I just logged on write about my experience at Ultimate Bride and I was really surprised to read the negative review from Carla because my experience with Rachel was awesome!!!!! I was referred to her by several people (many of my girlfriends have bought dresses from her) and I can see why she gets as many referrals as she does. She was great! I would say my budget is average for that store, and she showed me plenty of dresses that were in my range, in addition to showing me a couple of samples that she thought would work. That's actually why I came to the store in the first place, initially I thought I was priced out but my girlfriends told me that they are good about trying to find options. Not to mention, my friends budgets were wide ranging so I knew that there was some range in costs. Anyway, Rachel had an amazing sense of style and showed me a bunch of dresses I would not have initially considered simply because I'm not really into fashion...what I landed on and will end up buying is stunning, unique and very different than what I'd originally picked - I'm so glad I got her perspective. I guess the appointments could be longer, but I understand they have a business to run and if my appointment was late because someone else was not wrapping it up, I would be annoyed if I was kept waiting. So when she ended the appointment on time (I could have easily gone another half hour), I understood. Anyway, I can't wait to go back and buy my dress. I'm so glad I ended up going there, and I have two other friends who are recently engaged and I am telling them they have to go see Rachel. She was great. Esp after I shopped around and was pretty discouraged with both the customer service and selection I was experiencing. Anyway, I have to give both Rachel and the salon a big thumbs up - I was thrilled with my experience! read more

My mom and I went to Ultimate Bride and had hands down the most enjoyable experience possible working with Rachel. I was a little nervous about having too high of expectations, or hearing stories about not finding "the perfect dress" but she was so professional, friendly and wonderful to work with that I have recommended her to everyone I know getting married. I did not have a dress in mind so after having an initial conversation, she pulled 8-10 dresses for me and whoever said there was only 1 dress for you has not seen the selection of dresses that Ultimate Bride had. I tried on a selection of 5 dresses again after cutting my list down - narrowed it down to an Oscar de la Renta, Peter Langer and Carolina Herrera. Rachel was great in perfecting pinning the dresses, offering suggestions when I asked for them, asking me questions but above all did not place any pressure on me. Despite my love of all my finalist dresses, I was infatuated with a Carolina Herrera. I asked if i could sleep on it, she said of course, and I bought it the next day. Communication since then has been professional and timely - and I will be starting my fittings soon. I cannot recommend Ultimate Bride enough - the dress selection, staff and service are paramount. read more

My friend recently got engaged. She was excited to try on wedding dresses. She expressed that she wanted to make an appointment at Ultimate Bride. We met with her consultant, Laura. She immediately was kind, professional, and made us feel welcome. She carefully listened to my friend's needs and she pulled 7-8 dresses for my friend. She understood the limits of my friends budget and wasn't pushing the higher priced dresses. She was a pleasure to have as a consultant. My friend chose her dress that day and will be back to purchase it. When I get engaged (finally) my first appointment will be with Laura at Ultimate Bride read more

Sooo... as a designer myself. I was totally looking forward to coming here with my sister in law, who flew into town to come with me. But we ended up leaving without wanting to come back. I was interested in the certain designer and wanted to try a certain dress on. They didn't have the gown there, which wasn't a big deal. I wanted to make sure I love the designer's make and fabrics before falling in love with a certain dress, that I could order in for 100 bucks. So when we got there, we were very excited and was looking forward to trying on these amazing gowns! Right away the woman seemed nice and friendly, but a min later she decided to tell us that she has to leave in 40mins. So instead of really listening to what I wanted, she grab a few dresses by the designer and had me try them on. They we not at all what I was looking for. :( They have amazing designers there, but that would be the only reason to go there. But don't count on there service.... read more

Ultimate Bride was the first bridal salon I visited and I had such a wonderful experience that I am sure I will purchase my dress from there. My consultant was Kate and even though they squeezed me in, she spent two hours with me throwing me into all types of dresses. I found one I loved, but since it was my first time, I decided not to buy (I am not the compulsive kind). Kate was really sweet and understanding and she definitely made me feel at ease with my decision. I was there with my whole family and she was really respectful with their suggestions while really honing in on my wishes. It was a pleasure and I would recommend that anyone going in for the first time request Kate! read more

Just recently went dress shopping and one of the second Place I went was Ultimate Bride.....I give it 5 stars Because of the lovely bridal specialist Stephanie Mann!!!! She was extremely helpful and accommodating in every Way imaginable. If you are in the market for a wedding dress book Your appointment with Stephanie. read more

