Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

So yesterday I had three appointments at bridal salons - and while I found "The One" (need to find a pic) - I also had the good and bad extremes of a dress shopping experience. The good was at Lillette's!!! Let's just say that I love Gerry! She was so patient with me (and my mom and sister) - she didn't push me in one direction over another - and she must have helped me try on 20 gowns (in 90 minutes since I had another appointment). As I told her when we left, if it kills me, I will buy my dress there!

On the other side of the spectrum was another salon - where I experienced the "Pretty Woman" syndrome. When I told her that I'd like to spend less than $1,500 on my gown (come on - we all know there are beautiful in that range) - she told me that she just doesn't think she'd be able to find me anything! She was so demeaning and condescending - I warned her that I would leave if she couldn't reach deep within herself to find some courtesy and salesmanship. So I tell her I like plain - not a lot of beading or embroidery - and she tells me that I must sparkle on my wedding day - so I need embroidery and beading. So I tried on one dress to placate her and gave her a piece of my mind and left.

Obviously I'm not going to post the name of this salon on here - but I was very surprised because it's one of the more popular salons. Feel free to FM if you want the name.

The morale of the story - I loved Gerry - go to Lillette's - you won't regret it!

ETA - the dress (Maggie Sotero) that I will buy will ultimately be half of the budget I expressed to the other woman!

Message edited 6/26/2005 8:33:24 AM.

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Stick with Lillettes! I'm glad you found your gown and had a great experience!

ETA: Don't let anyone ever tell you you're ebing too cheap or you can't find a nice gown in your price range. You can get a beautful gown for your wedding for $200 off the rack or from someplace liek jessica mcclintock or at david's $99 sale. So for someone to tell you $1500 is too low to get a nice dress they're literally just trying to sell you something!

I've seen people in $100 wedding gowns and $5000 weddng gowns, and to be honest there is NOTHING more radiant about a bride than the smile on her face, so when a happy bride walks down the aisle, you don't know if she spent $50 or $5000, she looks beautiful, and there are beautiful gowns in EVERY price range.

Message edited 6/26/2005 8:43:23 AM.

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

i know so many girls that went to lillette's for their dress and not one of them had a bad experience. i plan on going there in a few months to look for my dress. go with lillette's!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

I'm right there with you...I was at Lillette's on Friday & Gerry helped me as well. They were a bit swamped & she kept me waiting in a dress for a bit but was nothing but apologetic. They were so nice and she answered all my questions & also looked through some bm dresses as well. We're going back on Monday w/ my mom & a bm & I can't wait.

My dress is most likely going to be a Maggie as well.

I also have a feeling who the other salon is....

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

I bought my dress from Lillette's. I worked with Carol and she was really helpful also I can't say enough good things about them -- and everytime I mention where I bought my gown I hear other people say great things also

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Yay for Gerry! She is the BEST!!! Like you, I tried on about 20 gowns with her the first time i was there. We tried on all different styles until I found a style that I liked ( I didn't find my dress until I went back a few weeks later). Since that was the first place I went to I thought all salons would be like that but they're not!!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Oooooooh, let me add my Lillette's experience! It was wonderful!! Gerri was so nice and helpful, and this is where I'll be ordering my dress next week. Lillette's had all the necessary undergarments for me to wear while trying on dresses (Wedding Plaza did not). I told Gerri that I wanted a dress under $2000, and she showed me the most beautiful dresses well under that price. I saw my dress elsewhere for a little less, but since the service wasn't as good, I'm going with Lillette's. I would rather pay a little more for peace of mind.

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Hi girls.....from Brooklyn, would love to check out Lillettes when the time comes. Where is it?

thanks....

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Lillette's is on Merrick Road in Baldwin, just east of Grand Ave

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

I am an '05-er but I just saw this post and I had to put my $.02 in

I tried to call and make an appointment with a popular salon on Long Island and they said to me "what is your price range". After I told them (Between 1-2K), they said, "oh, you will have to go to our OTHER location because this store doesn't carry anything in that range". Then the woman on the phone repeatedly tried to give me appointments for days I told them I WASN'T available.

