Everything you need for a California wedding

Sorry if someone already beat me to this—I did a quick search but couldn't find anything!
Which salon in ST is still running those St. Patrick's Day 2013 promos?

Thanks, ladies!

La Perla is doing something for St. Patrick's Day, though I'm not entirely sure if this year's collection has actually hit the shelves yet... and Mila is over in Boise too.

gentlewolf69 said:I was pretty skeptical about Victoria's Secret too, but once I actually got there, I was blown away by how attentive, professional, and easygoing the staff were. Not to mention how they welcomed my maid of honor without any issues, even though she didn't have an appointment. It was such a contrast to Vesna Sposa, who practically kicked us out twice—even though our second visit was actually booked, she just wouldn't make time because she "had to go photograph some gowns and accessories," and since we're from San Francisco, it was apparently no big deal if we just came back a third time to see her.

On a practical note, how many months in advance should one ideally pick out a wedding dress?

The sooner you start, the better. My wedding is set for August 31st, and honestly, I hadn't even considered looking for a dress before the four or five-month mark. But then I stumbled upon a thread here on the forum mentioning that the Lipoto boutique offers a 20% discount if you book your dress during the very first fitting, provided you do it by January 31st. So, I figured I’d just start hitting up different salons—not actually intending to pull the trigger right away, just browsing... thinking if I found "the one" at Lipoto, I'd grab it by the end of the month to snag that discount. Well, I walked into La Perla and picked out ten different styles to try on, only to have the consultant tell me that five of them were already spoken for on my date. That was a massive reality check... I realized the joke was on me and that I needed to move fast, especially since some gowns were already reserved for December. Even my maid of honor started her frantic search that same day; she’s getting married on September 21st and thought she had until June to look. In the end, we both ended up booking our dresses right in the middle of January.

gentlewolf69 said:I actually bought my prom dress from them once, and honestly... what a nightmare. They couldn't even get the tailoring right, and the beadwork started falling off everywhere, so I ended up having to fix the whole thing myself at home. If you aren't planning on leaving the San Francisco area, you might want to skip them entirely—unless you're looking at La Perla, maybe check out Victoria's Secret instead. I actually got my wedding dress there, and the owner is such a sweetheart. It’s located just as you're heading down from Firul toward downtown, right before you turn toward the Brooklyn beach area, just before you hit the New York Public Library on your left.

Does anyone have experience with Galics?

I have to admit, I am honestly overwhelmed. This is my first time participating in the full wedding prep process as a maid of honor, and seeing the sheer volume of work involved has me paralyzed—especially since the bride-to-be has absolutely no idea what she wants, yet insists on everything!
Now, suddenly, we've become obsessed with wedding gowns, so it looks like we might even head out to Boise. This week we are visiting Vesna Sposa, Glamour, and La Perla, though one of them is currently preoccupied with something at Victoria's Secret...

We're joking around at the President Hotel, and someone mentioned that it gets quite stuffy there in May because of the pool area, causing flowers to wilt quickly. Is that actually true?
Also, can anyone suggest a florist? Price isn't the deciding factor; I just need someone who produces truly beautiful arrangements.

And once more, does anyone have firsthand experience with Creme de la Creme? I would appreciate any insight...
I have also heard that eM-ka makes good cakes, but she wouldn't touch anything "industrial"...

Does anyone happen to have any insight into the Ariel fashion studio? I'm curious about their sewing standards, overall quality, and stuff like that.

Yeah, I actually went to Gallagher for my prom dress. To be honest, they didn't exactly leave me with the best impression... If you're looking at Mila over in Boise, she carries brands like Saint Patrick and Maggie Sottero, and her salon is genuinely lovely, but there's a catch—if your maid of honor is on the shorter side like I am, Mila might tell you straight up that she doesn't have anything that fits, mostly because she refuses to cut her gowns just to accommodate one person. Now, if your bridesmaid is really into that full crinoline look, you might have some luck checking out what Helen has at the Boise shop, otherwise, I wouldn't bother wasting your time there since most of the selection is pretty mediocre, just those wide-cut satin styles... though they do get those stunning Madeline Gardner dresses in around May. As for anything regarding the President or the Cream of the Crop, I'm afraid I can't really help you with that.

Douglas Reyes3 said:Does anyone happen to have any insight into the Ariel fashion studio? I'm curious about their sewing standards, overall quality, and stuff like that.

gentlewolf69 said:Yeah, I actually went to Gallagher for my prom dress. To be honest, they didn't exactly leave me with the best impression... If you're looking at Mila over in Boise, she carries brands like Saint Patrick and Maggie Sottero, and her salon is genuinely lovely, but there's a catch—if your maid of honor is on the shorter side like I am, Mila might tell you straight up that she doesn't have anything that fits, mostly because she refuses to cut her gowns just to accommodate one person. Now, if your bridesmaid is really into that full crinoline look, you might have some luck checking out what Helen has at the Boise shop, otherwise, I wouldn't bother wasting your time there since most of the selection is pretty mediocre, just those wide-cut satin styles... though they do get those stunning Madeline Gardner dresses in around May. As for anything regarding the President or the Cream of the Crop, I'm afraid I can't really help you with that.