Ultimate Bride thoroughly surpassed expectations. I wasn't sure what to expect when I made my appointment, but I can, with full confidence, highly recommend Ultimate Bride and consultant Laura M. to anyone hunting for their dream dress. Making my appointment was easy and I was able to get in right away. Upon arrival, I was warmly greeted by the receptionist. The space is beautiful with lots on warm natural light. They carry amazing, relevant designers. The true gem at Ultimate Bride is Laura M. From the second I met her, I knew I was in the right hands, and had found the perfect consultant for my needs. She was incredibly warm and engaging in conversation. Most importantly, she is an expert in all things bridal. She listened intently as I described my tastes and style. I felt like she truly understood the "look" that I was trying to accomplish with my wedding gown. I was looking for a certain high-end aesthetic (but not willing to spend a lot. Value, if you will). Laura's experience in the industry is clearly evident, as she was able to identify what I was looking for and continued to bring dress after perfect dress into the room for me to try on. She also did not rush me. The store was relatively quiet each time that I was there (weekday afternoons) and Laura was generous with her time. My wedding was only 4 months away and I was on a strict budget, and Laura not only respected the budget, but was able to quickly ascertain which gowns and designers would be available. She also offered great wisdom and opinions when I asked- which was nice, because I trusted what she had to say. Finally, I will say that the collection at Ultimate Bride are above and beyond other stores. I felt like every dress I had seen previously at other salons were made of cheap materials and were totally overpriced. The craftsmanship, materials and aesthetic of their designers far surpass the general bridal offerings. I can't tell you how many polyester dresses I tried on elsewhere that were grossly overpriced. At Ultimate Bride, I couldn't get over the quality of the dresses- and although they were not cheap, their prices were comparable to most of the other stores, and by far and away the best value. You are certainly getting the most for your money here. Couture, luxury dresses for the same price as other stores' $5000 polyester junk (that only cost $100 to make). I would Highly recommend Ultimate Bride and Laura M. Be sure to request her when you make your appointment. It was a fantastic, amazing experience. read more

This was the fifth bridal salon I visited, and I came initially for Liancarlo and Jenny Packham. For as "high end" as they try to come across, my experience was less than stellar. My consultant was somewhat scattered and distracted and pulled things that she thought would look good on me and not what I requested. This may work for brides that don't know what they want or what they look good in, but this is not my first time around the block. Plus she kept putting a veil on me when I specifically said I wasn't having a veil. How frustrating! In addition, I had the impression she thought I wasn't good enough for this salon as she pulled several sample dresses that were not at all what I requested and tried to keep selling them to me as "great deals". That may be fine if they actually represented what I asked for. Overall, I didn't feel like I was being treated seriously. Was it because I didn't bring family this go round or was my preferred budget too "low"? I did end up liking 2 Monique Lhuilliers, but not enough to return to this place. Vera Wang is ten times fancier than this salon, and you know what? I got treated like royalty there, so guess where I will spend my money. read more

Amazing store. Must go in here if you are looking for dresses in Chicago. My lady was Stephanie and she was so sweet and could tell me everything I wanted to know about the dresses. Never felt pressured. Dresses are expensive. Lowest price is around $3300 but they are very beautiful! read more

I should really give this place two reviews: one for my dress buying experience and the second for my experience with alterations. I loved my dress shopping experience, the consultant assigned to me was amazing and she knew exactly what I was looking for. Even after I had found "the dress" she put me in different styles and shapes so that I could see what my body liked in each one and make sure that I had tried everything before I made the decision. I was never rushed and she made me feel confident when trying on all the dresses. I felt amazing in all of them, and it actually made my decision hard. When I did choose, the dress came in slightly over my budget (which she was respectful of in pulling dresses), so the manager offered us a 10% discount and 20% off the veil. She had asked for this on our behalf without me inquiring, which my parents really appreciated. Everything was great and then...I had to have it altered The alterations experience wasn't horrible per say, but every time I went in I was a new level of disappointed. The work often looked unprofessional and there was a bit of a language barrier between myself and the lady fitting me. First I was forced to add a corset to the dress that I didn't want and honestly didn't need, then they changed the entire front of my beautiful dress to accommodate said corset. I finally called the manager, Emily, who was super helpful in getting the dress put back to the way I wanted... but sadly it still didn't fit quite right. At the moment, my dress is being altered by a third party, because I was so frustrated with making trips to Chicago from St. Louis only to leave more and more disheartened. The alterations had assured me it fit perfectly even when I was pinching at loose fabric and she had put in cups that looked really fake on my fairly flat chested frame. When I took it to the seamstress in my home town she immediately said it needed taken in two inches and fixed in about two minutes what I had spent three trips to Chicago trying to point out. Overall, I would definitely buy a dress here again I would just not work with their alterations team--it wasn't worth it. I thought they would know the gown and understand how to fit it better than someone in St. Louis who had no experience with that designer and the fit. I was wrong :( read more

