j4vball's reviews

I found the perfect dress on the Chadwicks website. Not only are there constant specials to offer breaks on the prices, but the no-questions-asked return policy worked like a charm when the dresses were slightly too big for some of my bridesmaids. The returns and re-order process was easy, and the credit (less shipping) was quick. They were great.

The Manager of Sarrasin's was very helpful in planning my brother's wedding reception. Staff took care of setting up centerpieces and the guest's place cards exactly in accordance with the bride's wishes. The cake-cutting and serving was flawless. The food was delicious (and several guests commented on that) and served on time. At all times throughout the night, the staff were helpful and receptive to any requests. They prepared take-away boxes of food for my brother and sister-in-law, who barely touched their dinners but wanted to enjoy them later. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

My brother and sister-in-law's wedding was held here, and it is a beautiful site on Keuka Lake. The wedding contact person was very helpful and clearly outlined the stipulations for the day. The chapel itself is beautiful, with detailed woodwork inside. The on-site coordinator was very helpful, and would be a great asset especially to a wedding party that's in need of a detail person for the day of the wedding.

A couple of nits involved; my brother had to supply his own sound person, and that person couldn't see directly into the church to switch the music, which required some degree of coordinating. They only had the church for a total of 2 1/2 hours from arrival an hour before the wedding to the finish of photographs, which required a very structured (but do-able) photography session after the bride and groom had greeted their guests after the ceremony. Also, the first people to book a given day are given their pick of wedding times, so it can be difficult for the second people to book that date to find a suitable time.

In all, though, it was a beautiful site, with reasonably helpful staff, and all involved were pleased.

Peggy's Bridal has beautiful designer gowns, and I went with a friend shopping for her gown who wanted to do a "preview" shop before her mother came the following weekend. We made an appointment that day, as they had a cancellation, which was nice. However, neither of us were dressed very well and didn't feel we were taken seriously at times. Although we were allowed to browse and choose certain gowns from clearance and other racks, the sales associate made her displeasure known with some of our choices. She chose a beautiful gown for my friend, and my friend looked lovely in it, however she seemed interested only in moving us along. We had been up front about wanting to try on dresses so that my friend could narrow down choices for her mother's visit, but the hurried treatment we received resulted in my friend canceling her appointment for the following weekend and working with another shop.

For the start of my best friend's bachelorette party, we went to Mario's via Abruzzi for dinner. When I called to make the reservation, they were very accommodating, and gave us a separate room decorated with wine bottles in built-in shelves. The staff was very friendly and courteous, and directed all of the women to the room as they arrived. The food was delicious, and it was a classy start to a fun and crazy evening.

I've been here once as a bridesmaid and once as a bride, and had a generally good experience both times. Although consultants are often shared by multiple parties at the same time (especially if you go on a Saturday, like I did), I appreciated that approach, as my 'entourage' of mom and friends were more hands-on and had a clear idea of what we were looking for. The store didn't carry what I was looking for, however I'm still giving it 4 stars, as I think it's a really good option (especially their off-the-rack sales, from which my cousin bought a beautiful gown for $200 for her wedding). They also have some beautiful Mother-of-the-bride/groom outfits and bridesmaid dresses that double as such for mothers that aren't quite ready for the matronly look of some such dresses.

My consultant was friendly, open about the fact that she thought they may not have what I was looking for, but willing to help us try to find it. When I tried on a few dresses and they didn't work, we were ready to head elsewhere, and she told us she'd be available should we need anything related to bridesmaid dresses or mothers' dresses. I was pleased with the service we received, especially given that I ended up purchasing my gown elsewhere.

I've been to this shop a few times as a bridesmaid, and once as a bride shopping for my own gown. The staff are courteous and professional; not quite as pushy as some of the really high-end places I've been. The one disadvantage for brides is that you must describe your preferred styles, and allow the sales associate to pick them out for you. I suppose that could be an advantage if you have photos or ideas of exactly what you want, however I was a bit more of a hands-on bride and enjoyed the chance at other places to look through their dresses.

At any rate, their collection of Mother of the Bride/Groom dresses was good, and my bridesmaids really enjoyed looking through their bridesmaid dresses while we were there as well. Although I went elsewhere for my gown, I would recommend this shop to those who have a good idea of what they're looking for, or want a very attentive consultant without the high-pressure sales.

Of all the shops I went to, I liked the staff at the Blushing Bride the best. They were very friendly and attentive, but also allowed my friends and mom to help me look through the dresses they had on hand and pick some out ourselves. This was really a distinguishing characteristic of them from other bridal shops, as one of my friends ended up pulling off the rack the dress I fell in love with and purchased. It was exactly the type of gown I wanted, but would have had a hard time finding based on the requirement at some stores that I describe my preferences to the associate and she pick it out. I purchased my gown from here, and intend to return here for the alterations due to the customer service.