08/01/09

Wonderful place to do business

by EK2

My daughter and I purchased her wedding dress and my m.o.b. dress at Mecklenburg Bridal. We loved working with them. When we got it narrowed down to three dresses for my daughter, there was quite a range in cost. There was no pressure to go with the more expensive dress and, in fact, we ended up with the least expensive. Staff were always courteous and helpful. The $25 fee is a drop in the bucket and, of course, it is a "credit" toward a future purchase. I would highly recommend working with this shop.

Response from this business

KarenChase– August 26, 2009 at 10:09:00 PDT

Thanks so much for your kind words! Best regards, Karen Chase---Owner

07/30/09

Mecklenburg Bridal-Great Experience!!

by salamanda114

I went to Mecklenburg Bridal as the first stop in my bridal gown search. I was drawn by their sample sale that was advertised to me by word of mouth. Given the other options for bridal boutiques, the $25 consultation fee is nothing! Most stores want you to sign your life away before trying on their items. I tried on something like 12 dresses and was allowed all the time in the world to make my decision. Although it was my first stop, Mecklenburg Bridal had exactly the gown I was looking for, and it was at a fantastic price.

I can't believe what some of the other people are saying here. The consultation fee is something I came to expect from vendors while planning my wedding, the staff was patient and knowledgable, and the store was well kept and had a large selection of beautiful gowns.

I continued to recieve great service throught the fitting and pressing process up until the wedding day!

07/30/09

need to know

by alterachris

I have never been to this shop, but I do have friends in the bridal business and have been a bridal shop owner in the past. I can tell you why some shops have started charging a fee to try on gowns. Some girls are not serious shoppers and they go to bridal shops because its fun to try on the gowns or they are just price shopping with no intention to buy, taking up the sales girls time. Not to mention the wear and tear on these delicate gowns. You would understand it if you were a shop owner and had money invested in this expensive inventory. It;s not WalMart !! If dresses are soiled, beads start falling off or if the zipper gets worn out from so much wear, you can't sell it and will soon go out of business. If you purchase a gown, the fee is considered part of the down payment and is not an additional cost. Most shops now charge this fee and the ones that don't most likely will in the near future. It's becomming a more popular thing to do and if you read the bridal magazines you will see that they tell the brides to be awair of this fee.. Just a thought

• Pros: reason for fee
• Cons: don't know the owners

07/15/09

Amazing Store

by Allie21

Mecklenburg bridal is the best store that I shopped at in Charlotte. It has the most helpful staff. The staff made this experience for me as magical as I had ever wished it to be. The selection of dresses was absolutely amazing and beautiful. Everything was very clean and organized. The staff was very helpful in every aspect. Most definitely the best bridal shop I have ever been to.

• Pros: Great and friendly staff. Beautiful selection.
• Cons: NONE!

07/15/09

Only the best

by SouthernBryde

I was actually very pleased with Mrs. Kay's "old ways"... what I would give to meet just ONE person daily who is kind, understanding and has the"old" fashioned values such as her. Maybe some of us should learn from example.

My experience was truly one of a kind. Mrs. Kay & Chase listened to the things I did and did not want in a dress and made a few suggestions and then brought me some very beautiful dresses. The one I ended up picking was actually one that had something that I didn't initially like but looked very different ON my body. For 2+ hours of her time, lugging around countless heavy dresses and being so attentive I was more than happy to pay $25. I personally think it's a smart way for the bridal shop to make sure their brides are serious customers instead of some yahoos trying on $1K + dresses just for the heck of it.

Even if it was free I still would have taken them both to Rusty's for all their help!

Thank you Ladies I'll be referring every bride I know to you!!

• Pros: Staff, Fitting Rooms, Customer Service, Knowledge

07/15/09

WOW, so glad i got my dress here!

by mrslevitt

WOW!!! was the impression when I walked through the door!!! The people are friendly and professional the place is beautiful and they have the BEST selection of dresses. Being the prepared person I am I had looked into Mecklenburg Bridal on their website and called for an appointment where each explained to me about their $25.00 consultation fee and what it was about…. I had never thought of it like that before but it totally makes sense, so I was ready for it when I walked through the door (I wish some of the other brides on this site had done the same so that they could understand instead of their petty responses to the fee) I worked with Kay and she was amazing! I was not pressured and I felt like an old friend. They have everything from the guest books, the alterations, even a veil designer. The one stop place for all your wedding needs, they also have great recommendations on photographers etc… I made a two hour appointment for a Sat. and came back later in the week to try on my favorites, they already had them ready for me when I got there!! I found the dress of my dreams and am now happily married and the ENTIRE experience from the first time I walked in to portrait time to on my way to the church was so SMOOTH. Thank you for making it so EASY and FUN!!! I hope everyone is as lucky as I was to buy their dress with Mecklenburg Bridal Gallery!!!