I had such an amazing experience at Ultimate Bride! Rachel was my stylist and knew her stuff. She was very sweet, got my style almost immediately and stayed within budget. She totally knew her designers, fabrics and details behind the dresses! If you are looking at making an appointment, absolutely book with her!! The salon is very busy on Saturday's, but Rachel made me and my mom/friends with me feel like the only people in there. It was the special day of which every girls dreams. read more

I actually signed up for Yelp JUST so I could praise & give credit to the fabulous bridal dress consultant, Laura!!! We instantly connected from the moment I walked into Ultimate Bride (I mean we have the same name) and hit it off from there. Laura was extremely patient with myself and slightly champagne buzzed group of girls as this was our last bridal appointment of our long dress-finding day back in October. I went to Ultimate Bride to try on the stunning Berta Bridal gowns and knew exactly which styles I wanted to try on. After one gown, Laura knew just what silhouette & shape I was trying to nail and suggested alternate options that she knew would I would dazzle in. She was right and they were all immaculate selections but I walked away still not finding "the one" and came back into Ultimate Bride 2 more times (!!) to try on more Berta gowns which the boutique just received and Laura notified me right away knowing I would love. By my 3rd visit, I had been to over 10 bridal boutiques and tried on over 100 dresses so I knew exactly what I looking for. I fell in love with another Berta gown that every appointment I went to elsewhere, I compared other dresses to. I was VERY close to purchasing, however it still wasn't exactly what I was looking for (so frustrating). I thought about just designing my own dress knowing it would be a headache but just couldn't seem to find exactly what I wanted. And then after seriously Google Imaging every single keyword possible to describe the dress I was on a hunt for... I found it! Another stunning design by Berta, of course. I instantly emailed photos to Laura hoping she could help end the search with me and asked if there was any way to get the dress in the store. She replied apprehensive as the Berta team in Israel doesn't loan out sample gowns to retailers for people to try on outside of trunk shows and of course no store in the US had it. I sadly understood and said I would wait a few months for the next trunk show and that's when she seriously MADE IT HAPPEN. Lots of negotiating on her end and the dress from Israel was in route to Chicago! It arrived days after emailing her and BOOM - the second I was zipped up, there it was. That was it. Finally, my insanely long search for the gown was over and Laura was the absolute best person to guide me along the way and give me a big hug when I said YES :) She was so honest with every dress I tried on, told me when things didn't look good, took my venue atmosphere into consideration for every suggestion and 100% just got it. I look forward to seeing her in future fittings and am so happy with my experience at Ultimate Bride. Other boutiques don't even scale up to the service I received there. Most were snooty, over-crowded and didn't genuinely show interest or care in what I was looking for. Laura absolutely took the time and best care of me and I am beyond happy to have been matched with her! Thank you, Laura!!! Highly recommended for brides on the hunt for the perfect gown - she will deliver! read more

I had to leave a review for the wonderful Nancy at Ultimate Bride! I had the best experience with her as I shopped for a wedding gown. The gown I wanted was not available in store, so Nancy tracked it down and had it sent in especially for my appointment. She had this gown and others ready for me during my appointment, which was fun, relaxed, and exactly what I needed. She asked the right questions, gave me privacy when needed, was patient as I tried on gowns multiple times, and struck just the right balance of listening to what I wanted and helping to push me out of my comfort zone. A few tips for brides as you're shopping for your own dress: 1. Ask for Nancy! 2. Schedule your appointment for a weekday. Like any shop, mall, or grocery store, Saturdays are the busiest day. If you don't want to deal with a Saturday crowd, don't come in on a Saturday! 3. Be honest and upfront about what you want, and your stylist will be honest and upfront right back. I was totally transparent about my budget even before coming in for an appointment, and Nancy was 100% understanding of it. Transparency is the key! Of the many bridal salons in Chicago, I truly think Ultimate Bride's selection, expertise, and professionalism stand out as #1. Highly recommended! read more

