Dresses are in amazing condition and it's nice trying on things that actually fit. My gf got super lucky that a dress that was tailored to her height and size. I didn't find my dress here but definitely enjoyed my fitting. read more

I went in with very little ideas about what kind of gown I wanted to wear for my wedding coming up in just over a month. Emilie helped me browse a few selections after just a couple fittings she was able to pick some of the most perfect pieces-- with a range of prices and styles. She has a real gift for reading people's personal style and is so friendly, easy to talk to and warm. Finding a wedding dress felt easy and fun with her! I am so grateful to have found her and her business. Thank you so much! read more

On the hunt for a wedding dress? Look no further. I have the honor of being part of one my best friend's wedding in 2018 and she currently resides in Montana. She came back to CA to see family and friends for Thanksgiving break and decided while she's home, shop for wedding dresses with me and her mother for funsies; little did she know she would find the perfect gown. We started in Walnut Creek, then SF and searched high and low but unfortunately came up short on what my girl was looking for. So the next and last stop was Berkeley, where the stars began to align. THE SIGNS: -ECG was the only shop available on 11/19 to take our appointment -Even while we were running late, the shop manager was kind, courteous and warm as ever upon entry; though she likely had every right to be annoyed (...and even if she were, she hid it well which is more than I can say for other bridal shop/boutiques I've encountered) -My friend only tried on 6 dresses and the last dress, was "IT". This dress was originally CUSTOM made for another woman, fit my girl like a glove and was to the "T" what she wanted in style/design (mom cried lol) -She will not need alterations of any kind - what are the odds?! Her only hangup was that the dress was a bit out of budget but that's what moms are for ;-) Mom helped me reduce my friend's "guilt" into going with the dress that was meant for her (please see photo, below, as evidence - no, her dress is not the one hanging in the background). I cannot thank Emilie at ECG enough for her professionalism, grace and PATIENCE (lol) through our appointment - we even made this poor girl late to pick up her child and she did not rush us once! Highly recommended for anyone looking for an intimate, quality wedding dress shopping experience! read more

Emerald City Gowns - Bridal Near Me - Berkeley, California

I really didn't want to write this but I feel like I had to share my experience since there are so many positive reviews. I came on a Saturday for a fitting appointment with two of my bridesmaids. Just as an FYI, they charge you for weekend appointments but they will apply the charge towards the dress if you buy one. Anyway, their selection was really limited for my budget and the lady helping us (I forgot her name) was not friendly, and didn't really offer many suggestions. I was immediately put off by her coolness and I'm not sure if it was because my budget was on the low end?? Overall they had some pretty nice dresses but I felt like for a fitting that I had to pay for there should have been some basic service like helping me pull dresses that would fit what I mentioned I was looking for, helping pull the trains out so I could see what it looked like etc. My bridesmaids and I were basically doing all the work ourselves and I left feeling disappointed. I didn't find a dress, which wouldn't have mattered if I didn't just pay $50 for bad service. It would have been nice if they had given some options for wedding gown rentals too since that was a unique feature that initially drew me to this shop, but I wasn't given any of that info either. Overall not a great experience, if you decide to book an appointment just find a weekday to come. read more

ECG is a gem!! Overall, I really recommend checking this shop out, and I want to highlight the main things that stood out to me: 1) Selection - WOW! I mainly came here because I wanted to check out their consigned dresses to save time and money, and they really have a wide selection of gowns all in mint condition. I was able to try on a lot of different styles (even if I had already chosen what I wanted at the very beginning) and explore various fabrics, silhouettes, etc. 2) Experience - Emilie and Sonia were so thoughtful and attentive the entire time. I found the dress I wanted right off the bat when my mom and I were looking at the window displays, but they still happily let me try on other dresses and then walk around in THE dress so my mom and sister could get all of the right pictures/videos for future reference. They helped me pick out the perfect veil for the dress, and I honestly couldn't be happier that I found the perfect dress here. 3) COVID precautions - I truly felt safe here. They allow only 1 party at a time for an hour-long appointment, and there's plenty of hand sanitizer everywhere. Everyone is required to wear masks. Thanks, ECG for a wonderful experience! read more

