Do NOT purchase your dress from Carine's. If you have enough money to buy a high-end gown from Carine's, do yourself a favor: hop on a train to NYC and order from a boutique that actually respects its brides and delivers on time. Buying my dress from Carine's was the WORST mistake of my entire wedding process. **Their communication is terrible.** I had to chase them down to find out where my dress was, and it turned out they had forgotten about it until I reached out. **They do not take responsibility for delays.** Even though they forgot to send my dress and caused the delay, they refused to overnight it unless I paid extra--despite the $600 I had already spent on shipping. **They left me scrambling last minute for alterations.** I received my dress only TWO WEEKS before my wedding, forcing me to pay double for rush alterations in California where I live. There's A LOT MORE I could say about other shady things they did to me beyond what I've listed above, but I'll refrain. Bottom line: Carine's turned what should have been a joyful experience into an expensive, high-stress nightmare. read more

I cannot speak highly enough about Carine's Atelier. I think the word "bespoke" is being used a lot lately to describe luxury experiences. Carine's Bridal is the epitome of a bespoke customer experience. At Carine's we felt celebrated, embraced, and unhurried. We were clearly in expert hands, yet it felt warm and family-like. Carine was in the store the day we first shopped and her relaxed, easy manner clearly sets the tone. We were lucky enough to have Grace as our guide. (I can't call her a salesperson-- it felt like we had an experienced guide.) She showed us gown after gown with no pressure whatsoever. None of the "let's put a veil on you!" No relentless questioning: "Is this the one?" I felt like we were in a special place, but after visiting other shops in DC, New York and Boca Raton, Florida, I am convinced. I can assure you --Carine's is different. It is bespoke-- the experience is personal and crafted for the bride. We were so at ease. So cared for. I cannot imagine how it could have been a more relaxing, informative, and joy-filled experience. Lastly, the atelier is absolutely gorgeous. Think French salon. I did the homework for you-- the finest, by far, is Carine's. (No I had never met her. No, I don't even live in D.C.) read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - SUCCESS! So many beautiful choices. - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

They overpromise delivery time and leave you no choice to pay $1200 alterations with them for a gown delivery the day before your wedding ! They have no flexibility and literally It's a legal fraud. They don't respond to emails and I believe they don't have a phone because they know they are bad and many customers are angry at them. For the price you pay the customer service is terrible. I wish I had gone to NYC to get designer gowns not them. read more

The team was amazing, and you can tell the difference between a "chain" store and a high-end bridal atelier. I only tried on Mira at Carines, because I knew I wanted to be a Mira bride. I was never pressured into trying on other designers. Every single Mira gown was a DREAM, and at one point turned to my lovely consultant and asked, "every one of these is spectacular, I would love to be married in any, how will I ever be able to pick?!" And she said, "oh you will know." Their communication was amazing, and because Mira is so customized to begin with, there were very little alterations needed. I recommend Carines to everyone! read more

Carine's Atelier was one of the shops I looked at on my search for the perfect wedding dress. Overall, the collection in the shop is great. They have a lot of high-end designers and beautiful styles to choose from. I will say that the sizing runs quite small on average, and maybe for that reason I wasn't able to get a sense of how would look in each gown. In terms of service, I felt that the experience could've been slightly better. The young lady who was helping us was so sweet and fantastic, but the salon itself books 3 or four brides at a time, so the dressing room and gown areas are a little crowded at times. There were also a few gowns that I couldn't try on because other brides were trying them on at the same time. I prefer experiences where you are the only bride in the shop as I feel like you get a lot more personalized experience and get a better sense for what you like. I didn't end up finding my gown here, but I would recommend the atelier to brides in the DMV area looking for high-end designer gowns. read more

