any of our problems, and did not take any responsibility for the issues had with my wedding gown.. Clearly though, their interest is in taking your money and not where it should be- in ensuring their customers satisfaction. I would not recommend that anyone shop here. You may well end up having to pay more for alterations to get what you ordered in the first place. The brands they sell are available elsewhere and for what you'll pay for one of these dresses, you should go somewhere that will treat you better and avoid or at least take responsibility for their mistakes. There is no reason anyone should pay thousands for gowns that come in wrinkled and off by several inches. If it happened to me TWICE, I am certain I'm not the only one.

ays' notice and they accomodated my request to only try on one specific gown sample (at that point I had narrowed in on a specific style). I also got to try a variety of belts and veils with the dress. The loft-style space on the 4th floor is spacious and bright, but also provides privacy. I was fortunate that the specific gown sample I was interested in was in excellent condition and available for purchase at a discount, so I not only got a great deal but was able to walk out with dress in hand. Thanks L'atelier!

ing experience this was a dream! I was so excited and loved my dress every time I went back to be fit and felt beautiful on my wedding day, what more can you ask? I can say I bought a timeless heirloom that I look forward to sharing with generations to come.

designers you could ever want. I got a Vera Wang gown from l'atelier and also got my veil there and a custom made sash. They brought the woman who makes the sash into the store for a trunk show so we could custom design it together. Their alterations team also did a great job of fitting the gown to me and making some alterations to really customize it to what I wanted. Certainly the best bridal salon in Minnesota!

stay in my budget. It was a wonderful experience and I wish I could find the dress all over again!

would recommend hands down to get your dress from L'atelier especially for the overall experience and service. I felt like a princess the entire process.

major alterations done a week before the wedding! Love, love. Book a fitting!

nd my dress - really can't say enough great things about this boutique and recommend it to anyone who is looking for the star treatment :)

awesome to work with, they helped with all of my fittings. I would recommend L'atelier for anyone looking for a higher end wedding gown.

rdering the dress without trying it on, that the designer was high-quality. The dress was custom-made according to my measurements. I finally tried it on for the first time today, and IT LOOKED AMAZING! Amanda was SO helpful as I tried on the dress and patient as my mom and mom-in-law took 100's of pictures! We were never rushed or pushed to purchase accessories. We did find the perfect veil and they have a great selection of purses and jewelry, too! Although I wasn't looking for a dress, their dress selection was great, too! All very high-quality. They really cover all of the details (from shipping the dress back to me in my hometown, to offering to Facetime chat as we consult with a local seamstress during fittings). I really appreciate that they cared about my dress just as much as I do.

to pick out my dress - it's one of those moments I will always remember. The fittings were great & they were so helpful providing advice on what kind of jewlery to wear, etc. I had to travel with my dress from MN to FL and was worried about how it would hold up during the flight, but they packed it so well, it was perfect when we arrived. Could not be happier with my experience!

nalized service. Worth travelling to MN for (not to mention no sales tax!)

talked to me about what I was looking for (I had no clue) and pulled a wide variety of gowns for me to try in addition to the ones I chose. I narrowed it down to three on my first appointment, but I knew which one I was in love with...unfortunately it was also the one that was quite a bit out of the price range I'd originally set for myself. I made two more appointments after the first one to try on the "top three" again, and I also went to three other bridal shops but none of them compared to the quality and service at L'atelier. A word of caution - I went in knowing I was willing to spend quite a bit on a dress that I loved, but if you are looking for a bargain that is not what L'atelier is about. They do have trunk shows and sample sales occasionally, but they specialize in couture and carefully select the designers and styles they carry. That being said, I never once felt pressured, or like I was being sold up, and Amanda and Madeline were very helpful and totally understanding of any limitations or extra time we needed to make a decision. In the end I got my dream dress and could not have been happier. If you are looking for a dress that is special and a work of art, this is the place for you. L'atelier makes wedding gown shopping what it should be - relaxing, pampered and fun!