I loved my dress shopping experience here and was so happy to find the dress that I plan to be married in! I would recommend going to a few bridal dress appointments first before coming to ECG, just to get an idea of what dress shapes (A-Line, fit & flare, sheath) you prefer. After trying various dresses at three other bridal boutiques, I had figured out that I preferred fit & flare dresses. But I had not really liked many of the styles that I tried on in the price range I was looking for (less than $1,600). ECG is a very bright and beautiful store. When I went to ECG, I was helped by Shannon, who was super helpful and sweet. I had chosen 4 dresses to try on, but after they were all no's -- Shannon was able to pick out a few other dresses based on my feedback, and one of them ended up being my dress!! I had wanted more time to think about pulling the trigger to buy the dress, so ECG let me put a one week hold on the dress for $125. If I decided to go ahead and buy the dress, that $125 would have been applied to the overall purchase. After a week and also bringing another friend with me, I decided this dress was going to be my dress! So I was able to walk out with a Pronovias dress, with original cost of around $2.4K for $1.5K. Bonus, the dress had already been hemmed to almost my exact height with a bustle included, which will potentially save my on alteration costs! I had a great time, and would highly recommend any bride-to-be to have a bridal appointment. read more

Emerald City Gowns was the first spot I checked out in my search of a wedding dress as it was local and small which was the main draw. I was honestly expecting to not find what I wanted and to continue my search in SF but I ended up finding the perfect dress during that first appointment. Emilie was the most helpful, resourceful and understanding consultant I could have hoped for. I came in thinking I wanted a specific type of cut and she convinced me to open up my selection criteria as there were very options for the type of dress I wanted and they weren't to my liking. As soon as she brought the 2 dresses that were not necessarily what I wanted on paper I lit up as both of them were absolutely gorgeous and made me feel like a beautiful bride. It was the 5th and final dress which I ended up putting down a deposit for. The dress was just within my budget and Emilie gave me a few pro tips I wouldn't have considered otherwise. I loved being the only shopper in the entire store and the entire experience was absolutely seamless and pleasant. I came back a week later to complete the payment and walked out with the dress of my dreams which I absolutely loved wearing on my wedding day a couple months later. Would absolutely recommend this place for brides-to-be - Emilie will take great care of you and ensure a lovely and memorable experience. read more

I consigned a $3000 gown with them in August 2019. Never heard a word after. A year later, as I was preparing to move out of state, I tried to contact them to get it back. No answer, no response to voicemails - it was pre-vaccine COVID days so I was patient. After a few months I figured my dress was just gone. Then on 12/28/2020, long after I'd moved away, they emailed me say that they hadn't sold it and that if THEY didn't hear from ME in two weeks "we will do with your gown as we see fit ... Cheers, Kasondra". I replied explaining how I'd tried to get my gown before I left CA, and they still charged me $25 to send it to me. Well ... not exactly. I'd sent them my address of course, but they dug up an old address of mine, in a different east coast city three hours away and sent it there instead. I was finally able to get my dress back a few months later. The guys who'd bought that house were nice enough to store it for me until I could get there to pick it up. Long story short, I cannot recommend consigning here. They seemed very disorganized when I took my gown in, and it turned out to be even worse than I perceived. I am utterly sympathetic to the struggles of small businesses, especially during COVID. However, every business has to communicate and return calls. And, if you move consignors' property, you're obligated to tell them! And if someone pays you to ship something, ship it to the address provided, don't hunt down a different one instead. read more

Over the rack type dresses last of it if find your size! Lady wasn't as nice as I thought she could be. Didn't really know how to place the pins to tighten dress to look the way it should and didn't seem to care much if we wanted to purchase from there. Not allowed to be early for appt. And have to pay $25 which is lame. read more

This was the bride-to-be's first visit to a bridal shop, and unfortunately it was a terrible experience. We were there during the week, and the person behind the counter (Shannon) was the one that helped us. We were the only ones there (during the week), and she wasn't at all warm and welcoming, Shannon seemed annoyed. It felt as if we were inconveniencing her. She was very short with us, and not at all helpful. What a disappointment (especially for a first time visit to shop for your wedding dress!). If you can't show excitement, interest, and enthusiasm for the bride-to-be, then maybe you shouldn't work at a bridal shop! If you do visit this shop, ask for someone other than Shannon to assist you. read more