Finally, I hung up with them, and my Mom and I went to Lilettes! We had the BEST experience. We worked with Carol and although I know for a fact that I could have gotten my gown for approximately $200 less somewhere else, I still am happy with my decision to get my dress there.

I even brought my Mom back for her dress there and they were NOTHING but accommodating that day as well.

I would rather pay a little more for a pleasant experience ANY DAY! Good luck and best wishes!!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by NYPDsGirl

I am an '05-er but I just saw this post and I had to put my $.02 in

I tried to call and make an appointment with a popular salon on Long Island and they said to me "what is your price range". After I told them (Between 1-2K), they said, "oh, you will have to go to our OTHER location because this store doesn't carry anything in that range". Then the woman on the phone repeatedly tried to give me appointments for days I told them I WASN'T available.

Finally, I hung up with them, and my Mom and I went to Lilettes! We had the BEST experience. We worked with Carol and although I know for a fact that I could have gotten my gown for approximately $200 less somewhere else, I still am happy with my decision to get my dress there.

I even brought my Mom back for her dress there and they were NOTHING but accommodating that day as well.

I would rather pay a little more for a pleasant experience ANY DAY! Good luck and best wishes!!

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

thanks!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Gerry is the best!!! I got my dress at Lillette's also! I love them in there!

So happy you had a good experience also!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

I'm so gald you had a great shopping experience!

I had an awful one as well, but where I bought my dress, it was just wonderful there.

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Yay, so glad you found "the one"!!!! And had such a wonderful experience at Lilette's!!! Congrats!!! Sorry about that other place, you don't deserve that, nobody does. Every bride looks beautiful on her wedding day, no matter how much her dress costs!!!

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

Did the place you had a bad experience have a two word name? One that begins with a "b' and the other with an "r"? Just curious because I had a similar experience at that place. THey told me I would probably find more things in my price range at the other location. However I did make an appointment at that location, and was very unimpressed when I went

Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by LaurenluvsTJ

Did the place you had a bad experience have a two word name? One that begins with a "b' and the other with an "r"? Just curious because I had a similar experience at that place. THey told me I would probably find more things in my price range at the other location. However I did make an appointment at that location, and was very unimpressed when I went

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by LMFitz

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Posted by LaurenluvsTJ

Did the place you had a bad experience have a two word name? One that begins with a "b' and the other with an "r"? Just curious because I had a similar experience at that place. THey told me I would probably find more things in my price range at the other location. However I did make an appointment at that location, and was very unimpressed when I went

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by coxmandi

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Posted by LMFitz

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Posted by LaurenluvsTJ

Did the place you had a bad experience have a two word name? One that begins with a "b' and the other with an "r"? Just curious because I had a similar experience at that place. THey told me I would probably find more things in my price range at the other location. However I did make an appointment at that location, and was very unimpressed when I went

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I'm sorry they were rude to you. I'm guessing I know the location.

I have nothing but good things to say about the place so far (its where I found my dream dress). They ask for your price range as a discriminator, because they don't carry very many dresses below a certain price. You must've gotten the rude sales person, because mine was fantastic.

I'm glad you found your dress though!!

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by MissingTheBGene

Same here, I found my dream dress there as well. Sorry to hear of this experience! Dress shopping is supposed to be fun!

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by LMFitz

I don't let a little thing like rude people ruin my day! I had a blast - and the bottom line is that I did find the dress of my dreams! Just so happens it was elsewhere!

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Re: Dress Shopping experience - great salon versus horrible salon

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Posted by MissingTheBGene

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Posted by LMFitz

I don't let a little thing like rude people ruin my day! I had a blast - and the bottom line is that I did find the dress of my dreams! Just so happens it was elsewhere!

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That's great! I'm glad you had a lot of fun! I almost was upset that I found my dress so quickly. I wanted to try on more but was afraid of confusing myself! lol

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