Renee Strauss

My experience at Renee Strauss was very good. I think it exudes an established feeling. The expertise of my stylist was fantastic. She knew her merchandise and was truly interested in my ideas and then input her own. To my surprise she was right. The dresses she chose were more suited to my figure and syle than the ones I thought I liked on the hanger. I actually spoke to a couple of other brides while I waited for my appointment who were there to buy their dresses. Overall I believe this store has the most extensive selection. I asked about sizing and they told me they will show me the size chart for my designer gown when I choose my dress. The character and soul of the place is great and the selection is great as well. For a once in a lifetime wedding I would prefer an established store to do business with over a department store that alternates staff from department to department. That's my consumer take on it!

At first Renee and team were very nice, helping me try on dresses, etc. I eventually found one I liked and decided to think about it as the wedding was a while away. When I came back I was told the price had increased for the new year and that it was because I had not come in for months (even though it hadn't been that long). When I got the dress I made the mistake of not thoroughly checking everything in the store and upon closer inspection the beaded details on the dress were very uneven. The dress I got was probably one of the most inexpensive in the store but it was still around 2k and shouldn't look like something from Forever 21 (luckily nobody noticed but it was pretty obvious if you pay attention to details). In any case, I would not recommend this store unless you like to get hustled and people that have a bad attitude. On a side note, I started looking for bridesmaids dresses in the store as they have the largest selection that I know of that you can try on. It was four months before my wedding and Renee tried to scare me into thinking that I needed a rush fee (about $45 extra per dress) or I wouldn't get it on time. I didn't believe her and called around with the model number to check it out. I ended up ordering the dresses through Pebbles Bridal who not only said that the rush fee was unnecessary but also gave me a discount on the listed price! So maybe Renee Strauss is good for trying on the bridesmaid dresses but order them elsewhere! Pebbles Bridal were really helpful at getting me color swatches as well, which Renee Strauss acted like was the most difficult thing in the world to get.

Renee Strauss, owner, as well as each consultant I worked with were amazing. They took a great deal of time during many, many visits into the salon, to work with me. I was very indecisive. Once I found a designer I liked, however, they made sure to inform me of his trunk shows. I found a dress I liked and the rest is history. I appriciate all of the time and energy they spent in working with me. I would recommend Renee Strauss Bridal Salon to any bride.

Friendly, personable salespeople. I tried on dresses here but ended up selecting one elsewhere, but my bridesmaids found their dresses here. We had no problem coordinating this, even though several of the girls were out of state, and one was ordering the dress in a different color. Dresses arrived promptly and were all the correct color and size. The young woman upstairs in the bridesmaid area is particularly kind and helpful. Renee herself always had a smile for me, too, and made me feel like a valued customer, even though we were just getting the bridesmaid dresses. As a bonus, they had cake samples!

Whatever you do, do not purchase a bridal gown from Renee Strauss Bridal! The gowns featured at the shop are fine and though the shop isn’t the fanciest, its average for a bridal salon.

The problem with Renee Strauss Bridal (RSB) is Renee’s customer service. At first Renee was very helpful in helping me locate a dress I saw in Orange County. I carefully explained to Renee what I wanted and tried on a combination of two different variations of the dress. Even though I was hesitant to purchase the dress, without seeing the exact dress in person, Renee spoke with the dress manufacturer and confirmed that the combination of the two different dress variations was the dress I wanted. I finally agreed to purchase the dress but left the shop without leaving payment information so I could discuss the dress and my hesitations with my fiancé. At that point he told me not to purchase the dress from RSB because Renee was being too pushy and it was obvious I didn’t feel comfortable. We were too late. In Renee’s hurry to make the sale, she placed the order before demanding payment for the order that she already placed and then rudely approached my fiancé and I to make the payment (of course she added that she did it in “good faith” so that the dress would arrive “on time”).

After discovering that there was mistake with the dress I purchased when it arrived, Renee instantly placed the blame on me and claimed that I didn’t remember what I initial saw in Orange County. Renee was awful to work with and even went as far as comparing a potential color variation (if I were to send the dress back for alternations) to Michael Jackson’s skin color. Every time we spoke on the phone she would not allow me to explain what I wanted before she would so rudely interrupt or talk over me. She did not once apologize for the mistake and eventually brushed me off on her manager. Her manager was easier to work with especially after RSB agreed to cover the costs accrued for any alterations to the dress; however, the majority of the time I had to follow up with RSB before they followed up with me. It took two weeks of back and forth regarding the differences in the dress before the new order was placed. One time, when I called to ask about the status of the dress, Renee answered but she quickly brushed me off and once again, didn’t acknowledge the stress and inconvenience that her shop has put me through.

At the end of the day, even though my dress was nice, I wasn't excited about it and couldn't look at it without hesitation and stress.