This was the fourth bridal shop I went to in my hunt for my wedding dress. I had a wonderful experience here. The stylist who helped me was beyond amazing. She took the time to ask me about my vision for the wedding. Although this is a "generic" question at bridal shops, it felt like she sincerely cared. She really helped me unlock the feeling I wanted to encapsulate at my wedding and with my dress. This helped me get into a good mindset for trying on dresses. We had the entire shop to myself during the appointment and I felt like I had the stylist's full attention. She gave me honest yet tactful feedback on dresses that did not accentuate my figure, which I appreciated because it showed me she didn't just care about making a sale. She cared about ensuring I felt my most beautiful self on my wedding day. At the end of my first appointment, I put down a $100 deposit for a dress I intended to buy. Later that evening I realized the dress wasn't the one. I was embarrassed to call back and let the shop know I no longer wanted to purchase the dress. They were very understanding and said they could apply the deposit on another dress. I decided to book a second appointment the following week. I met the same stylist who was able to pull two dresses that she had in mind after getting to know me at our first appointment. She helped me find a Vera Wang gown that was originally $10,000 for about $1800. I will be getting the dress tailored with their recommended seamstress to put some final touches. I'm very happy with my experience and wholeheartedly recommend this shop. Even if you do not find your dress here, I think the experience can help you figure out your unique style! I'll be making another appointment for accessories in the near future. I'll be posting a photo after I'm married! Good luck! read more

I sold my wedding dress with Emerald City Gowns and could not have been happier with their professionalism, care, the return on my investment and the ease of their process. 10/10! read more

I am so happy I went to Emerald City! I was looking for a consignment wedding dress, in part because I only had about 3 months 'til my wedding date (read: I didn't have the 6-9 month lead time a lot of designers require), but also because I didn't think it made sense to spend a ton of $$$ on a dress I'd only wear once. While they have a great selection of affordable pre-owned dresses, I wound up loving one of their new dresses that are made to order by a designer they have relationship with (Aria Gowns). It was still much more affordable than dresses from well-known designers and the dress was really unique. I was able to rush order the dress and it was ready in a month's time. Both Emelie and Sonya were super helpful throughout the ordering process. There was an issue with the dress when it arrived due to a misunderstanding with the designer and they were very communicative and supportive in helping me correct it in time for my wedding day. I even wound up having to ask a last-minute question about the dress the night before my wedding day and Emelie got in touch with the designer and got back to me immediately and in time for the wedding! Now I am hoping to resell my dress here...I would love for someone else to be able to have the great experience I had with Emerald City and hopefully not have to break the bank on their dress either. read more

Emerald City Gowns - Bridal Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I was really looking forward to my appointment at Emerald City Gowns, and was sadly disappointed by the experience. They have a lovely selection of vintage dresses, however when I did not find the "one" for me, the stylist insisted that I didn't know what I wanted, and that I wasn't keeping an open mind. I decided to leave early, and she went so far as to give me a pep talk before I walked out the door, on how I should trust my stylist and try on everything they give me. They do have some impressive pieces, however you may not want to make this your only stop. read more

Recently moved to Oakland with my fiancé and was kinda nervous finding a place to look for wedding dresses (since I was not familiar with places). One of my colleagues recommend this place, and this referral did not disappoint. This place has a huge selection of options for all sizes and styles. All the associates who work here were all so polite and kind and they all made me feel comfortable! I am not one to like to go try on any types of clothes nonetheless wedding dresses but felt so confident here! Happy to say that I found the dress I'll be getting married in! I am also happy that this place also offers to buy back your gown so that others can also potentially buy your dress for their special day! I am overall satisfied with everything and everyone here. I 100% recommend this place. read more

WOW! I purchased a wedding gown from a different bridal shop (NOT Emerald City) back in September and was informed 2 months before my wedding that there was an issue with production and there was no ETA for when my dress should arrive, if and when it arrived there would not be time for alterations. I had to start completely over with 60 days to spare. I reached out to Emerald City Gowns via the email address on their website on Tuesday, they called me back the next day and set me up for an appointment for that upcoming Saturday, I was already impressed. When I arrived for my appointment, I received the warmest welcome from Emily. For me, wedding dress shopping had previously been uncomfortable, Emily made me feel instantly feel at ease. My fiance came with me to the fitting (because it was last minute and I needed a support system). He was so out of place and so uncomfortable, Emily went out of her way to make sure he was comfortable and included which meant so much to us. Obviously with 60 days until the wedding, my options were limited. I loved a sample gown and Emily was gracious enough to sell me the floor sample. She also styled me with an incredible veil, completely different than what I thought I wanted, but so perfect for the look I was trying to achieve. She knew what I needed/wanted more than I did. Again, with such little time, and in need of alterations, Emily set me up with a woman that was up for the challenge. The concept alone is incredible, offering so many options to every type of bride. Then you have the staff... outstanding. I can honestly say that I am beyond grateful that my original dress didn't work out because I walked away with an incredible experience and a much better dress and veil. Any brides looking for a dress, even if you are unsure of what you want, you have to make an appointment here. If it wasn't for Emily and Sonia, I would be dressless. I wish this was the first place I scheduled an appointment. I promise, this place will not disappoint. Emily, you are a true angel. Thank you for rising to the occasion and getting me in something that was beautiful and comfortable and so much better than my previous choice. You turned a stressful disaster into a wonderful experience that I will cherish forever. You are amazing! read more