I came in looking for an off the shoulder mermaid dress. Their dresses run small and the lady who was helping me pick out dresses, poor thing, didn't have a clue what to pick out for my curvy body type. She picked out a few size 16 dresses that did not fit and tried to get me in some size 14 dresses that DEF were not gonna go over my hips. Also they did not have a large selection of off shoulder mermaid dresses. Ever if they did the Assistant did not show them to me. If you are a sister sized 14 and up look elsewhere. read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - Their dresses run small - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I purchased my wedding dress from Carine's, and did alterations with them and had a fantastic experience. I had a poor experience trying to find a wedding dress in San Francisco, where I live, and at the last minute, I was able to get an appointment with Carine's while in DC for Thanksgiving, so my sister and mom could join me. My stylist, Bianca, helped me try on SO many dresses and was so patient and helpful. They have an incredible selection of gowns and designers - by far the best collection I've seen. After going home and looking at pictures, I narrowed down to three I wanted to try again and she opened the atelier on a closed day for me so that I could do it before flying back to California. We found my dress - an Oscar that isn't available anywhere in San Francisco, and decided to work with Carine's for alterations since they had been so amazing, even though it meant flying back across the country for fittings. Throughout the process the Carine's team was responsive and professional over email. Bianca also helped me try on veils, though I ultimately decided to wear a family veil, and second looks. Once my dress arrived and it came time for fittings, I flew back twice. Both times it was a great experience - the atelier is lovely, and they only allow a few parties in at once so it always feels personalized. The seamstress I worked with was lovely, Rosana, and she had worked with my specific dress many times. The only word of advice I would give other brides: 1) they are only open on certain days which can be tricky - mid-week for alterations - especially if working full time or flying in 2) my last fitting was 3 weeks before my wedding and my dress did end up being a little bit big, because I lost some weight in the last few weeks due to planning stress. I didn't fly back again after the final alterations / the 2nd fitting and in retrospect I wish I had. That is not on Carine's - they like to start fittings early, 5-7 weeks before the wedding, so I recommend either trying to do the final one a bit closer to your date or not losing weight (they tell you very clearly not to lose weight after the first fitting, but I did unintentionally). read more

Carines ruined the bridal dress experience each step of the way. Below I've included a list of a few notable items from my experience with the boutique. - Dress not altered two days before wedding. - Blamed for dress not being altered properly. - Asked to drive over an hour away to the tailors house to have the dress fixed - again, TWO days before wedding. - Blamed again for dress not being altered properly. - Charged additional fee for alterations, which were at the fault of Carines. (Without having the courage to tell me in person and following up with a text message. Also, How was this considered an additional alteration when it was not altered properly in the first place?) - Carines initially refused to let me try on my dress before leaving store. (Only with strong push back could I try it on.) Additional Annoyances - Nickeled and dimed each step of the way. - Cannot reach anyone on the phone. - Alterations only available Mid-week 10-4 PM. No flexibility for its customer base of working Washingtonian brides. - Offensive contracts and policies, particularly in regards to weight loss. The McDonalds drive-thru consistently treats me better when purchasing a $5 hamburger than Carines treated me when purchasing my Oscar de la renta wedding gown. This store has a stranglehold on the Washington bridal dress market and it's lack of incentive to compete shows. I loved my wedding dress, but looking back on the experience and the amount of stress and frustration Carines caused, I would have been much more open to a wider range of designers and geographic locations to have avoided purchasing through Carines. If you you do purchase through Carines, I recommend using American Express so that you are able to dispute inappropriate additional charges that will be slammed on you. read more

I was taken advantage of during the alterations process. I asked to switch tailors, because I didn't feel comfortable with the man they assigned me to and the shop refused (even though they have multiple alterations teams). Then they charged me an extra $800 on top of the $1,000 I had already paid for the tailor to let my dress out after he made it way too tight. Literally got my dress 2 days before my wedding and lost so much sleep in the process which was extremely stressful. I tried to resolve this with management but got no response. I recommend going elsewhere. read more

My experience at Carine's Bridal Atelier was extraordinary. I went alone because my family and friends are quarantining abroad; however, I still had so much fun! My bridal stylist was Liz. I highly recommend asking for her. She is so wonderful, kind, funny, patient, accommodating and friendly. Although, I went alone, it felt like I had a close friend with me giving me honest feedback and helpful recommendations. I probably tried on 9+ dresses, but I never felt rushed. She even helped me take photos of me in the dresses I tried on. Did I mention she also worked at Kleinfeld before this? You'll be in great hands! I loved all of the dresses I tried on at Carine's. They have a wonderful selection, so you won't need to go anywhere else. All of my favorite bridal designers were here. The atmosphere/ambiance was very positive and elegant. I loved the interior decor and layout of the atelier. I felt very at home at Carine's. I would definitely recommend Carine's to anyone who is looking for a boutique with great selection of dresses and incredible customer service. I can't wait to come back to pick out my dress for my big wedding. Thank you Liz, William and Carine! Xx read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - ML dress - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