If you go to Ultimate Bride, you MUST schedule with Carmella. She is AMAZING! My mom and I had been to several other bridal stores where they were extremely pushy and put a lot of pressure on us. It was not an enjoyable experience at any of the previous places we went to. At Ultimate Bride, Carmella made the experience one to remember. It gives me anxiety just thinking, what if I wasn't scheduled with her!?! I found the dress of my dreams, but Carmella truly made the experience. She was NOT pushy in anyway, she told us to think about it and get back to her if we were interested, and she made herself available 2 days later to come back and try the dress back on while my mom was still in town. So easy and accommodating. In regards to the actual appointment, she went above and beyond. She was knowledgable, and has a eye for fashion. She knows what she is doing like no other. She was sweet, supportive, fun and really knows her stuff when it comes to bridal gown shopping. I also really appreciated when I asked her questions, she was totally honest and not trying to push me into buying more things like a belt or hairpiece etc. I am so glad that she will be there with my during my fittings because she is THE BEST! read more

From what I tried on, it seemed the dresses were of low quality. The consultant brought out dresses in their stock that clearly faded over time and looked yellow-ish. Their prices are also ridiculous - you can get the same dresses for 1/3 less at other stores in Chicago. I also thought their selection was limited. I would recommend going elsewhere. However, the consultant was incredibly sweet. read more

Picture the Pretty Woman scene, where Julia Roberts is looked up and down by the snooty shop keeps on Rodeo Drive and voila...Ultimate Bride! I came into the shop with my mother (and thanks to her, an unlimited budget), very excited to see some lovely dresses. The snooty store owner gave us the cursory once-over, sneered, and when my mom dared asked for some bridal magazines to read, said, "We don't have those here!" Really? Because the other 'classy' places we visited had either magazines or offered us water or champagne! Not here. Unfortunately they assumed that because we were casually dressed on a muggy summer day, we must be poor. And Ultimate Bride- your loss because I found the dress I loved in here and will be ordering it direct from the designer. My consultant, Rachel, was snippy with me the entire time, and kept asking what my fiance did for his job, what I did for my job, sizing up my ring etc. I think they're all absolutely terrified that some low class bum might dare try on a dress. Because hey- this is business and not about having fun while you try it on! No one deserves to be treated like that, no matter who they are. I visited Dimitra's Bridal afterwards and had a lovely experience, was not treated like garbage, and shown a beautiful selection. If you've got the money for a nice gown, don't visit Ultimate Bride. No one deserves such shoddy treatment, especially when you're putting down thousands. read more

The only reason we shopped with ultimate bride was because they were only store to get Caroline Herrera dresses and it was worst choice! Lots of issues and I would NEVER recommend this store to anyone ever!!! read more

This place is incredible. Every member of the staff were helpful and engaging. I had a perfect experience and it was a really fun appointment. I cannot say enough nice things. Carmelo helped me and we all fell in love with her. My dress arrived earlier than expected. My sister found her wedding dress here 10 years earlier and we were so please that the same tailor was still there. read more

I am frankly shocked by all the 5 star reviews. If you dont have $10-$15,000 to spend in this store, they are not willing to help or work with you. The last time I went into this store to try on a few dresses, I wasnt really satisfied with the dresses the sales girl was showing me. They were outrageously expensive when I had specifically told her my budget. When I left there that day, they never bothered calling me back when they had new shipments as they promised they would. They simply didnt care to have me back in their store. The sales girl thouht she would score a quick sale from but that wasnt the case. And personally I have seen much nicer dresses for half the prices at boutiques all over the city. read more

I have been past Ultimate Bride hundreds of times and I always look at the gorgeous dresses in the window, so I was extremely excited to go for my appointment to try on gowns. It all started to go down hill when I found out that they will not let you look at the gowns they have - you have to tell them what you are looking for (ballgown, sheath, A-line etc) and then they bring you dresses to try on. I was disappointed that I couldn't see what they had, but I described the type of dress I am looking for and the lady who was helping me went to get some for me to try on. I didn't like any of the ones she brought me. Not a single one. Luckily, I had been looking around on their website earlier that day and found a few that I wanted to try on- so I had to ask this woman to bring me those dresses. She wouldn't have brought them to me unless I asked to see them, and those were the only two dresses that I liked in the whole bunch. I just think that is a crappy way to run your bridal salon because the brides miss all the dresses they have- the perfect dress could be in their back room but you wouldn't know unless they brought it out to you. I think they could sell many more dresses if they displayed the dresses or at least let you look at them. I'm a little bitter because of that and I know I missed out on a lot of pretty dresses because the sales person did not show them to me. Oh well, good thing there are other salons to visit! read more