The good: 1) The dress is beautiful. 2) The service was spot on with no frills The bad: The vintage, used dress was not discounted... sold for the full, original price. I was able to find the discontinued gown price online. I saw the same dress sold on Ebay as from a wedding shop's sample gown sale and that was less than half the price. Buyer beware, not everything is a bargain. If you're on a budget, proceed with caution. The ugly: Nothing. The dress is gorgeous. read more

Truly a 5 star experience. If you are going wedding dress shopping, do yourself a favor,, and go here.. seriously! Emily is so sweet, detail oriented, organized, efficient, and comforting. She knows her inventory, and listens to her clients. All the dresses were absolutely stunning, with a great range in looks and prices. Something for everyone. I was able to get my ceremony dress, my reception outfit, and a send off dress all within my budget. A budget that was barely covering a dress at other stores. Sidenote, I bought my dress with 45 days till my wedding. By choice... and I was still able to get exactly whati was looking for. So I can only imagine what magic you could get with some actual planning:) read more

Emerald City Gowns - A happy bride to be, that just said yes to the dress - Bridal Near Me - Berkeley, California

Shannon was my stylist for my appointment and I can't thank her enough for her kindness and professionalism! She was super helpful and made me feel extremely comfortable while helping me in and out of dresses. She was great at helping me narrow down styles of what to try on and knew exactly what I was going for because she listened to what I was looking for in a dress. They have beautiful dresses and reasonable prices. If you want something different definitely stop by this bridal salon and check out their IG for inspo too! I was there in October and it was so nice to have the store to ourselves for my appointment time. Support this local business you will not be disappointed! read more

This is a long overdue review! Bought my wedding dress (Maggie Sottero) here last September. Wonderful experience, no pressure, so relaxing compared to the other shops I went to. I highly recommend shopping here to find your perfect dress! Not to mention the prices are fantastic. My dress is now back on their sales rack, so if you're looking for a gorgeous Maggie Sottero dress at an amazing price, this is the place :) read more

Emerald City Gowns - Maggie Sottero (Keisha) - amazing dress! - Bridal Near Me - Berkeley, California

I cannot say enough amazing things about this spot. It's gorgeous, it's clean, it has the full experience. You have to know that spending a lot of money on a wedding dress was a really touchy subject for me because I find it to be super impractical...but coming here and knowing that the dresses are consignment dresses AND I can sell back whatever I buy made it SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME. And I'm honestly so happy I got the dress I did because I want to make the day as special for ME as I can...Emilie picked the most amazing dresses out for me and I loved that she was cool with my insanely low budget, didn't try to upsell me, and also managed my time so well. She helped me feel like the center of attention but not in an overwhelming way. And the dress I bought was her pick...I owe her one! Such an amazing experience. Highly recommend. read more

I had never tried on wedding dresses before and my friend cancelled on me right before my appointment. I walked in feeling a little sad and confused but right away the stylist for my appointment, Shannon, made me feel at ease and excited to try on dresses. Shannon took the time to listen to what I wanted and then chose some gorgeous gowns. She was very intuitive and easily picked up on what my style and vibe is even though I was interested in trying on a range of different silhouettes and fabrics. I love their consignment dress section - I did find a dress that I really love but haven't quite committed yet. Shannon was not pushy to buy and took lots of photos so I could show my mom, and I learned all kinds of wedding dress tips and tricks in the short time that I spent with her. Highly recommend making an appointment, thank you ECG! read more

