The Sample Rack

while planning my wedding, but they KNOW wedding dresses. I could not have been happier with my experience. I can't wait to go back to visit and share photos of the big day. Thank you for the dress of my dreams!!!

meaning size 16-18 in this crazy bridal world). At these chain stores I visited prior, I was never brought anything that actually fit, or that made me feel beautiful. It seriously got to the point where I doubted I would find a dress that I liked, much less loved. From the first second I stepped into The Sample Rack today, I felt valued, beautiful, special and completely attended to. There were two wonderful women who devoted at least 90 minutes entirely to me, helping me find dresses that actually fit, and that were exactly the style that I wanted (vintage lace, made for curvy body types). Neither woman made me feel like a pariah or a burden for being over a size 10. I mentioned that I liked lace, and illusion necklines, and they brought me a handful of dresses that fit the bill almost exactly. I ended up buying a dress that was HALF the price of a similar dress at the chain store, and of a MUCH better quality. I cannot even begin to put into words what a better experience, and what better quality this store has to offer. Please, please, please make this a stop on your wedding prep. You will not regret it.

ventory was gorgeous and you can not find this quality of work for these prices anywhere. While I did not find my perfect gown here I highly, highly recommend The Sample Rack.

However, I am thoroughly impressed with this salon's customer service. When I scheduled my appointment, I had a consultant call me directly and discuss what kind of dress I was looking for. She gave me her personal number and had me text her pictures of dresses that I liked, so she would be able to pull similar styles for me to try on. After I found my dress at a different salon, I called and left her a message explaining why I was cancelling my appointment, and she sent me a message that same day thanking me for informing her, and congratulating me on finding a dress. She seemed nothing but happy for me, and did not give off any negative attitude that I would expect from most retailers at an appointment cancellation so close to the appointment time. I'm very impressed with their customer service, despite never having walked through their doors.

ould do a bit better than the $1000.00 we were quoted. The saleswoman excused herself to call the store manager to see if this was possible. She returned and said the price was firm and that we were getting a real deal, as the original cost of the dress was $2000.00. We took the dress, feeling as if we had gotten a good deal. Unfortunately, I was able to find the dress on many online websites (including The Knot) and the price range was $1000-1499.00. I called Carlene to address the issue and request a discount based on the fact that we bought the dress with the understanding we were getting a 50%discount. She called the owner and he refused our request. Carlene explained that she could not change what we were told by her staff and that we were still getting a good price. She further relayed that the owner offered to throw in a free veil or take back the dress. We were not interested in any of the three veils in the store. After much back and forth and Carlene not wanting a poor review for the store, she offered to give us the 10% discount that the owner gives to Jefferson Hospital employees. I responded that we were not interested in taking the discount as we were not affiliated with the hospital. It felt like I was being bribed to not write a negative review. Shame on me for trusting that I was being told the truth by the salesperson and manager. Shame on them for the way they handled the issue. Research before you buy.

ue skill and is honest and resourceful. I am so pleased with my experience and my selection. The Sample Rack is a must!

dress. Many, many compliments. Wish I could go back to buy another! My sister from North Carolina fell in love and insisted she wants to shop there when its time for her wedding.

edding dresses. Not easy to find, particularly in samples. She had many to choose from and the first one she pulled was THE DRESS! It was fabulous. EVERY other shop I went to offered only 1-2 dresses that would fit and made me feel like I would have to settle given my "situation". I found my perfect dress, Carlene had a lot of knowledge about how to have it altered to allow for any baby growth that I have from now until my wedding (i.e. a lace up back instead of zipper) and made me feel absolutely gorgeous. Until I arrived at the Sampale rack, I really felt that I would have to settle for something less than what I wanted because of how quickly I was getting married and because I was pregnant. Carlene dismissed all of my worries and assured me that settling was not allowed. My dress is GORGEOUS, fits and will fit perfectly and was very reasonable considering the high quality of the dress. I can't say enough about how happy I am with their service. I HIGHLY recommend the Sample Rack to anyone who wants a private, boutique wedding dress appointment. The personalized attention was unmatched.

n town. She said absolutely. Her and her assistant put me in several dresses that I had described and also asked if I would try something different. I'm so happy I did! It was an wonderful experience. They made me feel so beautiful, unlike another bridal salon I went to the day before. I would totally recommend the Sample Rack to any bride with an open mind!