• Pros: AMAZING
• Cons: none

07/15/09

BEST Shop I've been to!!!

by Happybride

I am a New York bride and was visiting my mother in law in Charlotte for a few weeks and we decided we should go shopping I had already been to quite a few stores in New York so I was familiar with (and totally understand) a consultation fee, $25.00 for their great selection was a deal!!! This was actually the last shop I went to in Charlotte and was wonderfully surprised at how beautiful the store is and how amazing the people are, much better than any of the other stores in Charlotte (I was very disappointed in the rest!) I was welcomed with my party of 4 with open arms and was able to find EVERYTHING for the girls in the wedding! My dress, veil (Jet is great), dresses for both mom and mother in law and all the bridesmaids!! Mecklenburg Bridal is a place when you walk in the door you really want to be “your bridal shop” I was so happy to find the perfect dress at the perfect place!!! I could rave about this place forever, and just a tip for other out of area brides they have AMAZING seamstresses, it is worth the trip back to have your dress fitted instead of chancing the most important outfit of your life on just anyone. (the also will atler dresses that come from somewhere else, so even if you already boughtyou should go there to have it fitted!) I will tell ALL my friends about this place, Charlotte is lucky to have such a great run shop!!!

• Pros: Amazing people, selection, atmosphere
• Cons: none!

02/17/09

Really sweet and knowledgable staff

by tpeabody

I enjoyed my experience here. I looked at Bridesmaids dresses with my maid of honor. We worked with Kay and she was extremely nice. She was not high pressure at all. My maid of honor and i took our time. We had plenty of selection and we ended of finding a dress. My biggest concern was my other bridesmaids. They are all out of state. But Kay advised that i buy all the dresses at the same time, that way they are all from the samel lot and will match exactly. So i sent my girls measurements to Kay and sure enough, a few weeks later, they all received their dresses to their homes. It was much easier for them, and i didn't have to worry that they found the "right dress". I chose not to wear a vail at my wedding, but i did sit down with Jet anyway and she was a doll. She does do beautiful work, so don't forget to meet her while you are there.

• Pros: Selection, Staff
• Cons: Fee - it was initially a turnoff, but after the valuable consultation i received - i would have paid double!

12/29/08

Beware-Rude and Unhelpful...

by jennykree

I went to Mecklenburg Bridal as my second shop that I visited on my day of trying on wedding dresses. I was initially taken aback by the $25.00 consultation fee which I felt was extremely tacky. When I got to the store, I had my mother, two friends, and my mother in law with me and we had to wait for 30 minutes before anyone even said hello to us even after I had made several attempts to get someone's attention at the front desk. FINALLY, I was able to get someone's attention and she finally took me to the back to look at the dresses. They were HORRIBLE. I guess if you like pink ball gowns that look then you are in business, but if you want something classic and tasteful, then you may want to look elsewhere. The lady I worked with was extremely rude and would not let my mother come in the room with me to change. She actually started bad talking my mother in law and said that she did not think it was necessary for me to bring her along!!! WHAT?? I could not believe it. After about two dresses that I felt obliged to try on to get the use out of my $25.00 consultation fee, I was out the door. NEVER AGAIN! I am glad that some brides had good experiences here, but I think that there are other shops in town that are much nicer and have a better selection.

• Pros: Parking I guess
• Cons: Service was Bad. The Staff was Extremely Rude and the Selection was Bad

09/10/08

whinny prima donnas

by bigapplebebe

I had the pleasure of puchasing my gown at Mecklenburg Bridal with the help of a very qualified and delightful saleslady. She knew her Bridal gown designers and gave me much more information than I found in bridal magazines. I felt no pressure, even though my wedding is in February! I needed a gown to walk down the aisle! My consultant was patient and I felt all the attention was on me. I am a size 18, (thanks to my Italian genes) and found the perfect gown for me.

Twenty-five dollars??!!!? Geez. Come on! Grow up! How much do you pay for a manicure? Hair style? A pair of shoes? The video and photographs of your wedding day are forever!!! Give Mecklenburg Bridal another chance, gowns look very different on a body than a hanger; attitude.

• Pros: Beautiful store! Knowledgeable sales ladies! Cannot wait to see MY gown!
• Cons: Nothing!