Emerald City Gowns is an experience! They allow you to book online. I visited about 48 hours after I became engaged. They had an online booking tool on their website. Remember, this is 4th St. As such, parking is a challenge. If you can only get a metered space they will feed it for you. The staff here is patient, kind and creative. What I love about this place is that they are an option for both purchasing a dress and consigning your dress. Furthermore, they had a lovely selection at lower prices and by lovely, I mean gorgeous. I learned about different types of bustles and postures to navigate in my wedding gown. Tips: 1. Set an appointment 2. If you can avoid driving please do so 3. They don't do in-house alterations but will recommend someone locally 4. While they do consign please remember they have to make a profit. If your gown is newer you may earn more. read more

I grew up in Berkeley and my fiancé and I are hoping to keep things as local as possible by supporting Bay Area businesses. I've always walked by Emerald City Gowns and never went inside and I was little skeptical about buying a used dress. However, my experience was completely the opposite from what I had imagined. The ladies at Emerald City Gowns were fabulous! I had a difficult time deciding on a dress since they were all in beautiful, pristine condition. Customer service was fantastic as well. On my first appointment, I went with my maid of honor and found a dress that I liked. However, after going through the photos from our session I started second guessing my choice in favor of another dress that matched my venue better. They were very accommodating and put my first dress on hold for me and I was able to come back the next day with my mother. I thought the $100 non-refundable hold fee was a little steep, but I understood that they were risking making a sale to someone who would buy the dress on the spot. Both ladies (Cassandra and Emilie) knew exactly what style I was going for and recommended great accessories to go a long with my dress. They also gave me contact info for local tailors for alterations. I didn't feel pressured at all, like I did during my other bridal fittings at other stores. Great store and dresses to match every budget. Thanks again Emerald City Gowns! I can't wait to wear my dress for my wedding. Tips: *Metered parking but there's a parking lot on Hearst that leads right to the shop. Very convenient. Arrive early since the lot tends to fill up fast. *They have a platform for you to stand on but I recommend you wear heels with your ideal height and shape wear to make things easier. read more

So this place is great all around. Do not go in thinking you have to find a dress to fit like a glove. This is a primarily used gown store. But that's why it's a bargain; no complaint on the alterations. Pros: All styles to flatter all sizes. Lengths of all sizes. Materials and fabrics of all kinds. And "non traditional gowns"! Yes. Colors. Few but they are here ladies and gentlemen. Cons: Smaller selection Staff seemed a little tired out But please don't put this on your last list because I promise you will actually find a "gem" here! read more

I resold here, and I highly recommend. Emilie is great and the gowns and veils are all gorgeous. Super easy, and I received my check in the mail. Everyone should be a green bride!!! read more

I don't normally leave reviews, but when I do, they're for businesses that really deserve them. You can tell the finesse and love that went into selecting all the gowns in this gem (*pun intended) of a bridal salon. The space is quaint but really packs a punch with inventory. The owner Emilie took me in, like a sister would, when I called for a last minute appointment. She listened to my lack of ideas (I was having a bridal identity crisis). Instead of inserting her opinions right away, she humored me by letting me try on beautiful but, random silhouettes and styles. She could tell I was getting frustrated and that's when the fairy godmother side kicked in and she started pulling pieces that I wouldn't have normally thought to. The dress I ultimately said yes to, I didn't give it a second glance but then I put it on and let me tell you, the birds sang! After trying literally 34 different dresses from all sorts of dress salons, I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that my dress was THE dress. It had had a spin down the isle before and I was so happy to give it purpose once again. The space is great, the staff is great and the selection is stunning. Oh! They have veils as well, hopefully I'll be back for that soon. I proudly tell all my clients that I bought my dress from Emerald City. Many thanks for a great experience! read more

I came here after my friend recommended it from her wedding and was not disappointed! Rolling the dice on a Saturday walk-in worked really well and the location in Berkeley is perfect for walking around while you wait. Before I arrived I tried on a few dresses at Bhldn and another bridal boutique to get a feel for what I liked. Once inside, it's a great space with dresses organized by size and a relaxed atmosphere where you can browse normally. There's a limit, I think around 4-5 dresses, for walk in appointments on Saturday, so I chose carefully. The very nice staff will help you get dressed and provides a robe as well as shoes if you forgot to bring any. Overall I found my dress for about 30% off retail here! I didn't have a lot of tailoring to do, nor did I have to wait for it to be ordered (hooray!). In total my in-season Bhldn dress with tailoring cost less than it would have off the rack at retail price. I also felt good about being part of the reuse of a garment instead of consuming a new one. A few tips: 1) Wear wedding dress friendly undergarments when you go and bring your shoes or approximate height shoes 2) This is a shop better for a few friends or family, but not a big group. 3) On Saturdays they take care of 2 customers at a time and have a sign up sheet for appointments. It pays to arrive early 4) On their site you can tell them you're planning to swing by on a Saturday and you'll get emailed coupons for that day. Coupons change each week. 5) They will charge you for an upgraded cloth garment bag if you want it (~$10) read more