They were able to work within my budget, too, which was very important. I can't say enough good things about it - the people, the dresses, the store itself, the whole experience was wonderful. I will be sending everyone I know to the Sample Rack!

this point I was feeling pretty defeated. I had a fantastic time and I was finally able to find the dress. Everything in the store is around $1000.00 so at lease you really can't go over your budget.

g that needed minimal alterations. Everything is 1000 or less, samples of tons of designers.

onsultant. After listening to what I liked and assessing my body, she pulled 4 gowns -- all of which I would have been very happy with. Ultimately, the fourth was so perfect that we didn't feel the need to see anymore. She then helped me find the the most amazing antique accessorties that ensured my dress would be as unique as I am.... All this for under $1000 and in less than 2 hours! If you can remain open to new possibilities and are a sample size, I highly recommend that you call Carleen and see if there is something "on the rack" for you. The price can't be beat!

ffered to open the store for me on a day they were closed!!! Very sweet and amazing - and pretty rare. I ended up making an appointment for a day on which they were open - and I was so happy that I made the trek to Philly! I tried on several dresses and Carolyn was so patient with me and my mom. When I finally found a dress that was literally perfect for me - Carolyn seemed genuinely excited that I had found the perfect dress - she hugged me! These are women who truly love what that do and are excited when they can help you look perfect for your big day. It was a really perfect experience and I am so glad I went - my dress is stunning and it was under $1000 - which for this dress - was a deal! I have been to many dress stores and have seen what you get for under 1000 - and nothing was a gorgeous and perfect as this dress. Thanks a million to Carolyn - this store was amazing!

sales associate was warm and genuine, and they both seemed to be committed to looking for the perfect dress for my specific body type. and I found it here. I am a size 6 and found that there were lots to choose from. I also bought my veil here on another visit. The price I paid for the dress I bought - which was covered in extensive beadwork - was unbelieveable. I loved my dress and I'd recommend this shop to anyone looking for a beautiful gown at a great price.

anted/looked right on me. That's because what they have in the store is what they have so if you want a dress you have to buy it then (no ordering-you take the gown home with you that day!) They had a decent selection in my size, and the prices are great. The dresses are all samples or extras from other store, so you get brand new amazing dresses at great prices. I know they have designer gowns too, although that didn't factor into my choice of wedding dress at all. You have to make an appointment beforehand, which works out really well, because they are able to give you their full attention and the experience is much more relaxing. The women working there made the process really fun. They were so nice and honest about their opinions on the dresses I tried on, even when they both thought different things. I brought my mom, aunt, and best friend with me, and the staff made the whole process enjoyable. And I found my dream wedding dress! And at an awesome price in a great atmosphere. I would absolutely recommend the Sample Rack to everyone!

with the owner who was stopping by who had very good insights about how to redesign the dress and how to tell my mom I had bought a dress (when she was not there with me). The dress was a bargain, and they gave me a discount because I work in a local hospital. Great experience.

wise cost over $2600. I am a sample size, so I don't know how much they have in terms of a variety of sizes, but it looked like they had quite a variety. The ladies there also found a pair of earrings for me that went perfectly with my dress and I got tons of compliments on both the dress and the earrings.

e ladies assisted me with trying them on, and showing them to my cousin. i thought i wanted no sequins, no beading, no shiny satin- just something with pretty fabric detailing, like a chiffon flower or something. When Carolyn brought me a cream satin dress with silver bead-and-sequin-detailing and a fit-and-flare shape i said "that's not my style" to which Carolyn replied "just put it on." i laughed, and did, and i immediately fell in love. i thought it couldnt get any better until the sales associate (i forget her name, im so sorry!) said, "wow, you look like one of the girls from MadMen" and i was sold. i have never felt so beautiful, comfortable, womanly, and so completely myself in a dress. Thanks ladies! even better: the dress was originally $3500 and i paid $990 for it because it was a sample. score.

either, they have a range of sizes!) I made an appointment and when I came in, I was the only bride in the store. It was so nice. There were two women who made it so easy. They pulled different style dresses to see what looked best on my body type, and they asked me what I wanted in my dress. I found my dress within 45 minutes, it was about the 5th one I'd tried on! So easy. The prices are great too, all designer dresses under $1,000. They do not do fittings or cleaning at their store so you will need to find someone else to do that. But I was SO in love with my dress and looking back on my wedding pictures makes me want to wear it over and over again.

nalized service. They are patient and understanding...if you want to go back and forth between two dresses (like I did), they will work with you. Plus, the price is GREAT!

