My strap broke in the middle of my wedding reception. Months ahead of time during my second fitting…read morethe strap popped out and I raised it as a concern. I tried several times to discuss it with Pure Magnolia to find a solution. The only responses I got were things like "no, the straps can't be stretchy" or "there is nothing else we can do". I asked to take the dress home and wear it for an hour to make sure the strap would hold and they said no. In the end, exactly what I worried about is what happened. If you fall in love with one of their samples then Pure Magnolia could be a great option for you. If there is anything you want customised I would be very careful and detailed with your instructions, and it's best if you know a little bit about dressmaking yourself. I requested a couple of custom elements and had a lot of difficulty after the shop committed to making my dress. When I paid the deposit 9 months ahead of the wedding I was told that as long as my body didn't change significantly there would be no problem putting the dress together over several fittings, with the final fitting (a few weeks before the wedding) being the time to make the final adjustments and take the dress in as needed. I had no changes other than very normal minor fluctuations/bloating between fittings but there were a lot of challenges with the sizing. In terms of staff, the shop admitted themselves that they have had turnover due to maternity coverage, they use interns, and also sometimes have trouble with communication between the sales team and the main seamstress who speaks English as a second language. As an example, at one fitting the waist was bunching so the owner pinned it to be adjusted. When I returned the next time the seam was visibly crooked and looked even worse than it had been before. It took several extra fittings plus me spending half a day in the shop with the seamstress to get the dress finished (with extra charges). The bust line was gaping a little at the top and when I asked for it to be taken in I was told they couldn't do anything and that I would have to use fashion tape to stick it down. I had to ask two more times, pinch it between my fingers and show them where I wanted it taken in before they finally did it. The custom back I requested looked sloppy with the scalloped lace and had to be changed to a folded seam because they couldn't execute the design I originally wanted. My biggest disappointment after all the time spent trying to get my dress right was the strap breaking on my wedding day. When I emailed the shop owner to ask for the seamstress to fix the straps, the response I got was unapologetic, i.e. "I don't know what more you could expect. She [the seamstress] made them [the straps] exactly the length that you requested, and secured them as best she could as we always do". I had to go back in to have the straps re-attached but since there was no give, they stretched out again when I wore the dress a second time.

I contemplated for a while whether I should write this or not. Eventually I decided that I'd want…read moreto know this before making a decision so...here it is. I rented a dress from Pure Magnolia for my wedding. The dress really was beautiful, but it just didn't fit me right. I brought up my concerns to Pati the owner and she pretty much said that there is nothing we can do about it since they had to bring the dress down 8 sizes, and that it fits perfectly "except around the bust". Now here's the thing...this was my first time buying a wedding dress. If the dress was not going to fit me, I would have no clue (until it was too late unfortunately). I'm already pretty self conscious about my bust and the dress not fitting there really made me uncomfortable. I wish I could say it was just something I noticed, but two different people actually whispered in my ear to fix my dress top during the wedding :\ Maybe my experience would have been better if I had bought the dress instead. One thing I will say though is that I bought a veil from here as well which was absolutely stunning.

I have used this tailor before for coat alterations and was happy with the results. However, my…read moremost recent experience was quite different. A pair of pants took eight weeks to be altered, with very little communication throughout. When I then brought in a dress for alterations, I was told they would not take it as it is not a bridal item. I found this disappointing, especially as a returning customer.

If I could give 6 stars, I would. Lilianne hemmed my Daughter's grad dress. it wasn't simple. lace…read moreoverlay with scalloped hem. My phone call was returned. I was asked for photos and given a quote for 2 options. less expensive option cut lace, sew scalloped edging back on. Second much more expensive option was to remove skirt and hem from the waist, not easy as there are 2 layers and a zipper. Daughter chose the less expensive option. When we picked up the dress Lilianne had made the executive decision to hem from the waist as she felt that cutting the lace would interrupt the pattern too much. We were not charged for the upgrade. Other local seamstress suggested my daughter wear higher heels. No way we could add another 4 inches to her already high heels.