If I could rate this salon a 5+ or a 10, I WOULD. My experience at Ultimate Bride was such a wonderfully impressive one. I flew home from California to shop with my friends and family for the dress, and felt a lot of pressure to find "THE ONE" with everyone present. We had several appointments and I was exhausted. But when the elevator doors opened and I walked into the salon, I immediately felt relief and calm in the spacious and chic environment. Each staff member that I met greeted me with warmth and a smiling welcome. Despite this particular downtown area, there was not a pretentious bone in the people we met and it still felt like a first class experience. However, the highlight of my appointment was definitely having Amanda as my consultant. She was genuinely just as excited for me as my family and friends were!!! She was the FIRST consultant who asked me about my fiancé, how we met, our story, our proposal story, what I was looking for in a dress, how was I feeling about the dress shopping process so far, my price point, and more. Amanda LISTENED. She was professional, kind-hearted, bubbly, warm, and added so much to the positive tone of the appointment. Amanda was a breath of fresh air! She was also supportive of me holding true to what I wanted even though I brought 6 people with me. She completely tuned into what I needed and how I was feeling and made me feel so confident and happy, as a bride. I came in anxious and disappointed from service at a previous appointment at another shop (Weddings 826). By the time I tried on the first dress, Amanda had put me at ease and I completely forgot about it! One concern that I had was whether I would be able to afford anything at the shop, because my aunt actually made the appointment. I took one look at the dresses that my aunt had pulled from the front display and they were upwards of about $11,000 or more. It was unintentional, of course, but I really wanted to make sure I could find dresses at a much lower price range. Amanda immediately reassured me that she would go pull several dresses that were similar to the styles I wanted and my aunt selected, but much closer to my price range. Honestly, she and her team did EVERYTHING possible to make my wedding dreams come true. I am so grateful! I will never forget that day. I cried so much! Amanda and her team helped me make so many wonderful memories. I ended up choosing a Monique Lhuillier gown that Amanda selected for me, from the Bliss collection. It was perfect! My bridal party was so impressed with both Amanda and this store that my mom is writing a recommendation for Amanda and I am sending her a thank you card! If you want the right gown for you with the shopping experience you deserve - LOOK NO FURTHER! :-) read more

Ultimate Bride - Not the dress I chose-don't want to ruin the surprise! Amanda (right) is so invested in helping you find your dream dress! - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came to this bridal shop because my grandmother lives in Illinois and I live in California, but my whole family was able to be together for one weekend. I had an incredible appointment or it seemed that way at the time. Unfortunately I fell into the age old trap, impulse emotional buys that salesman push so they can make a sale. I purchased a Liancarlo gown, for quite a lot retail in their store. But it was a beautiful gown and I really did not think I would see something else like it so I bought it. I told the sales woman I lived in LA and would need a great tailor bcs i was planning on losing a lot of weight. She gave me the old "sure you are sweet" and ordered the dress at my exact measurements. They sent me the dress late because they said I never sent in the "second payment" but they never called me. If I hadn't called them they would have charged my grandmother the other half of the dress. I talked to a manager who was extremely rude and dismissive. I had lost some weight and wanted to make sure the dress would still work. I called them for a number for a tailor who told me the dress was a "mess". He had never seen a custom designer gown come so crinkled in the box with pins rips and mangled in the box. I tried it on and the shape was horrible. The size wasn't "far" off but he insisted the dress had to be remade. I got 3 opinions from tailors in LA and had to spend an additional 4K on alterations. They told me I should send them my dress back to Chicago a few weeks before my wedding and then they would ship it back and alter it based off measurements. I found a designer in LA who ripped it apart. Added a proper lining and cups and scaled it and completely recut the neck line. On the day of my wedding the dress was a mess, It was tight in some places but lose in others and falling all over. I would seriously recommend looking elsewhere. I liked the dress in the end because the handmade flowers and work of the designer was good but for the amount I spent it should have needed that much work. Overall was extremely upset. I wrote a letter to the owner who dismissed me. Of course, saying it was my issue. But I ordered my dress so far in advanced so that I would have plenty of time to fix it if there were any issues and they really didn't care that it hurt me and my families budget to have to spend over 6 times what they said alterations would cost. read more