After searching all over for 'the dress' I found my way into Carine's Aisle and it did not disappoint!! Within 20 minutes I found exactly what I was looking for and couldn't be happier! I snagged this stunning gown and it was worth every penny and more. I highly recommend if you are looking for a designer gown at half the price! Thanks Carine's!! read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - Galia Lahav - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I ended up getting my dress elsewhere, but I have to give Carine's a 5-star review. From the second we walked in (group of 6 including me) we were greeted and welcomed with open arms. Felt very good being there, the vibe was so positive from the staff. The person that greeted us told us to have a seat and our consultant will be with us shortly. Amber came out and greeted us and directed us to the fitting room area to set our stuff down and start looking at dresses together. From the moment Amber came out until the moment we finished out appointment she was very amazing, most positive vibe I've seen, had the most pleasant experience with her. I was so lucky to have her as my consultant that day. She listed to everything I had to say, she was also very respectful to my entire group (unlike some other stores I went to), she kept a positive vibe the whole time and I can say for sure all the dresses she picked for us was exactly within my budget and exactly what I had asked for. It's a bummer that I didn't fall in love with the dresses I tried on, because the experience for sure was a 5-star and it would have been amazing to work with Amber... They do have amazing collections such as Monique Lhuillier ,Vera Wang ,Oscar de la, Renta ,Berta, Inbal Dror, Carolina Herrera, Mira Zwillinger, Liancarlo and more... Also, she did follow up with me, but not in a pushy way, very professional. Defiantly recommend booking your appointment with Amber! read more

I didn't buy my dress here, but loved my experience so leaving a review. Very COVID safe: take your temperature, which I've only had 1 other boutique do before. The stylist was really patient, helped me take photos (because I went alone) and explained all the ways that the dresses could be altered. She event went in the back to find dresses with silhouettes I was interested in even though they weren't on the floor because of repairs being done on them. Really felt like they listened to me and was so helpful here. read more

Carine's is one of 5-6 stores I visited to dress shop and now that I am done with my search, I wanted to share some perspective that I wish someone else had given me when I embarked on this. If you have done your research and are the kind of person who is pretty confident you know your dress just from looking at a picture, AND you are pretty sure that Carine's carries your favorite dress (bc you'll have to email them to get that info - they don't just answer the phone), Carine's is the place for you. You will appreciate the convenience of trying on your dress and going to fittings in the DC area. However, if you are the kind of person who loves a designer but isn't sure you know exactly which dress is "you", this is NOT the place for you. You pay $65 for each visit and that doesn't go towards your dress purchase. And you cannot peruse their store to see what they have (spoiler alert - they do have a lot of beautiful dresses but their entire selection fits in one room in a Georgetown townhouse). And while their sales associates are more than happy to pull dresses for you and the one I worked with was very good at clipping me in (it surprisingly matters), I felt a lot of pressure to make a decision despite clearly not being at ease. They don't counsel you on what look works for your body, your venue, your season, etc, which is absolutely baffling since they ask you for SO MUCH information in order to book an appointment - venue, planner, photographer, etc. What a missed opportunity! To be fair, my stylist was educated and tried to be helpful but she just didn't ask the right questions, and when she realized that I wasn't going to make a decision that day, I could sense her frustration. She clearly wanted to make the sale, which is fine, I get it. I've worked in retail before and have felt that pain. But it just wasn't the experience I wanted. In contrast to Carine's, the designer flagship stores I worked with (I visited and called several) were incredibly accommodating and helpful without making me feel rushed. They asked questions and listened and seemed genuinely interested in offering helpful advice. And after I spoke with them, I never received multiple rounds of texts about whether I was ready to pull the trigger. For example, when I asked ML to make our on site appointment a virtual call because I wasn't feeling well, the answer was "no problem!". The sales associate FaceTimed me and walked around the store zooming in on dresses of interest and describing the fit, fabric, weight, and vibe of each. She even asked me about my plans and tastes and offered her perspective. When I asked ODLR to help me pull dresses that might be available on short notice, multiple stores texted me pictures of what they had in stock. They even squeezed me in for an in store appointment on short notice. An associate at Neiman Marcus bridal in Dallas Texas spent over an hour on the phone with me, giving me guidance on which styles I might like and where I could find them in my area because she didn't carry the designers I was looking for. IMHO this is everything shopping for a $5,000 - $15,000 dress should be. Perhaps it's because ODLR, ML, and NM are in this to make lifelong customers and Carine's knows you only plan on getting married once, which is fair. But it's still a big purchase and for that investment you deserve to have someone help you make the right one. TD:LR - If you want an enjoyable and efficient dress shopping experience, take the $65 that Carine's charges and put it towards a bus or train ticket to NYC. read more