I would not recommend anyone get their alterations done here if you have a wedding gown with lace…read moredetails that you care to keep. I've added photos of the result of their work, since I know that this can all be very subjective. I went to Clara's to get my wedding gown altered. The alterations were to shorten the hem (4 layers of fabric), and to add a 3 point over bustle. I didn't need any other alterations since the dress already fit me pretty well. I dropped off the dress on 4/16/25, and initial pick up was on 6/18/25. Total cost of alterations was around $425. My dress had a lot of lace details all over it, all the way down to the bottom of the dress. My biggest worry in getting the dress shortened was finding a seamstress who knew how to work with lace. I was feeling pretty good about having my dress altered at Clara's since they had 30 years of experience and Carrie had mentioned needing to take time to move all of the lace up, which was the reason alterations would take so long. When I picked up the dress, I was initially satisfied with the length of the dress, but it wasn't until I got home that I noticed that they had cut straight through the lace as a means of hemming the dress. Additionally, I found that the edge itself looked unprofessionally finished to my novice eye, with some edges cut unevenly and a flower applique left at the very edge of the hem. I reached out to Carrie about this, and she claimed that this was the industry standard approach for dresses with lace. When meeting her in person, she went through several other reasons for why the dress was altered the way it was, including: - This is an industry standard approach for hemming dresses with lace. - The small bits were left on in order to preserve as much of the lace as possible. - It's not a scalloped lace hem. The lace cannot be removed because it is integrated, they are not appliques. - Removing the lace has a chance of damaging the tulle layer. - The cut of the hem is supposed to be uneven because that gives it a flowy look. - The fabric is difficult to cut straight, and it was only straight before because it was made in a factory. - There were 5 inches of material that had to be removed, which is a lot of material. - She didn't know she had to tell me before cutting through the lace, as no one else has complained about it in the past. - Her tailor knows best because of all his experience working on wedding dresses, she doesn't even need to tell him what to do so she didn't think to ask about doing something different with the lace. Overall, I felt extremely uncomfortable trying to get a resolution to these issues with her. I mentioned to her about how everyone I asked, including family, friends and internet strangers, said that the work didn't look right and that it looked poorly done, and she told me that none of them knew anything about how the industry actually works. When I asked if I could take it to a different tailor for a second opinion, she told me that it was offensive that I would even suggest that. In the end, she told me that she's the last person who should be running a business because she cares too much about her brides, and that she felt disrespected and insulted that I would challenge their work when they have over 30 years of experience. I will say that Carrie was extremely responsive throughout this entire process, as frustrating as it was. I do appreciate that from her as I know other places have frequently taken much longer to get back to me about inquiries. She was willing to try to the best of her ability to resolve the situation, and was able to remove some of the small applique pieces that were left over as well as adding some of the cut off lace appliques back on. She also apologized for not knowing she had to tell me before cutting the lace, and created a new handout that goes over how they approaching hemming dresses with lace. I don't agree that what's described on it matches what they did, but I've added a photo of this handout as well so that you can judge for yourself.

I was immediately impressed by the selection this shop has for wedding gowns. As this was my first…read morestore I had gone to in search of that perfect gown. I had a pretty good idea of what I was looking for, but the sales person (whom I'm assuming is the owner) made some great selections for me to try on. I am a size 10-12, and once I tried on a ten that was too snug she was quite brash about making comments about how much weight I planned on losing and kept suggesting that maybe I NEEDED to lose the weight. I left that shop feeling so low about myself and continued to have terrible self esteem issues about looking too fat in my wedding dress. I will point out that she does carry BEAUTIFUL gowns. However I later went and purchased a dress at Sposa Wedding World, Feeling GREAT about who I was, my dress and my curves!

I would like to post an update. The owner reached out to me and apologized about my experience. She…read morethanked me for the review and asked me to come back for another appointment with her. I already found my dress... but felt it necessary to share that she went out of her way to contact me and offer me a redo. :)

I loved my experience at Rituals of Love! The stylists were helpful, knowledgeable, thoughtful, and…read morefun. The store itself is beautifully decorated and truly a classy place to try on dresses. Their inventory is unique and beautiful. I found my dress and I am so in love with it! I would highly recommend Rituals of Love to any bride! Thank you again!

