Thoughts and Opinions on David’s Bridal vs Boutiques

I personally didn't find a dress at DB but it is worth looking at to find a style you like. In my opinion it doesn't matter where you get your dress, it is how the dress makes you feel! I tried on what seemed like hundreds of dresses between DB and boutique shops, and I was fortunate enough to walk away with a Berta dress. It is all about the feeling YOU have. It is your big day and no one will care where you bought your dress.

ps..That dress is STUNNING!

I think DB has things in all price ranges, but yes they are known for less expensive options.
My first dress appointment was through DB and I was really thinking and hoping I would find something there but I didn't. I knew what I wanted but I just didn't have that great of an experience to want to go back for a second appointment to try more on.

The lady that was helping me just didn't see to have to much experience. Everything she showed me to try on or ones that I showed her from pictures that I wanted to try on I didn't like at all. She would ask me on a scale of 1 to 10 how much I liked it and I would say low numbers then she would ask what we could do to make it a 10. Like adding a belt/sash, etc. It was rather annoying because I just wanted to try on a new dress completely not try to accessorize one to make me like it more.

At the smaller boutique I went to it was a wonderful experience. I told her what I liked and didn't like, showed her pics, and talked about budget for it. With just the first dress I was already starting to like it and then by dress 4 or 5 she nailed it. Each dress she brought out got more and more close to what I was envisioning. It was also a great experience because I could see the dress and what I looked like before even setting out. The DB I went to didn't have mirrors inside the rooms which I thought was so bizarre because if you don't like it you wouldn't even have to show anyone else and just put the next dress on. The place I went to is Dress Gallery out of Wichita, KS. They can be a more expensive but they have options for smaller budgets too. They also do sample sales and truck shows to get discounted prices. I think with smaller boutiques they get more trainer/experience on how to do their job to really be able to find the right dress for people.

I think if you want a unique and different dress don't go to David's Bridal, great for bridesmaid dresses. But im not crazy about their quality, but that dress beautiful, I feel only their Oleg Casssini and vera wang are worth their prices. Their DB brand dresses are dull and boring for the most part.

My personal experience at David's was that they wanted to sell me something, anything. Rather than saying "We really don't have any more dresses like what you are looking for" my time was wasted trying on dresses that "you can add sleeves to" and attempting to temporarily attach straps to a dress that wasn't made to have straps. I am not going to buy a dress that isn't what I want, in the hopes that it may be altered extremely after the fact. I also had a high budget for DB so if they had something I liked, I could have afforded it. They simply didn't but didn't have the respect for my time to tell me so.

I also went to a couple different boutiques. The first one I went to, they actually said multiple times as I tried on dresses "Oh this is definitely the one" "I can see you walking down the aisle to your fiance in this". You don't know me, and you've never met my fiance! That is a ridiculous amount of pressure to try to put on a bride. The next boutique I went to was the one I ended up buying my dress at- the owner of the boutique herself came in before open so that I could bring my bridesmaids back to see it at a time that worked for all. They were never pushy, never shared an opinion unless it was asked for, and even got me the best deal on the veil I chose.

I think the moral of the story is always shop around! And never say "yes" to the first one until you've looked at others! No two boutiques are alike, and no two consultant's at a David's Bridal will treat you the exact same. The service you receive should be considered part of what you are paying for. After all, that dress would be cheaper if you could buy it straight from the designer.

I have to agree with saying that it definitely depends on your location. I went to DB to try and get a sense of what it would be. I live in Los Angeles, Downtown/Hollywood area, a lot of businesses in my area have below average ratings except for a select few that have great reviews, which will usually mean they're probably going to be more expensive too. Since my 1st visit to DB I was treated exceptionally well, they def pushed for me to buy but assured me that i'd still have time. They asked me what I was looking for and what my budget was and then we started trying on dresses and they showed me ones I thought I'd like and some they thought would fit me well and I was never rushed. I went back 9 months later and bought the 3rd dress that I tried on from the same rep and she convinced me to go up in size to make sure that everything was good and my dress fits like a glove, as of today I won't be making any alterations other than length.