** review is based off the rep that runs the sample sale in the basement** Horrible experience!! We didn't even get to make a purchase! I'm a guy searching for the right dress for my bride. She was super interested in two dresses on the floor. As soon as we walked in the lady threw a bunch of prices at us and didn't ask if she could help us again. After we found 2 dresses we liked I begin to ask question about them. The dresses were "as is" and there was multiple ones with bows and buttons that were ripped off. The representative/worker stated that they could replace/fox for additional charges. Fine... I get that. As we were continuing to shop she later came to me and ask if I could stay away from a certain area of the store that there were ladies that were uncomfortable with ME being in the basement shopping. FIRST OF ALL IM HERE WITh MY FIANCÉ. NOT INTERESTED IN ANY WOMAN IN THAT STORE. secondly you just ticked off a customer that was walking around with $4,000 cash to spend on his fiancée dress... awesome work madam!!! 1 star for the way this women handled me. After she stated that her customers weren't comfortable with me being down there I told my fiancé that we should go. As we're we're leaving the basement the lady Rudely said "Goodbye" in a smart tone. She then SLAMMED the door. I'll keep my $4,000 for the next dress shop that wants it. read more

I said yes to the dress today at Carine's. They have an amazing selection of dresses. I had Briana as my consultant and she was amazing. From the minute I spoke to her over the phone to when we met in person I just had a good feeling that she would be the person to help get me to the finish line. She has an eye for things and was super helpful and sweet. I went to several shops in old town which were nice but in my opinion Carines by far has a very unique and more upscale selection. You really feel like you are getting a one in a million dress. read more

I love Carine's not just because of the great selections but their wonderful service. I had great experiences with Briana, who's the best bridal consultant I've ever worked with. Although I ended up finding a dress elsewhere, I strongly recommend this place to every new bride. read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - Berta - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is the best bridal shop I have been to. After Vera Wang in NYC, BHLDN, this is my favorite bridal shop. They have a large selection of designer dresses and staffs are so friendly. I have been to sample sales before but I'm surprised how many dresses they have for sample sales and they are all in good conditions. I love the store and the sample sales in the basement a lot. I said yes to my Vera Wang dress which is half price for sample sale. read more

See all

Carine's was my first and only stop when shopping for a wedding gown. I've always been obsessed with bridal gowns, and had big plans to do a trip to NYC to visit different designers when I got engaged. However, when I saw that Carine's was having a Mira Zwillinger trunk show right here in DC we decided to stop there first. My mother, friends, and I were blown away by the quality of the salon, the wide range of top designers they carry, and the knowledge of Carine and our stylist, Lauren. I tried on 5 dresses before finding "the one," and a representative from Mira Zwillinger was even able to help us make small alterations to seal the deal. Once my dress arrived, the alterations team did a flawless job handling the small tweaks we wanted to make. I could not have been more excited about the final product, and felt absolutely perfect on our wedding day! Truly can't recommend this salon enough, and have already referred friends who have also had flawless experiences with Carine and her team. Thank you! read more

I went to all the DC bridal shops, and a couple in VA and MD, and Carine's is by far the best selection and service! They make you feel comfortable and special, have the nicest store/atmosphere and have a selection that is chic/adheres to all price points. Could not recommend more!! read more

Carine's Bridal/Aisle is truly the Kleinfeld of the DMV. Carine is the fairy godmother of bridal gowns and while I didn't find my dress here, she taught me SO much about what I want in a dress. Carine was extremely knowledgeable and put so much thought, effort, and time into my appointment. I felt like an absolute princess. We talked for about 5 minutes before shopping through the racks and she knew my style right away. I have tried on a lot of dresses, none of which came close to "the one" until I visited Carine's. Lastly, my appointment was in person during COVID and the $45 cleaning fee was SO worth it. She takes the ultimate amount of caution to stay safe, clean, and social distance. Cannot recommend Carine's enough. Everything about this store and the experience feels magical. read more

