La Bella Bridal & Consignment

3 recommendations and reviews from 3 people

• WhoDoYou Review from December 14, 2022
  1 review

  Emily B. wrote: My initial experience at this boutique was very positive. I live out of state, but I discovered Ellalyn’s shop during one of my visits to my parents and immediately fell in love with her dresses. I specifically made a trip to VA a few months later to choose a wedding dress with her since my initial experience had been so wonderful. I found a gorgeous wedding dress during this visit. Ellalyn raved about how beautiful it was and how it was a “one of a kind” gown. When we went pay for it we asked when we could pick up the actual dress, knowing that most stores have to order a dress in the bride’s size first. Ellalyn said that no ordering was necessary and that the dress I had tried on was the one we just bought. She rushed us out of the store because she had another customer waiting, and in our excitement about the dress, we thought nothing of it. I tried on the dress when I got home and discovered that this dress was EIGHT sizes too big for me. It was swimming on me. I was shocked. No customer would knowingly walk out of a store with a size 10 wedding dress when they need a size 2. With her years of experience, surely Ellalyn was aware of this. She deliberately did not tell us what size we were buying before paying for the dress. My mother and I were both at the appointment and do not recall her ever mentioning this very important piece of information. We ended up returning to her shop for alterations a few months later, where she tried to charge us over $900! We tried to negotiate and she brought it down to $700, which I still felt was ridiculous for a dress that she knowingly sold to us in the wrong size. I wrote Ellalyn an email explaining how mislead I felt, referencing a page on her website that says they will order a dress as close to the bride’s size as possible, how they carry dresses size 0-32, etc. I expressed how disappointed I felt by my experience with her shop and how she was surely aware of the problems that would arise when she sold us this “one of a kind” dress. Instead of responding in a professional manner, Ellalyn lashed out at me over the phone, saying how disrespectful I was being and how she “never forced us to buy this dress.” She never apologized and never acknowledge that there might have been any way that she could have dealt with this situation better. In the same phone call she informed me that she magically had a new shipment arrive that just happened to include a size 2 dress that was almost identical to the one I had purchased. How convenient! While this dress did not end up being identical, I did choose to exchange the large dress for this one since it was my size. Ellalyn acted like she was doing us a huge favor in allowing this exchange. After taking it home I discovered that it was so close to my size because it had clearly been altered for someone else - there was tulle sewn in the skirt, tape in the bodice, etc (my mother has seamstress experience so she was able to identify these things). While the dress was in good condition, it was definitely not a brand new gown. Of course this was never mentioned to me by Ellalyn. So not only did she mislead us once, but TWICE. It was unbelievable and genuinely disheartening that someone who claims to be so reputable would treat her customers so poorly. DO NOT GO TO THIS BOUTIQUE. While the experience of trying on dresses was positive and the selection of gowns are beautiful, the aftermath was a nightmare. Ellalyn is not a transparent saleswoman. It was incredibly disappointing and I would suggest avoiding this boutique if at all possible.

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• Referral from June 23, 2015
  

  Kayla J. asked:

  Are there any amazing boutiques/consignment shops that any one recommends to find a wedding dress? Hoping to stay away from chain stores and support local business! Live in PG county, but willing to travel to VA or other counties in Maryland. Thanks in advance!

  

  Janet K. replied:

  www.stanthonysbridal.com in Md - affordable designer dresses, and www.labellabridalboutique.com in Ocoquan, Va. They have a limited number of consignments and many other new dresses (not inexpensive, but wonderful service and assistance from the people who work there. Helpful but not pushy.)

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• Referral from February 20, 2014
  

  Teresa Q. asked:

  ISO very reasonable/affordable dress alteration shop/tailor ASAP. I need an evening gown altered (taken in and hemmed) by next Friday. So far I've been quoted at local "dry cleaning/alterations" nearly the same amount I paid for the dress. If anyone knows an affordable seamstress please pm me.

  

  Rosita J. replied:

  try la bella bridal in occoquan the address is 313 mill st . the number is (703) 494-2929. the owner is very sweet and reasonable.

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