My experience at Ultimate Bride was so horrifying it was funny. Although we arrived on time for our appointment (my mom and sister were with me) we stood in front of the reception desk for 5-10 minutes while the saleswoman finished her phone call. And what's more, she was just chatting on the phone with her daughter. When we were finally taken back to a room to look at dresses, it was the tiniest room I saw at any of the bridal stores we went to - thank goodness my mom and sister are petit people or we literally would not have fit. After explaining my budget and style preferences to the saleswoman she brought out several lovely dresses - except that they were all at least $500 over my budget. However, we were seriously considering several when to our surprise at 5 of the hour our saleswoman looked at her watch and told us our time was up. Now, remember, she made us begin our appointment late because of her personal conversation so we were extrememly surprised that she was willing to kick out potential customers just as we were close to making a major purchase. We left this store surprised and offended at the terrible customer service but about 10 minutes later were laughing at the ridiculousness of it all. Even though Ultimate Bride has beautiful dresses, you can buy them other places, where they treat you as if they actually like you. I ended up buying my dress at Belle Vie, just down the street - save your time, skip Ultimate Bride and book 2 hours at Belle Vie. read more

Service was excellent and I worked with Stephanie just like many of the brides here. The receptionist wasn't as friendly as Stephanie, in fact, she reminded me of Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada when I first walked in. Ultimate Bride carries all the high end gown designers: Oscar De La Renta, Monique Luhiller, and Badgley Mischka. I think I tried them all with my favorite designer being Junko Yoshioko...clean lines with simple details. Although I may not be purchasing my dress here, the service was truly wonderful and they really made me feel like a princess. I was actually expecting all the dresses to come to me afterwards because Ultimate was my first stop and little did I know it is the only store that brings you the dresses instead of you shopping for them. Ultimate Bride is a popular gown destination so be prepared to walk into many brides and stylists on the weekends while you are also strutting your try-ons. The family and friends of other brides trying on their dresses are all situated in the same waiting room and they will eye you up and down as well when you step out. read more

Our appointment was short and rushed. The salon was small and crowded. Eventhough our budget was $5,000, we were told they didn't have much to show us. Too bad. We ended up buying a dress around the corner at Dimitra's. And guess what - it was a dress by a designer also carried by Ultimate. read more

So brides to be, I'll let you in on a Yelp secret on searching for where to find your wedding dress. Wherever the bride bought her dress is likely a 5 star review. And so it goes without exception, I have to give Ultimate Bride 5 stars. I love this place. I searched everywhere, so much so that I think i need to make a separate yelp list alone for the dress stores I went to (likely 20 all around the city and burbs, I'm picky I know). This is the only place in chicagoland area that truly has a unique selection of dresses. Like literally nowhere else to be found, you might as well fly to NYC or California if you think you will find the quality and styles they carry elsewhere. And the help I got was great, the sales consultants truly know their stuff in terms of fashion forwardness, styles and what would look best on me. Their selection is smaller, but so unique that it makes this a worthy place to stop and look if not just to get away from the typical styles you see at every other bridal shop. OK, its expensive. I went in here on a whim, not thinking I would ever find THE dress here let alone afford anything. But in comparison to other bridal shops, what you get for the price here makes it worthwhile. The fabrics (Italian silks and organzas), cuts, and couture details make the price worthwhile for a girl long obsessed with clothes and fashion and not wanting her wedding dress to be any different. I ended up with a Rivini dress which Ultimate Bride is the only location in the Midwest that even carries the line. Looking back on it I cant imagine wearing anything else. And my experience was great from the start to the end alterations with my dressed pressed and ready to go the night before the big day. My Mom did Bridal alterations years ago, but i didn't want her to stress and have to worry about my dress so I let Ultimate Bride do the work. Even my mom was impressed with the quality of the alterations. I highly recommend at least stopping in this place to all my friends getting married now, if not just to admire the beautiful unique couture dresses! read more

I bought my wedding dress here and the service and selection was fantastic! Would highly recommend Ultimate Bride. I went here the first time w/ a friend and the second time w/ my mom and they were very accommodating. Can't wait to get my dress in! read more

i think the experience here TOTALLY depends on who your consultant is. i was observing some other consultants who seemed totally sweet. the consultant i got...not so much. i cam here with a friend who is also engaged (her first time trying on dreses, in fact) thinking this would be a great experience for us. The girl, Anne, acted like she woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Determined not to let her ruin our dress shopping experience, I tried to smile and make conversation with her - it felt like I was the salesperson, instaed of her!! Totally just wanted us to buy SOMETHING, rather than buy what was right and looked good on us. Every time we asked to try on a different dress (Keep in mind, my friend tried on 4 and I tried on 3 - NOT a ridiculous amount), she bristled. I think she thought we were in there just to play dress-up or something. As soon as I said, Ok I think I'm ready to buy this dress..her attitude suddenly changed and she was all chipper. She whipped the dress out of the room in two seconds and ran away with it to wrap it before I had a second to reconsider (I wasn't going to, but still!). Not a fan. Would not recommend girls go here for their shopping experience unless they request a consultant they are certain is good. read more