In that case, Milo is out of the question immediately—the bride is 5'10"...
🙂
Regarding Ariel, my boyfriend's younger brother's experience was a disaster; they ruined his sister's prom dress. She looked like an old lady in a corset and skirt (honestly, she would have been better off wearing just an anklet—she would’ve had the same level of horror for much less money). This was especially frustrating since I used them a year prior and had a great experience; I picked a dress straight from the window that was custom-tailored to my frame, and I was satisfied (a grey, short, powder chiffon number with the golden braid). I have two other secondhand accounts: my boyfriend's niece and her best friend both bought dresses for a wedding. The friend bought a floor model directly from the shop, which fit perfectly, but the niece ordered a custom grey jumpsuit that was poorly constructed. The top kept gaping open, so a local neighborhood seamstress had to sew in elastic just to keep the girl from being exposed. Personally, I find it offensive that these two botched prom dresses were so overpriced, especially considering the fabric was sourced from a local discount textile shop (even the sales clerk there confirmed they source materials from there frequently—I sew, so I frequent those shops). In my opinion, they are hit or miss, much like a certain ice cream chain. Use them at your own risk.
Kurbasina's wife had an okay dress, though I can't tell if it was due to her pregnancy or the cut, but she ended up looking like a Michelin Man... They really should have suggested a different silhouette.

Well, there you have it... they clearly cut corners somewhere if the dress ends up looking that messed up.
I wasn't a huge fan of that wedding gown either, honestly; it just looked cheap.
I was actually planning on heading over to them to get my wedding dress made, but now I'm having serious second thoughts after hearing all this.
I'd heard rumors about Gallagher's quality being questionable for quite a while now.

A friend of mine suggested a boutique out in Phoenix instead... if you want to check them out, their page is called "The 1000 Best Dresses."

electricangler said:In that case, Milo is out of the question immediately—the bride is 5'10"...
🙂
Regarding Ariel, my boyfriend's younger brother's experience was a disaster; they ruined his sister's prom dress. She looked like an old lady in a corset and skirt (honestly, she would have been better off wearing just an anklet—she would’ve had the same level of horror for much less money). This was especially frustrating since I used them a year prior and had a great experience; I picked a dress straight from the window that was custom-tailored to my frame, and I was satisfied (a grey, short, powder chiffon number with the golden braid). I have two other secondhand accounts: my boyfriend's niece and her best friend both bought dresses for a wedding. The friend bought a floor model directly from the shop, which fit perfectly, but the niece ordered a custom grey jumpsuit that was poorly constructed. The top kept gaping open, so a local neighborhood seamstress had to sew in elastic just to keep the girl from being exposed. Personally, I find it offensive that these two botched prom dresses were so overpriced, especially considering the fabric was sourced from a local discount textile shop (even the sales clerk there confirmed they source materials from there frequently—I sew, so I frequent those shops). In my opinion, they are hit or miss, much like a certain ice cream chain. Use them at your own risk.
Kurbasina's wife had an okay dress, though I can't tell if it was due to her pregnancy or the cut, but she ended up looking like a Michelin Man... They really should have suggested a different silhouette.

Wait, you think that's short? I was actually thinking more along the lines of 5'5"...

Douglas Reyes3 said:Well, there you have it... they clearly cut corners somewhere if the dress ends up looking that messed up.
I wasn't a huge fan of that wedding gown either, honestly; it just looked cheap.
I was actually planning on heading over to them to get my wedding dress made, but now I'm having serious second thoughts after hearing all this.
I'd heard rumors about Gallagher's quality being questionable for quite a while now.

A friend of mine suggested a boutique out in Phoenix instead... if you want to check them out, their page is called "The 1000 Best Dresses."

I was actually thinking about having them custom-make a dress for a bridesmaid wedding...

gentlewolf69 said:I was actually thinking about having them custom-make a dress for a bridesmaid wedding...

Do you happen to know anyone who has actually used them for custom sewing and was happy with the results?
Looking at the photos in their album, my own work seems to be high quality, but since I’m planning on having my wedding dress made there, I really want everything to be absolutely perfect. 🙂

Douglas Reyes3 said:Well, there you have it... they clearly cut corners somewhere if the dress ends up looking that messed up.
I wasn't a huge fan of that wedding gown either, honestly; it just looked cheap.
I was actually planning on heading over to them to get my wedding dress made, but now I'm having serious second thoughts after hearing all this.
I'd heard rumors about Gallagher's quality being questionable for quite a while now.

A friend of mine suggested a boutique out in Phoenix instead... if you want to check them out, their page is called "The 1000 Best Dresses."

gentlewolf69 said:I was actually thinking about having them custom-make a dress for a bridesmaid wedding...