We live overseas and found Emerald City Gowns on Yelp as I was only in the Bay Area for a short time. I found out quickly that wedding dress shopping process took much more pre-planning than I had originally thought, however ECG made it easy to book a dress viewing/shopping appointment online and I had an appointment the next day. Emily made my experience a dream! She was so helpful, realistic and thought of things I didn't consider about how my dress will fit and wear for our destination wedding. I tried on a variety of dresses and the last one was the winner. I was very anxious about finding a high quality, affordable dress and the ambiance along with the selection her shop had made all those worries disappear. Start with Emily's shop as your first appointment, you won't regret it! read more

ECG has a beautiful selection of hand-picked, high quality gowns! Good prices too, especially on the consignment and sample gowns. You can't even begin to compare this place with D@vid's Bridal or other chains. The space itself is very clean, welcoming, and well organized. I found several dresses I loved, and Emilie was super genuine, attentive, and helpful throughout the process. It was easy to make an appointment online. Check out their Instagram page too--get ready to fall in love with a dress :) read more

Emerald City Gowns took my wedding from plain & simple to extravagant & glamorous! The dress is important!!! I got a couture gown, more beautiful than I ever dreamt of, for a quarter of the original dress price. Emilie worked with me to find the perfect dress! I love that she keeps her pin board up to date and that she approaches the experience of dress buying with a cool and calm attitude. No pressure!! I knew I found "the dress" when I couldn't make myself take it off. read more

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Loved the variety of gowns and options for secondhand dresses. Everyone was nice at first but after I started trying on gowns, I felt like my stylist was impatient with me anytime I showed signs of hesitation towards a gown. It was strange given that it was a weekday and not busy in the store. I felt rushed and unsupported and did not end up finding my gown there. I'm sure others had great experiences here, and maybe for me it was the lack of rapport I had with my stylist. read more

As a bride on a budget, I was so excited to visit Emerald City with the raving reviews and potential to save big on a beautiful dress. Pros: They have a good selection beautiful dresses in many sizes at greatly reduced prices. Some of the dresses are new, others are pre-owned but in great shape. They have been washed professionally and many of them you can hardly tell they have been worn before. Cons: The customer service was lacking. I showed up for my Sunday appointment with my mother and 2 friends. The salesperson helping us so clearly didn't want to be there that it brought us all down. I picked out 5 dresses to try on and I rushed in and out of them because I felt bad taking my time when I could tell she was so over it. I ended up not trying on the last dress because she said, "Do you even want to try that on?" which made me feel even less enthusiastic. When we asked for a few cups of tap water and she made us stand out in the foyer to drink them even though I wasn't even trying on dresses at that point. I think if I had expected to have thrift shopping experience rather than expecting a bridal appointment, it would have been better. But after visiting two other bridal stores that day, I was a little thrown off by the lack of helpfulness we received. I still think it's a great idea and encourage others to visit, just adjust expectations accordingly. read more

Emilie gave me her full attention during my fitting appointment. She helped me sort through the off the rack items after finding out the style I was looking for. She had some really good prices on some couture gowns since they're pre-owned. One downside of pre-owned dresses is that the measurements may be atypical for the size you choose since it was tailored to someone else before. To hold a gown, it's a $100 deposit. Again, Emilie was very helpful and was a pleasure to work with. Parking wasn't too bad in the lot in the back on a weekday (free, 3 hour limit), but it can be challenging on weekends. read more

Found my dress!!!! Came not expecting to buy- I'd already bought a sale dress. Within minutes the expert assistant discussed my style and pulled out my dream dress! Few alterations will be needed for this stunner. I'm in love!! Two of my closest friends also purchased here, so I should have anticipated the amazing service. Definitely check our this lovely local business instead of the BHLDN I'd gone for- but returned for my one of a kind dress. read more