Ultimate Bride is the best bridal salon in Chicago! They have a wide variety of dresses and accessories for every bride. I worked with Carmella Carrozza and she was fantastic! She was the only consultant I worked with that regularly followed up with me after both of my appointments. She sent me photos of the dresses I liked, reminded me of various trunk shows, and checked in to make sure I was covered. Once I tried on a few dresses, she had a solid understanding of my vision. My family was also in agreement that she was the best consultant that we came across. Making an appointment was very easy. I highly suggest Ultimate Bride! read more

After reading many reviews I wasn't quite sure what to expect at this bridal shop but I left raving about it! Please ask for Kate! She is amazing...young, vibrant with fashion forward ideas. When she saw I loved a gown she started showing me all the options we could do with it...fun accessories(veils sashes necklaces) as well as adding tulle under the bottom to show different looks. I love her and she made you really feel like she was a friend helping you find an amazing dress instead of a pushy saleswoman or the opposite of just going thru the motions...It is a beautiful shop and with Kate you will love the experience as well! read more

I had two daughters get their dresses at Ultimate Bride and HIGHLY recommend them and especially Rachel. She is THE BEST!!! The store, Rachel our consultant, and Marie, their top notch seamstress, went above and beyond to make sure the dress was perfect. We had some last minute glitches and it was clear that having a happy bride on her wedding day was their number one and only priority. Cannot recommend Ultimate Bride, Rachel and Marie any more highly - wish I could give them more stars than 5!!! read more

The disclaimer for my review is that I have not step foot in this store; however, I already received the kindest service. I made an appt at the Ultimate Bride before I realized their dress price range. As it turns out, the dresses are a bit out of my price range so I had to cancel my appointment. I was worried that I would be scolded for not having done my homework before booking, instead Tina was super nice and offered to give me referrals. Over the phone she gave me referrrals for at least 7 places in my price rance as well as referrals for alterations and accessories. She also gave me tips on who might have sample sizes to fit my figure. Lastly, she mentioned that I can use her name as a referral source to other shops to be sure I am treated well. I wish I could afford to shop here, but either way I am thankful I called! read more

Came here looking for a dress, I had no budget meaning I was willing to pay however much needed for the perfect dress. I wanted something extravagant, beautiful, feminine, a class wedding dress NOT a piece of cloth thrown on like I am taking a stroll at the beach. This place just did not meet my taste, it's focus is the word "designer" they thinking stitching a Monique L. tag on a dress makes it something...or gushing about "french lace" (whatever that is) is going to make a dress my dress...sorry that doesnt fool me. I tried on like 30 total wedding dresses, the ugliest, and most circus-like assortment I found here. By the end my family couldnt keep a straight face... the dresses were hideous. One looked like chiffon with a bunch of cut up ribbons glued on, I wanted lace so the next one was like a nuns dress it was literally choking me, the last one was...well they said breathlessly it was "straight from the runway" I dont know what it was, a mess of clothes and fabrics...frustrating when you go into a store with no budget and leave empty-handed. Was the worst dress selection of all 12 stores I visited in Chicago, and funny enough it was one of the most expensive so that says a lot. This place is for the pretentious, who want to make a statement by basically boasting about having a designer dress...it was not bridal or beautiful..really just plain or weird. Consultant Stephanie was very sweet, rest of workers were typical plastic-types that were obsessed with taking every opportunity to pass by a mirror and check them selves out. read more

This is one of the BEST bridal boutiques I've ever been to. Correction, this IS the BEST bridal boutique I've ever gone too. First of all, when you walk in, you just can't happen but feel like a bride and the place screams classy and upscale, just the entire atmosphere makes me feel like I really am getting married! And I am :) The ironic part is that I did not buy my wedding gown here, but my consultant Kate was unbelievable. She was able to find exactly what I was looking for, and gave me so many amazing options to choose from. When my mom and I saw all the unique gowns that Kate picked out from Ulla Maija, to Oscar de la renta, Monique Lhuilller (sorry for the sp?)...but anyways, Kate knew what she was doing and she was just amazing!. However, I did show Kate another gown from another place that was more in our price range, Kate was able to direct us to this amazing custom designed veil. So we ordered my veil from here which their veil expert was able to match exactly to the swatch that I had of my dress. Furthermore, the veil expert was able to help me find a hairpiece that I absolutely fell in love with. Overall, my entire experience with Ultimate Bride was amazing, Kate is a fashion guru, the veil expert was able to create a custom veil that I'm in love with, and I would recommend this place to anyone who wants the perfect gown, veil, accessory and most importantly, happy bridal experience. read more