I don't often write reviews - Basically an experience has to be excellent or terrible for me to…read morebother! As you can tell by my 5 stars, I have nothing but good things to say about Frocks. This was the first store I went to for the wedding dress hunt because I am not the kind of person who wants a huge, princess-inspired, elaborate dress - I just wanted a simple-ish dress that was elegant and comfortable enough to dance and feel naturally pretty in. Frocks sounded like a good fit to find dresses that met that criteria. I had a weekend appointment, which I had to book a while in advance (weekends are popular, so of course waiting for a good slot was inevitable). Van was the woman who helped me pick some options - I think I tried on about 5 different dresses and (with some future input from my friends and family) I settled on a Claire Pettibone Romantique dress. We discussed sizing options and what would allow me to avoid too may alterations, and after that it was out of my hands until the dress was made and sent to Frocks from LA. The dress arrived earlier than expected, but that wasn't a bad thing as it left plenty of time to figure out alterations (timeline was: Bought dress in September, dress arrived in early December, had alterations ordered late March, alterations complete early May. Wedding is at the end of May). Tina does the alterations at Frocks and she is fantastic at what she does. My dress is almost entirely lace with intricate patterns, which means it is very difficult to alter correctly (no seams showing, lace pattern lines up etc). After alterations, my dress fits like a glove! Overall, my experience with Frocks was very easy and their alterations were top-notch. Both Van and Tina are lovely - if you get a chance to have an appointment with Van, please do! She will find you some great options from the store. If you are a more casual bride looking for a straightforward, simple, fun store to look for a wedding dress, consider Frocks.

White tulle cascading from closets, veil upon veil on display, flower arrangements. All the signs…read moreare there, but don't fret: this isn't your standard bridal shop. Owners Catherine Staveley and Deb Viccars have made a concerted effort to steer clear of bridesmaids' dresses of yesteryear, namely the type of seafoam taffeta dresses that haunt your bridal nightmares. Available are dresses that are modern without being dated. With lookbooks and fabric samples on-hand, clients aren't even restricted to the in-store wares. The sales staff are friendly, charming and, most importantly, patient. Promotions are common throughout the year, and if orders are placed in early enough, a varying range of savings are available. Be sure to book an appointment as there are only two fitting rooms.

I came here for my friend who was looking for a wedding dress and am impressed!They had some very…read morebeautiful styles from top designers such as Monique Lhuillier. If you want a dress that will WOW, then Bisou Bridal has it. This bridal boutique had quite a bit of dresses and although they were packed tightly in rows, the place never felt too cramped. This place is slightly on the smaller area, but it felt intimate. The fitting area can comfortably fit 3 groups and 4 if you squeeze together. Our consultant was fabulous and was very professional. We left the store feeling relieved that one of the dresses was the dress she would wear down the aisle, but never pressured to buy on the spot. My friend ended up going back and buying the dress and there are no regrets!

This review is for Bisou's stylish, Nathalie, who I worked with in September. While I didn't end up…read morebuying my dress in Vancouver, I just wanted to share my incredible experience with Nathalie. It was a weekday and my mom and I were very lucky to call and get an appointment the day of (though you should definitely call ahead of time). I've been to over 10 wedding dress appointments and Nathalie was still by far one of the best stylists I worked with. She makes you feel comfortable and has great suggestions. The experience was not overwhelming or intimidating in any way. I cannot recommend her enough. As for the dress selection - Bisou really surprised me. I thought it would be way over my price range (I didn't want anything over $2,500), but there were some good options! They really have brands and styles for all types of brides as well. We managed to find street parking, but only after circling for a while.

I ordered a dress here which needed alterations. The team was incredible and helped me to get the…read moredress exactly right!! I couldn't be more grateful and happy to how much time they spent to make it perfect! highly recommend!

Although they have a decent selection of dresses, beware of having your new dress altered here! My…read moremom bought a dress here, it was too big but they assured her the alterations would make it perfect. They make it sound like they're giving you an awesome deal, asking for payment in advance in cash. The alterations were done so poorly, with the dress top still not fitting properly, the hem being uneven with frayed edges and loose threads showing. We asked for some of the defects to be fixed and they agreed. When we came in the second time the dress was incrementally better. The excuse this time was that the style of dress couldn't be altered the way it needed to. Why didn't they explain that in the first place? If they have professional seamstresses, shouldn't they have known that before hand? They tried to convince us the alterations were good, their attitude was pretty care-less. Too bad we had to pay ahead of time. I'm super disappointed for my mom as she spent over $400 on this dress and decided not to wear it because it didn't fit her properly. I will not be back and encourage you to think twice before shopping here!