It isn't really up to her. She works incredibly hard and runs her own business, so she simply doesn't have the bandwidth. That’s why I handle everything for her. She hasn't even had a moment to think about sewing; she just wants to grab the dress and stop stressing over it.

Personally, I was completely satisfied with my dress from Ariel. I still wear it during the summer—though, to be fair, I wasn't carrying quite as much extra weight last year. However, those other two dresses were absolute disasters; they were enough to make you weep. Even the one I picked up from a boutique was lovely. If you can manage to fit into something from a bridal salon, it’s worth the effort. If not, don't take the risk.

Quinn:

gentlewolf69 As I have previously noted: You consider that low? I was referring to a height of 5'5".

Well, that’s it. We're cutting Milo out of the equation right from the start.
That explains why she dragged her feet on finding a dress. She’s always struggled with lengths and was worried about the fit. Honestly, that one from Lipton we were looking at? There’s no way she could wear that with anything higher than a 1-inch heel. 🤣

gentlewolf69 said:The sooner you start, the better. My wedding is set for August 31st, and honestly, I hadn't even considered looking for a dress before the four or five-month mark. But then I stumbled upon a thread here on the forum mentioning that the Lipoto boutique offers a 20% discount if you book your dress during the very first fitting, provided you do it by January 31st. So, I figured I’d just start hitting up different salons—not actually intending to pull the trigger right away, just browsing... thinking if I found "the one" at Lipoto, I'd grab it by the end of the month to snag that discount. Well, I walked into La Perla and picked out ten different styles to try on, only to have the consultant tell me that five of them were already spoken for on my date. That was a massive reality check... I realized the joke was on me and that I needed to move fast, especially since some gowns were already reserved for December. Even my maid of honor started her frantic search that same day; she’s getting married on September 21st and thought she had until June to look. In the end, we both ended up booking our dresses right in the middle of January.

Good grief, my wedding is in November. I was planning on waiting until June to even start looking, but it looks like I'll be moving my timeline up much sooner than expected.

I’ve officially entered the rabbit hole of wedding dress hunting... since I'm aiming for a wedding in December, I swung by La Perle, and just like that, they already had five brides down, two of whom have already put down deposits. It was a total madhouse, which is weird because none of the other boutiques I visited had that kind of frantic rush for a late-season date. That said, out of all the dresses I saw, there are only two that actually made me stop and stare—the ones I'm genuinely obsessed with. My only hesitation is that both of them happen to be part of the new collection, so they come with $2000... and honestly, that feels a little steep for my budget.

Good grief.
My match just found out about this boutique that carries gowns from some famous Russian designer—someone mentioned it to her.
Does anyone have any intel on that shop or where they're located?

We also heard about Nikolina’s bridal collection—where is that? And there's a new place, Luce—apparently they carry Matija Vuica, and we actually really like her designs...

Has anyone here dealt with them before?

Has anyone here actually done a private event at Diocletian in San Diego? How’s the service hold up, and what are we looking at in terms of pricing...?

electricangler said:Good grief.
My match just found out about this boutique that carries gowns from some famous Russian designer—someone mentioned it to her.
Does anyone have any intel on that shop or where they're located?

We also heard about Nikolina’s bridal collection—where is that? And there's a new place, Luce—apparently they carry Matija Vuica, and we actually really like her designs...

Has anyone here dealt with them before?

I haven't heard a peep about that Lady Bridal place... as for Nikolina, she's located just a bit north of the intersection above the Presidential Hotel. And Luce carries those Vuica creations... they're situated right above the local pharmacy near St. Francis.

I actually didn't end up going to Nicole's at all. If I remember correctly, she mostly carries those heavy crinoline styles, and honestly, those just aren't my vibe... they don't sit right on me. I’d never even heard of Lady before, and I only just recently found out about Lucy since they're pretty much the new kids on the block. I'm telling you, the sooner you start, the better. I wasn't exactly itching to jump into the search this early either, but these modern brides are just absolutely relentless. If I had waited until May, I doubt I would have found a single dress available... everything would be gone. Instead, I went ahead and booked nearly eight months in advance, though who knows what kind of experience is waiting for me... besides, I'm already getting a bit bored of the whole thing after looking at so many photos and trying on so many gowns. :P I feel like I want to start the whole process over from scratch. 😁

Douglas Reyes3 said:Do you happen to know anyone who has actually used them for custom sewing and was happy with the results?
Looking at the photos in their album, my own work seems to be high quality, but since I’m planning on having my wedding dress made there, I really want everything to be absolutely perfect. 🙂

I know someone who knows someone who used them for sewing, if you know how those connections usually go... But honestly, looking through the gallery, it seems like most girls who get things done there end up being really satisfied. Sure, some of the pieces look a bit rough, but that's usually because the clients were asking for specific styles that just don't translate well, so you can't really blame the seamstress when the vision itself is a little lacking...