The staff is wonderful and very attentive. I purchased my bridesmaid and maid of honor dresses here. They have a very extensive bridesmaid and maid of honor dress selection upstairs Bianca was great. I would highly recommend her. She knows the dresses they carry and how they will look on different body types.

0 stars! The selection of bridal gowns is very small here, and way over priced. Also, in my opinion the service is not up to par. If you ask me the staff was actually quite rude, and the owner is just plain fake. I had much better experiences at other boutiques, and I definitely wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.

This shop had plenty of wonderful dresses in my relatively tight budget. Very helpful sales people.

Update:
Ok, bought my dress from here along with the FG dresses. Not very organized but everything arrived on time and I think I'm just really more Type A than they are. My star reduction from 4 to 3 has to do with their alterations ridiculousness. DO NOT HAVE YOUR DRESS ALTERED HERE. It is highway robbery, a total monopoly, a complete scam. Yes they "guarantee" their work but you'd better believe you're paying through the nose for it! They quoted me almost $800 for a hem + bustle!!!! Um, no thanks! And when I freaked out (since that was HALF the value of my dress and well, the whole being over budget thing isn't fun) they were like, "that's ok, go to this person instead. About half our brides go there." People, I'm not stupid. I wasn't born yesterday. If I refuse to pay your Renee Strauss price premium on alterations, you'd best believe I'm not lining your pockets through the lady you have an "arrangement" with! No way. I went to Daniela Kurrle Couture in West Hollywood instead. Daniela did a PERFECT job and charged me $300 for ALL my alterations for my wedding dress (complete re-make of the torso to take it in 4", re-making the all-lace skirt to add a seam, adding built-in cups, creating a fabulous bustle...) AND my rehearsal dinner dress! Amazing. Call her. DON'T pay the exhorbitant rates at RS - there are too many talented people in LA to deal with that crap.
Original Post: Wow I definitely did not have the terrible experience that a lot of the other brides did! I came to my appt armed with photos and was very clear about my budget upfront. The girl assigned to my appt seemed very new but I just did my thing, took charge a bit more, and went with it. If you're looking for a dress under $2k-$3k they'll show you the Watters line. Fine by me because I bought a Watters dress from them and LOVE it! They were very honest that Watters dresses can take a LOOOOONG time to arrive and quoted me a May delivery (I ordered in November). Guess what? The dress arrived in January! Everyone was happy, especially me :) I went back a few times to try on the dress for my mom and various MOH's & BM's and they were patient each time. They informed me of their annual W's trunk show coming up, made me an appt and I bought the dress on the day of the show for 10 or 15% off! Ok so the carpet's not the latest but really, they have a ton of dresses, they're a well-established business (I didn't want any sketchy risks with my dress), and they have a round step up now so us shorties can see the full length of the dresses.

Oh yeah, they don't allow photos of you in a dress unless you put a deposit down so just bring in a BM or MOH to sneak some pics of you. They need to get over that rule, I would never buy such an important dress before seeing how it photographs. That's just dumb.

I had wonderful experience at Renee Strauss. I was a little intimidated at first knowing that it was a high end bridal salon, but everyone was so welcoming and helpful. Renee was there with a smile on her face and a bright personality. (She reminds me of Bette Midler - totally fabulous.) They have an amazing selection of gorgeous dresses; not to mention veils, accessories, and bridesmaids dresses. I ended up going there 4 times to try on dresses and each time I felt catered to and not like an inconvenience (like at some places). I had some idea of the style, fabric & silhouette, but then once I started trying things on it all changed. (It can be a very overwhelming experience.) The staff was patient and understood that this was a very special time in a woman's life; they offered advise & options, but I never felt pushed towards buying something. I had also gone to 2 other stores including Kleinfeld's and neither store gave me the personal attention like Renee's. In fact at Kleinfeld's I was stuck in a dressing room in the back, told I could only try on 4 dresses and wasn't allowed to go on the showroom floor. I guess that's only for TV. At Renee's I was able to pick out and try on as many dresses as I wanted and never felt like like I was wasting their time. When I finally did order my dress the alteration dept was wonderful. Anna took her time and was a true perfectionist. I was super worried about having a strapless dress and having to pull it up all night, but Anna reassured me that with the alterations I wouldn't have to worry about that and she was right. The dress fit like a glove! I enjoyed their customer service so much that I took my dress back there to have cleaned and preserved. On a side note it took me over a year to take it in, but when I showed up Renee was there recognized me and even remembered some of the details that I had been talking about back when I had ordered the dress.I didn't have a million dollars to spend , but Renee's sure made me feel like I was worth it.

This was the only store that I went to. I tried on 3 dresses and I knew the 2nd dress was the dress for me. Everyone at Renee Strauss when I tried on my dress and purchased it was amazing. When I went to pick up my dress it was another story. It felt very impersonal and they barely said a word. I felt like I didn't even matter to them. It gave me a very sour feeling about them as an overall store.