Such an amazing place! If you're looking for a little bit of higher end dresses and selection this is the place for you. They have some designers that are only carried in a few other bridal stores across the nation so you have less of a chance of a million other people wearing your dress. I worked with Amanda and she was seriously the best. I would ask for her if you decide to shop here. Not only did she take her time and help me find dresses within my budget she never pressured me. Plus, when I liked parts of two dresses she told me it's possible for the designer to alter mine into the other instead of just making me choose one. What I also love is the seamstresses have worked with the designers hand in hand so they know how to alter the higher end couture dresses without ruining them. I went with a Lee Petra, which I'm in love with! Not only do I get the alterations on the other dress that I loved BUT the dress is also customized to my exact body!! I walked into this bridal shop knowing I wouldn't leave without my dress read more

I cannot stop recommending Stephanie from Ultimate Bride. After going to a couple of places and having sales people be pushy and purposefully uninformative, it was great to have someone who wanted to educate me about dresses and really listened to what I wanted. She was spectacular. If you are thinking of going here ask for her. She is amazing. read more

I've got to say that I am AMAZED by Ultimate Bride and the experience that I had with them. My future sister-in-law and I had an appointment with Stephanie and I fell in love with a Rivini gown that had ruffles cascading down the back but it was my first time trying on dresses and I wasn't a huge fan of the simple front so I left knowing that I had plenty of time (my wedding was still a year and a half out). Stephanie was great to work with and so polite and helpful. I have a background in fashion but zero experience in wedding apparel so I'm sure I wasn't the easiest to work with. I wanted something fashion forward yet something that I wouldn't look back on in 30 years and wonder "what was I thinking"? Stephanie continued emailing me options and I just wasn't IN LOVE with anything - even at other stores that I went to. So I decided I needed to fly to NYC. I found a dress that I loved while there and fortunately Ultimate Bride was one of a handful of stores that carried the designer. I thought about how great Stephanie was to work with and how often she followed up with me to see how my search was going. She made me feel like I was her only customer and it was her main goal to find my perfect dress so of course I thought of Ultimate Bride when ordering. While still in NYC I called Stephanie and placed an order for the dress over the phone. A few weeks later they flew the sample in for me to try on and take pictures in. Again, everyone at UB was so nice and helpful. I live in Michigan and my dress and veil was just shipped to me. Everything about the dress is perfect!! I wasn't the easiest customer to deal with. I wanted the dress to be changed a bit and they were more than accommodating. I custom ordered a veil but a standard veil was delivered. I tend to think that businesses show their true colors when a mistake happens. Are they helpful or difficult to work with? Anne helped me resolve my veil issue and she too was great to work with! They went above and beyond to correct the situation! I also had another unique request that I'm pretty sure no other boutique would have accommodated but Ultimate Bride. I won't get into the actual request because it is so unique but I'm extremely grateful that they went so above and beyond... even after the sale was finalized!! I'm telling all of my friends about Ultimate Bride!!! If you are anywhere in the Midwest, Ultimate Bride is very much worth the trip! read more

I had the ultimate experience at Ultimate Bride. My salesgirl Stephanie was wonderful, cheerful, professional and so patient. My experience was great herel. Their gowns are gorgeous and they kept bringing them to me untill I found the perfect one! I never felt rushed to make a decision. I had my first fitting today and was not dissapointed. They even asked the designer (I'm a big fan) to sign the label of the gown for me. I couldn't be more pleased. read more

Ultimate Bride has the best selection of dresses. I worked with Brandi and she was fantastic. There was a little mix-up with my dress and it ended up coming in later than expected, but the women at Ultimate Bride were all over it to make sure my dress would be perfect in time for my wedding. So, minus a little stress for a few weeks, it was a wonderful experience! read more

I went in "just to look" but I knew they were having a Monique L'hullier trunk show and of course I fell in love with the first dress I tried on. What a great experience at Ultimate Bride and RACHEL was the best. She was so patient and knows what she is talking about. I have been to a few of the other upscale bridal boutiques in the Gold Coast and was not blown away. I tried on dresses at one but the saleslady was most concerned that it might be too far away from my wedding date.... Another of the most "popular" boutiques didn't even call me back when I left a message to make an appointment!!!! Ultimately (excuse the pun...) I bought the Monique L'hullier... the ONE and I'm so confident with my decision. Ultimate Bride is a wonderful place to find your dress. Yes it is expensive but worth every penny read more