Alice Padrul Bridal Couture

Quit looking elsewhere and visit Alice Padrul Bridal Couture! I rarely give anyone the highest rating possible. However, I really cannot think of one negative thing about my experience with Alice and her team.

I had a very specific idea of what I wanted my wedding dress to be. After visiting what felt like every bridal shop in the Chicago area (I believe I went to 13 shops) and hearing over and over again that what I wanted did not exist, I became quite discouraged. Then I visited Alice. She was the first person who did not look at me like I had three heads when I told her that I wanted (all lace, taupe-colored silk lining, deep/open back, long sleeves). In fact, she kept saying that what I was envisioning would be beautiful! I wish that I had not wasted my time visited traditional bridal shops. Working with Alice was an incredible experience, one I looked forward to every time I flew into Chicago for a fitting. Her and her husband are the sweetest people you will ever meet and never failed to make me smile/laugh. Alice and Svitlana adjusted my dress as per my requests, even as I went back and forth on some decisions. It was amazing to know who was making my wedding dress in a world where everything is mass-produced by people across the world (and probably under horrible conditions!). Every fitting was incredible- truly.

Films and popular media always portray the wedding dress experience as one that moves every woman to tears when she finds "the" dress. Let it be known that I shed only two tears during my dress search- and they were not a result of the dress itself (this is not to say that my dress was not perfect...I was/am obsessed with my dress- it was everything I wanted and a whole lot more; I am just not one to be moved to tears from a dress experience). Rather, I shed tears when I had to say goodbye to Alice and her husband Gene, for my mom and I will truly miss them (and their kind souls) dearly.

Working with Alice Padrul was an experience, and I mean that in the best way possible! Alice, her husband and her seamstresses are all wonderfully warm and friendly people.

When you contact Alice Padrul, you get Alice Padrul. She was incredibly hands on with the creation of my custom made bridal gown. She was able to take my ideas and craft the perfect bridal dress to fit my needs, wants and dreams. She worked with us on every aspect of building the dress--she had numerous fabric samples, numerous lace samples and certainly applied her expertise to make recommendations on how to create the look you wanted, while keeping my comfort in mind.

I cannot recommend Alice Padrul enough!

Definitely a must-go for wedding dress in midwest. I drove 6 hours one way for each fitting and I think it still worth it! Very professional service and flexible even when my wedding was only three months away. Plus, I got my dress one month before wedding.

Alice Padrul's gowns are nothing short of breathtaking. I came to her studio all the way from California. After finding a picture of a dress online I called and asked where I could try on her gowns in California but she told me that "girls come to her from all over" so after looking all over San Fransisco and Sacramento I went to Chicago and found my dream dress. Alice is nothing short of a brilliant artist and she crated my very own masterpiece. The dress is so beautiful that it makes me sad that I'll only get to wear it one day.

Alice took the time to listen to my needs and desires, help make suggestions on what would look best on my body and merged the top of one dress with the bottom of another. Having a dress created for you and your body will make you feel beautiful, confident and excited to be a bride.

If you want a unique, beautiful, romantic dress of your dreams - go to Alice Padrul. You'll be amazed when it is all over. I think Alice's dresses are more beautiful than all the top designers (Amsale, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera, etc) that send so much on marketing their dresses to a national audience through fashion magazines. Alice's craftsmanship and fabrics are simply the best. If you live in the mid-west, this is a must stop bridal salon. And, if you live out of the area and you fall in love with a dress online, just go, you won't be disappointed by the care and love you'll feel from Alice and her team.

Alice has created a gorgeous, quaint studio in the West Loop. Although my wedding was in Chicago, I live out of state and didn't have much time to look for a dress. After visiting two other stores, I thought I had found my dress. However, I went to Alice's boutique, referred by my fantastic wedding planner, just to check it out. I only tried on one dress at her store, and there was no contest.

Although I loved Alice's dress, there were a few things I wanted slightly different, more uniquely me. Much to my excitement, Alice said she could create a brand new custom gown for me, which she did. My dress was simply gorgeous and fit perfectly. I felt comfortable in it all night, thanks to Alice and her seamstresses' amazing talents.

Alice is simply one-of-a-kind and her passion and love for creating her gowns is so obvious. Between Alice, her husband and tailors, the Alice Padrul team is just wonderful. If you are looking for more than an off-the-rack wedding dress, you will not be disappointed with Alice's dresses and skill.

Alice and her staff exceeded the quality, professionalism, and originality of all other bridal boutiques I visited on my quest for the dress I would wear to my April 2012 wedding in Ireland.

When I discussed my budget with her, she was helpful and open to working with me and after trying on a few dresses, we came to one that fit perfectly! Even more amazingly, it was one of her older seasons designs and she let me buy the sample off the rack. The quality of the dress far surpassed all other dresses I had tried on at other shops and botiques.

I guess I could say that quality won me in the end and that is exactly what I got with Alice Padrul and her team.

Oh Alice, we had so much fun! I knew when I walked in to her West Loop studio that my dress was inside. My mom in fact told me I was not allowed to leave until I picked out my dress.

After debating over the different gowns, Alice turned to me and said, "for you...we do custom gown". And from that moment on I felt like I was in a fantasy world. We changed the dress several times throughout the process, but the end result, was a completely unique gown that fit me like a glove!

I loved working with Alice and how creative we were able to be together. She is a master of her craft, and her intimate setting creates such a strong sense of bond between her and all of her gowns/brides.

I can't wait to go back and show her all the photographs.

Thanks for making the process so fun Alice!

It has been almost two years later and I am still receiving comments on how beautiful my wedding dress was and my mother's. We both had our dresses made by Alice Padrul. It was like a scene from Cinderalla where it started with a sketch and progressed each week with finally a unique and beautiful wedding dress that fit my style.

Alice captured that with the unique touches. The dress was well-worth it because I could not find this in a store. There are no regrets with purchasing a wedding dress from Alice Padrul.

Phrosini P. Samis-Smith

Ladies, if you're tired of hearing nightmare stories about dresses arriving a week before the wedding in the wrong size or the last fitting being a complete disaster, meet Alice. You will be able to design your dream dress, the price will include alterations since its custom-made and you will see progress monthly (if not weekly). Alice and her incredible staff will make sure you're completely satisfied. Not once did I have to worry about the final product, which turned out to be beyond amazing. It was a perfect day accompanied by a perfect dress.