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Best Decision Ever. I spent the first part of my day at traditional bridal shop, trying on a dozen or so dresses that fit my qualifications: a classic, simple old-fashioned cut, slim silhouette, lace, off-white or champagne colored, NOT strapless or too sparkly and ball-gowny... The next stop in my search was Emerald City Gowns. I forget the name of my consultant (sorry!) but she obliged my requests at first. Many of the selections were nice, but not quite right. She convinced me to trust her as she began passing me more and more outlandish options. I went along with it. The final dress she handed me was literally the complete opposite of what I claimed to be looking for. When I walked out of the dressing room, my fiance and Maid of Honor's faces said it all. This was the one. It was stunning. And perfect. I am so glad I trusted the expertise of ECG!! There could not have been a better dress out there for me!! read more

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I was recommended this store from a friend who said she got her dress from here for her wedding. I definitely think this is a "hit or miss" store since their inventory is dependent mostly on what is brought in (all consignment or samples). Inventory was somewhat limited. Maybe because it's Berkeley, but most of the dresses were vintage or decade themed. Also they have a "fitting room" but the fabric that encompasses the changing area is very thin and made me uncomfortable. I was there with a friend and I think it made her uncomfortable too. They are keeping the area clean, hand sanitizer there, masks required, and we were the only group there so did not have to worry about running into other people. read more

Kasondra at Emerald City Gowns was amazing! Due to COVID-19, my partner and I had to completely scrap our wedding plans and decided elope. It had been a tough few weeks, and I was honestly very stressed about cancelling and then re-planning everything! After fretting about if an online dress would arrive in time, I started to look for somewhere I could get a dress ASAP and stumbled upon Emerald City Gowns. I loved the idea of getting a consigned dress as almost all of my wardrobe is second-hand for eco reasons. I was able to get a next-day appointment which included instructions for COVID-19 safety including guest limit and mandatory masks. When my partner and I arrived, we walked into a cute, sunny, airy space and met with just Kasondra so we had the store to ourselves. After getting an idea of the kind of dress I was looking for and our budget, Kasondra pulled a handful of dresses for me and truly knocked it out of the park! Every dress was a beautiful option, but she got it perfect on the third one and I was able to walk out with a truly "me" wedding gown that fit perfectly with no alterations needed - easy peasy! I would definitely recommend other brides to check out this lovely store - there were tons of options in a variety of styles from glam to bohemian. As a younger bride, I often felt at other bridal stores that the styles were too conservative or old-fashioned for me, but Emerald City's selection was fun and vibrant. I had a wonderful, relaxed experience here and am so happy to have found a dress that makes me excited about my wedding again! read more

If I could give ECG 10 stars, I would. I was looking for a last minute gown and am so glad that I ended up here. Going in, I didn't have the highest expectations but I was absolutely blown away. Emilie was absolutely wonderful!!! Her store is so cute and the dress selection was amazing!!!! I will be the first to admit that I Am extremely self conscious because I have a somewhat boyish shape (bigger shoulders and 0 hips whatsoever) so I thought there would be 5, maybe 10 dresses in my size. I was sorely mistaken. There must have been at LEAST 20-30 Beautiful dresses in all different styles, colors, cuts. Sizes are generally separated by small, medium, and large so definitely give yourself some time for alterations (as with any wedding gown). If you have the time to order a dress from a bridal shop, kudos for planning ahead but do NOT count out ECG. Go there with an open mind and you might surprise yourself. The dresses are beautifully unique and so very different from each other. And, with all the money you save, you can splurge for something else! read more

Best possible wedding-dress shopping experience! They understood what I was looking for perfectly from my (admittedly disjointed) style requests and were extremely respectful of my budget. I love that they post their whole inventory on Pintrest so I could digitally browse and pin to my heart's content, and then actually go and try on these amazing dresses in person too! Plus getting a brand new Nicole Miller dress with the tags still on for less than half the original price could not be a better deal. The saleswomen were incredibly nice, even when it took me three appointments and 6 months to finally commit to a dress. I ended up finding exactly what I was looking for and saved a ton of money, but more importantly I never felt insecure or anxious during the often nerve-wracking experience of wedding dress shopping. Once I found The Dress, I cried so many happy tears, it couldn't have been more perfect. All the women who work there are funny and kind and completely supportive, no matter where your self-confidence level might be. Being surrounded by such supportive and lovely women made it infinitely easier to find something that made me feel comfortable and beautiful and still fit within my budget. read more

Emerald City Gowns - Brand new with tags Nicole Miller "Aneka" dress for less than half the list price, fits like a dream off the rack! - Bridal Near Me - Berkeley, California

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