Something Blue is quite simply the only place you should go if you are looking for a wedding gown…read morein Vancouver. I went to all the 'must see' places in Vancouver (Bisou, Blush, Frocks etc) and I am so glad I went to and bought my dress from Something Blue. The dresses: the dresses at SB are all their own designs which means you won't be wearing just another wedding dress from a typical designer or wedding label, you will be wearing a unique piece of art. The materials they use and the quality of the dresses are unlike any I saw elsewhere. They were so luxurious and details in the gowns were unmatched elsewhere. They have such a wonderful variety of styles to chose from and are able to customize dresses and change things to suit your taste. The experience: You feel so special when you go into their beautiful shop. The white dresses look so elegant with the contrasting blue carpet in the store. You feel like you have time to look and consider your options. This was by far the most beautiful shop I visited in Vancouver. I met with Jija during my appointment and she was so lovely and so helpful. She really listened to what I was looking for and the style of wedding I was planning. As another reviewer noted she knows the dresses inside and out and can give you lots of options to accessorize the dress to make it your own and they will custom make an accessory and veil to suit the look you are going for. The prices: The prices were totally reasonable. When I went, their inventory was comparable with the lower price point at stores such as Blush or Bisou. I was told at the other stores (blush/bisou) that there were only a handful of dresses I could look at in that range, at Something Blue I was able to look at every dress in the store. And there was no comparison when it came to quality, style and fabrics - Something Blue was far superior and in a category all it's own. I ended up falling in love with a dress that was 1/2 price making it comparable with the prices at a discount bridal shop such as David's, but of a quality unrivaled at any luxury store. Customizing: Jija and Heather have such an amazing eye for detail and I can't wait to work with them on accessories and a veil. They have such great ideas and are really willing to help you get the look you want. They do the alterations and are total perfectionists so your dress will be perfect for your big day. Overall: I think it's a good idea to really look around but make sure you go to Something Blue. You may find lovely dresses at other shops but none will compare in quality, detail or fabric. At Something Blue you will find the dress that was made for you. Sure you can get a beautiful dress at another store, but it won't be a unique piece of art that is locally made and you won't find service like this anywhere else.

Maybe I should preface this by saying I didn't really have high hopes for finding a wedding dress I…read moreeven liked anyway. Everything I had seen up until that point had been pretty disastrous (I am a person of odd proportions), and the salespeople I had interacted with had been pretty snooty, and actually not very knowledgeable. So it was with a bit of a heavy heart ("oh no, here we go again") that I entered Something Blue. I've got to say, I didn't have high hopes walking into this shop. It's in an odd area of town for a dress shop, and wasn't at all what I expected in terms of decor (the space is very open, with high ceilings and concrete floors). There are two walls with a single line of dresses hanging. I was greeted at Something Blue in a pleasant manner, and left to browse the dresses for a few minutes. The quality of the fabrics and the level of skill of the designers was immediately obvious when I started looking at these dresses. I picked a couple to try on. This is the point at which the real fun began. The dressing rooms are enormous and carpeted, with a full wall of mirror. The designers are also the women who put the dresses on you and pin them so you can see how they would fit properly. They are so knowledgeable, and offer advice about lots of different wedding-related things, even if that info wouldn't help them to make a sale. The best part is that the dresses look phenomenal. That kind of good-quality fabric and skilled workmanship really makes a difference in how the dress looks. In other places, the saleswomen had kind of seemed exasperated that my body didn't fit the dresses properly. Here, it was definitely about making the dress fit properly. It really made a difference. Even though they had to pin the dresses here and there, I could see that I could actually be a beautiful bride on my wedding day. I have never felt so gorgeous in my life, and can't imagine how much better that would be when the dress was actually made to fit me. If you buy a dress there, they actually make it (here in Vancouver) to your measurements. You get to go in for fittings, and from what I hear, the process itself is really special. I went back in to try on the dress I'd fallen in love with a few weeks later and brought along a couple of my friends. They'd come along on some of my other wedding-dress-shopping trips. I put on the dress and pulled back the curtain on the dressing room. One of my friends looked really happy and impressed, and the other one looked really sad. I asked her why she had that expression on her face, and she said "Compared to that dress, everything else you've tried on looks like crap." (She's pretty blunt) I'd definitely recommend Something Blue. Especially if dress shopping has got you down.