Without writing a novel, I can simply say that Renee's shop moans "has been." Upon entering the store, the carpet is old and unkempt. The dresses are limited and the service is below par for a woman who claims she has a "high end shop."

I was in the middle of changing when I was notified that I was not allowed privacy while trying on the dresses! Standing there holding my bra to my chest, Renee herself proceeded to give me a nonsensical analogy about her shop being like a medical facility in requiring that a “nurse” be present during the “procedure.” Why would I invest in her gowns, alterations, accessories if I am not even given the common courtesy of changing alone. I have yet to meet a bridal salon that doesn't allow the bride to be privacy.

I will spare you a trip. Don't waste your time...we left and I went to Mary Linn's and I spent my $8K on a stunning gown there.

I love my dress. It is so beautiful. Ana - who is in charge of alterations at RS - is an angel. After my dress came in, I made an appointment with her to try the dress on. She went over the alterations needed in detail and the price for each. She also provided the name of another seamstress (which they give to everyone) and called her to ask her price, so that I didn't feel like I had to have alterations done there. I wanted to, though, and I'm so glad I did. Ana was a total perfectionist. She moved pins millimeters, she made me walk two steps, then wait - so she could look some more. It was tedious, but the results were gorgeous. She also provided and altered a bra for the dress.Now - as far as sales - RS does have a fantastic room of dresses that are under $2000. I started out there, but then I decided to branch out because I wasn't finding "the one".

I went to Renee Strauss because growing up in LA I have driven by it 1,000 times and always said "when I get married, I'll shop there!" Ugh, no. I didn't want to spend over $1500 and they barely had anything in that range. It was the Watters line, which kinda looked and felt like the Davids Bridal dresses I tried on but for a lot more money. My consultant Artemesia was nice about helping me, and getting a sense of my style, and not being too pushy, it really wasnt her fault the selection was so small.

What mainly bothered me was that the store smelled like cigarrette smoke and old stale bbq! Gross!!! It really made me just wanna hurry up and get out of there. The store also feels very dated (decor) which shouldn't be a deterring factor, but somehow it was. The dressing rooms were small, no pedestal to stand on (which makes it hard for a short bride like me to get a sense of the bottom of the dress) and didn't have a mirror so i could see the back of the dress. I dunno... if you are on a budget I wouldnt waste your time.

I got my bridesmaid dresses here and they were beautiful. The service was good and they have a great selection to choose from. Not a lot of bridal stores in L.A. carry a range of BM dresses like Rene so this would be a good place to start to get an idea of what you want.

Wow, a lot of negative reviews here for Renee Strauss! My experience was mixed, but more good than bad. I agree with other reviewers that the interior is definitely lacking in style and elegance. And even though I had an appointment, no one seemed to be available to help me and my best friend upstairs in the bridesmaid dresses - and the dresses themselves were pretty awful, but you can't really blame Renee Strauss for that, as they were all the right brands (e.g. Vera Wang, Badgley Mischka, Alvina Valenta, etc.). But when we went downstairs to look at wedding dresses (which hadn't even been part of our original plan), the salesperson was very nice and helpful. When I said I liked some of Watters' dresses, she took me into a little room. I immediately saw three I liked, tried them on, and within minutes had chosen one. It had been discontinued, but I was able to buy the floor model at a very nice discount and needing only minor alterations - so I walked out happy!

I found this store to be wonderful. It felt established. The dresses are beautiful and the staff that helped me was sincere. Everyone I know recommends Renee Strauss. They have a huge selection of bridesmaid dresses. I bought my wedding gown, bridesmaids dresses and my mom is coming in for her gown, as well. I really cannot agree with negative comments. I can say that on the days I visited they served wedding cake and more than one person dropped crumbs on the floor and stepped right on the cake, rather than be kind enough to pick it up. It is hard to keep things pristine when people are so inconsiderate. If it were my store I wouldn't serve the cake OR the coffee.

Overall, I was very pleased with Renee Strauss for the Bride. Lucy was the consultant who helped me find the dress. She was fabulous. The salon is in Beverly Hills, but I work in a school, so what the typical Beverly Hills client might spend on a dress was probably more than I make in a year. However, I was treated as if I was just as important by Lucy, and they do carry a very wide range of designers and price ranges, and their pricing is consistent with everyone else. I was a little shocked at the price of the alterations, but given that I am a seamstress and understand the process of altering a garment such as a wedding gown, I ended up being very very pleased. Julia was the seamstress who worked with me to make the alterations, and she was a perfectionist to say the least. She was worth every penny I spent on alterations. My biggest gripe with the salon was the confusion that transpired when I wanted to pay the balance due on my gown so I could start the fitting process. Fortunately I ordered my gown well in advance, but I did have to contact the salon owner after almost two months of phone tag and incorrect "amounts due" provided to me via voicemail or e-mail. Otherwise, they were extremely nice to work with, starting with Lucy and ending with Julia!