pensive for my taste but I didn't like the quality at a store like David's bridal so the Sample Rack seemed a good fit. I ended up getting lucky and finding a dress the first time I went there. The sales lady was very helpful. I told her about my wedding and she picked a bunch of dresses that were my size and she thought would be appropriate. We almost gave up when she convinced me to try one last dress and I loved it. It was everything I was looking for and it was discontinued so I couldn't have gotten it anywhere else. It ended up being about 50% of the retail price. All her dresses were also of good quality, I didn't see and obvious tears or stains, my dress was perfect except for a loose button. I recommended this place to my sister-in-law and she ended up getting her dress there too. Everyone should definitely try it

ze and then style. Also, the supply depends on what dresses they've received recently. I was so happy with the dress and the tailor they recommended. The dress was in perfect condition - I didn't even have to get it formally cleaned, just pressed after traveling with it. Don't start here, it's definitely a place to visit AFTER you've tried on a bunch of styles and know what you like and don't like. No dress is over $800!

like the more expensive shops, but gets to the point and gets you the dress you want for the price you can't beat.

per helpful and I tried on a bunch of different dresses. The one I chose was strapless and had a fully beaded boddice, buttons down the back and a silk bottom. After alterations it fit my body like a glove. They recommend Nilah for alterations. She does a great job but she is a little pricey. In hindsight, I would have shopped around. The dress I bought was probably originally $2500. I got it for $700 (there was a 100. coupon), alterations and veil were about $600. So my dress and veil with alterations- overall cost about $1300.

$1,000 higher than the real price. I ended up with an amazing dress that after substantial alterations was perfect. It was a decent deal getting the sample, but not nearly the "steal" that they want you to believe it is. Educate yourself on typical designers they carry and actual retail prices before you go.

e other stores, I couldn't find anything to even try on. Here, I found so many things I liked, but I still ended up getting the first dress I tried on! And nothing is over $800.00! This place definitely is worth checking out!

k. My first trip there- they asked a few question, pulled some suggestions and the second dress I tired on (one i initially rejected) was THE dress. Save yourself the stress- let the experts hand select the perfect dress. Everything is under $800 and all are samples (so when you need alterations - call Kate Pettit- she's more affordable than who they'll refer you to).

s if you can get the $3000+ dress of your dreams for $800!?

ossible severity of the storm. Other dress vendors I had appointments with that weekend called and rescheduled times or otherwise communicated with me that they would check with me on a "day-of" basis once we truly knew what the weather and road conditions would be like. Carolyn Verdi, the proprietor at the Sample Rack, called me a couple of days before during the anticipation period and asked if I lived within Philadelphia's Center City area. When I said I did not and lived in the suburbs she said she wanted to know since brides in the city still planned on coming in to the store and she wanted to know whether she could give away my appointment slot to another bride. I said that I would have to see how bad the roads were and in the meantime I would keep my appointment and call her to reschedule if the conditions were poor. I asked whether or not she would still be open and she assured me that yes, of course she would be open since she lived just down the street. On the day of the storm was quite bad, but the roads were fine if taken at a slow speed. I tried to call in to the store several times before I left for my appointment, but never got a response. Based on my experience in the planning stages, Carolyn had said that she was the only person in the shop and unable to answer the phone since she was assisting people in the shop. So I made the slow journey to the store and when I got there it was closed. I tried calling repeatedly as well as going to the address listed for her planning service and got nothing. I stood outside in the snow for about an hour before leaving. When Carolyn got back to me the next day she was really very unapologetic and rude about explaining why she stood me up for my appointment. She said she assumed I would not make it and so she left mid-day. When I said that we had recently agreed that I would call on the day-of to talk about appointments her response was that she asumed I would call in the morning. Considering I had a 5 P.M. appointment and in the morning when the snow was still falling, I considered that a poor excuse. At the very least I believe she could have called me that morning to speak with me before leaving the shop and being out of communication. Based on this experience, I would not reccommend doing business with her and shudder to think about what she would do to brides in need as a part of her wedding planning company! Clearly this blizzard was an unusual situation, but I visited several other stores that same weekend and had no similar problems as I did with this store. Each of the other stores were very proactive in communicating with me about their store hours and the road conditions in their area; I had no problems either keeping my original appointment time or rescheduling another time. I know this review will likely be met with a rebuttal, but I believe it is important for brides to know about my poor experience with Carolyn and hope that people see my response to this incident the way I do!

ling in love with one of them. It was honestly the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, and everyone at the wedding raved about it! Everyone should go to the Sample Rack. The shop is beautiful, the prices are amazing, and the service is even better. You will not regret it!