I had a non impressive experience with DB. I went online prior to my appointment and picked the dresses I liked. I picked from the curvy line. When I got to the store, my rep told me to look through the racks on the front to see if there was anything I liked. She also informed me that only one dress was available to try on from the ones I picked online. Apparently, they called to other DB's in the area and they were not available either. I get it, they were new dresses and probably hadn't shipped to the stores yet. I let that slide.

As I start looking through racks, I was firmly told I needed to stay to the front because that's where my sizes were and there was no need for me to look beyond the two racks. At that moment, I felt so excluded.

After pulling my picks, I went to the dressing room to try them on. The dresses were nice but I wasn't feeling anything because I was just irritated. I also noticed that there were two smaller women who had appointments and they had 2 attendants each helping them. I seemed to be getting treated very differently. By this time I was exhausted and ready to go.

Oddly enough, the attendant said to me she apologized for not having the dresses available. She said that DB's is notorious for not bringing in dresses above a certain size and they have turned away so many clientele because of this. She asked where else I was looking and I told her a local boutique. She said she didn't blame me and that she has asked management to rectify the situation. Mind you, this is at a DB's in a major metropolitan area where there are so many more options.

Either way, I found my dress at a wonderful boutique, Vivid's Bridal, and they made me feel special from the moment I walked in. When I found the dress, we were all crying in the store. It was awesome. I also found mine during a Stella York trunk show as well.

Haven't heard many positive stories about them - plus they must be marking up brands a bit to make their profit. Better off googling around for other stores.

I refuse to get my dress at Davids. I was a bridesmaid in my best friends wedding. I went to my first fitting and the consultant rolled her eyes at me as soon as she saw me. She said "hurry up lets go" pretty much pushed me in the dressing room and gave me a size 26 dress (I usually wear an 18 at most) I put it "on" and she took my measurements I said "I think this is big" she said "don't worry it'll fit by the wedding I was so offended, but I stuck it out and day of the wedding gets here its falling off I had to have straps sewn on and look different from all the other bridesmaids. just never again...

I think it depends on where you go. I had a friend get her dress at a boutique and had the WORST experience and her Aunt ended up fighting with a consultant there it was nuts!

I found my dress at a DB and think the quality was amazing. I didn't buy from the DB line however mine was from the Melissa Sweet collection and I think the "designer" lines at DB are probably a little nicer? I dunno honestly I think if you've found "the one" I'm not sure why your coordinator is pressuring you to try on more?

Also with your budget remember you will probably need alterations! My dress was $1200 but also needed about $200 in alterations

We all have different experiences when we go into any customer service situation. This isn't just when it comes to Bridal gown shopping, it's every situation. I've had many people tell me at my job that they had a poor experience before and wasn't going to fly with us again but will give us another shot since they had a good experience this time around. This doesn't mean I work for a bad airline or that we are not safe/poor quality, it just means that they encountered poor customer service and unfortunately bad word travels farther and faster than good words.

Getting back to DB versus Boutique. I was married before (in 2006 so its been AWHILE) but when I was initially dress shopping in 2006 I had poor experiences at many boutiques due to poor customer service. These boutiques didn't take me seriously because I was young and had a short time frame to work within, many were not accommodating. We ended up purchasing a Maggie Soterro dress, it was stunning and 21 year old me loved it and didn't mind the $4500 price tag. Getting married at this stage in my life my priorities have shifted dramatically. I can't imagine spending more than $800-1000 on a dress for me to wear one day. We all have our priorities and mine lies with spending more on physical things for the wedding like better food, open bar (not bottom shelf products), and treating my kids, FH and bridal party to spa treatments and gifts.

I actually have my first appointment with DB today and am taking my MOH and my daughter along, my daughter doesn't know what we are doing and she will be thrilled. I'll let y'all know how it goes!

Whichever option you go with be it DB, Boutique or internet, make sure it is the right one for you and always keep an open mind and enjoy this time. Happy Dress Shopping ladies!!