i went on a weekday and had a very nice experience. yes, i was expecting a very beautiful interior and was shocked at how 60s and rundown it is in there but the saleslady (Vanessa) was very nice, informative and helpful. the 1st dress i tried on there i loved and knew it was the one. ultimately, i bought my dress as Palos Verdes Bridal because they had the same dress and also if you buy your dress your 1st time there you get 20% off - so i saved over $500 than if i had bought it at RS.

this place is awful. i went there last july to try on dresses to get the wedding planning process started. i found a dress i liked, but my wedding was still a year away, so i wanted to wait to see if i liked something better. when i went back in october to order the dress, i was told that the dress was $500 more than the price quoted to me in july and that i had to make a decision within 24 hours in order to get the dress in time for my wedding the next july - 9 months away! they gave me a bunch of garbage about it being couture, from italy, lace is more expensive now and that they're the only store in the country with the dress. ridiculous and wrong. i found the dress in another state for far cheaper. to fly there and order the dress was cheaper than getting it from them and a far more pleasant experience. the assumption the owner had (she was the one feeding me the above garbage) that i'm dumb and gullible was just truly offensive. plus, she was trying to coddle me about how great the dress is by telling me that a prior miss america bought it - like that would influence me? how insecure and shallow do i look to try that line on me?

ugh. could go on.... but why bother, since it all worked out for me in the end. hope it was helpful for you.

another thing - despite billing themselves as "high end", they haven't renovated the place in years and they don't turn on the air conditioning. i even noticed on the hot day that i was there, rene motioning to a sales person about when to turn it on or off. cheap and duplicitous.

So far I have had a very good experience dealing with the ladies at Renee Strauss but I have not ordered my dress yet, so we'll see. I fell in love with a dress that was only on loan for the weekend but when I called on monday, they offered to hold the dress so I could show my moh, who couldn't be there will me on Saturday. I had two extremely helpful sales associates and it was very low pressure. My moh even brought her rambunctious toddler to the salon and I thought we might get some dirty looks but no one even batted an eye, they were very pleasant. I'll update this once I decide if I'm going to order the dress from them.

I guess I wasn't a typical bride because I only went to this one shop, tried on a total of about 6 dresses, but knew when I put the 2nd one on that it was "the one." The shop is in Beverly Hills, close to Rodeo Drive, so the saleswomen have that snooty air about them. I had to have the dress fit multiple times and wasn't entirely pleased with the final result in the bust area, but it was okay.

I scheduled an appointment here to look at Bridesmaid dresses and let me tell you, this place is anything but high end. As soon as my Bridesmaids and I walked in, we got a really weird feeling that the visit was going to suck, probably because every single salesperson totally ignored us, even when we asked for assistance. Then we went upstairs to the Bridesmaid section, let a woman know of our appointment, and then were ignored for almost an hour. We spent that entire amount of time sorting thru ugly, overpriced dresses (with no assistance) and ended up just making fun of all the crap that was in this "high end" boutique. Ladies, avoid this place at all costs. It will save you the headache of having to drive thru Beverly Hills and experience service that can't even be described as mediocre.

I went to this store thinking it would only be for "ideas" as I was afraid I couldn't afford anything with my 1500 budget for a dress. When I got there, the ladies where very intuitive. I gave them the ideas I had for a dress and then they went to work on selecting several dresses. The first one I tried on was THE dress. and it was only 1500. They were great with the alterations. no mistakes. They also helped with making sure I chose the correct bra size for the undergarments.

I puchased my gown and 3 bridesmaids gowns plus shoes. I went there based upon this store carring a particular brand of bridesmaids dresses. I wanted my girls happy more than anything. I wound up buying a dress on their low end of the spectrum $3,500 in 1994 - and they were very very snooty. I was a plus size bride (a 16 or 18) and was made to feel gynormous! I spent way more than intended but felt happy after my purchase. Then, I had a horrific accident 2 months before the wedding and wound up postponing the wedding. I spent 6 days in the hospital and the owner of Renee Strauss was cold and rude. I was completely housebound after my surgery and couldn't drive. Renee wouldn't release my dress to anyone but me. Then, she wouldn't release my dress unless all of the other dresses were paid for at the same time. There was a problem with one of my bridesmaids disputing a fee and she made me come down in person to pay for all balances on all dresses. MEANWHILE, she CHARGED ME TO STORE THE GOWNS - $25 a MONTH for the bridesmaids dresses AND $50 OR $100 A MONTH FOR MINE! (It was a few months until I could come in.) She was rude and cold and ruthless. She essentially held me hostage as she wouldn't release anything unless I was in person and paid it all off, including her ridiculous extraneous charges. I WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO HER!!!!