I said yes to the dress! My experience was amazing! The store is on the second floor so if you don't pay attention you could miss the sign (my mom did). As soon as you walk in it's like you're in this amazing wedding dress closet. Honestly I want me closer to look like it, not all wedding dresses of course! This was one of two places I wanted to go to find my dress in the DMV area and I'm so happy I came here! Briana was my consultant and SHE WAS AMAZING! She really listened to what kind of look and feel I was going for and stuck to the budget. If I picked something out of our budget she would let me know. She was more than knowledgable about the fabrics, designers, what would look good on me, and what wouldn't look good on me. She made me feel so comfortable and made the experience more than I imagined. She even brought the champagne out when I said yes! I can't wait to see her again when I go in for my fittings/alterations. I would definitely recommend this bridal salon. Literally it's like your a princess playing dress up! read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - My amazing bridal consultant Briana! - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I bought my dress at Carine's, and had an appointment to have alterations done. I ended up wanting a different dress, and I backed out of getting my alterations done at Carine's. Carine herself still charged me $900 for the alterations (that I never had done) "per the contract." That's a pretty outrageous fine for cancelling alterations, and made a bad situation worse. Id recommend going just about anywhere else for a less pretentious, higher end experience. read more

Talk about an extremely disappointing visit. My cousin's fiancee had planned a full Saturday of wedding dress shopping. There were several of us (including her mom) in from out of town to do this first foray out. The bride had made several appointments at boutiques around town a good month in advance of our visit and confirmed all of them the week before. She had heard great things about Carine's, which was our first stop of the day. We walked in chattering and excited, were handed some bottles of water, and immediately began looking at the dresses. We were all very excited. Five minutes later, we were angry. The receptionist came up and said she couldn't find our appointment, and asked who we spoke to. The bride said she had confirmed an appointment with Jessica a week earlier, and the receptionist just mumbled something about getting a new computer system, moving their records, and that the appointment must have gotten lost. We left flustered, confused, and having 2 hours to kill before our next appointment. If it were just a matter of a technological glitch, that would have been one thing. But their team was completely unapologetic for their error. We were downstairs and out the door before someone ran outside to ask if we wanted to look at their next available appointment. At which point the bride, who was very upset, said that many of us were in town only that weekend to dress shop. The woman shrugged and gave us a flippant "sorry" before walking back upstairs. I was completely turned off by the lack of follow-through and dismissive attitude towards customers. They may have couture dresses, but you'll have a much better, more pleasant and professional experience at, well, a department store. read more

The best thing about Carine's is their selection! They had a lot of non-strapless dresses to choose from here. I saw Amanda at Carine's Bridal and she started working with me even though I was half an hour early for my appointment. She realized that I was a novice and suggested some things right off the bat from my very minimal description of what I thought I might like. I think she ended up picking out about six dresses, and I liked almost every one of them! It was hard to narrow it down to my top four! She figured out my style pretty quickly and made lots of specific suggestions of how I might be able to tweak a dress to make it my own. She also suggested future trunk shows that I might be interested in. Another great thing about Carine's is that they let you take photos with as many dresses as you like! All in all, I do like Carine's a bit better than Hitched because they seemed to have more of a selection of dresses that I was into. read more

After reading others' reviews, I feel like I was at a totally different place. I don't get the stellar reviews. Parking was metered and is on the street. When I walked upstairs, the door to Carine's opens right into a small reception table. The place was small and tight. There was nowhere to sit and wait, and when I arrived the staff told me to either hang out for 20 minutes until my appointment or go to the Starbucks next door. I looked at the dresses a few times hanging on the racks and then just ended up standing around waiting. Had I known there was no place it sit and wait I wouldn't have walked in so early. The place was dingy. The carpet needs a good cleaning, the doorknobs needed washing, and the dresses all had a tinge of grey like they had been touched way too much. What really sucked was that my pedestal to try on dresses was literally 4 feet away from the girl next to me. That was soooo awkward. Especially when she went back to a fitting room to put on a new dress, her entourage of 5 people had nothing else to do but look at me. So I had these strangers I had never met stare at me trying on dresses and listen to my comments about what I liked and didn't like about each one. The staff was awesome - that I will agree on with the other reviewers. They were super friendly, helpful and nice. Maybe if I had a private room (which I think there was 2 behind curtains but I'm not sure) I would have had a different experience. I really would only recommend coming here if you have a specific designer in mind that nobody else carries. The overall experience here didn't leave me warm and fuzzy even though the staff was great. Oh and I found my dress at another place out in Herndon of all places! read more

I went here dress shopping last week. Despite the store being appointment only, I was able to secure a late afternoon appointment on little notice. The store was very nice and everyone was very helpful. The dresses are beautiful and, though the store is a fairly small, there's a pretty decent selection. However, the dresses are very pricey. The sample that I tried on, one of the most inexpensive dresses in the store, was $2700--and that was if I bought the sample. This store was outside my price range, but I would recommend it for people who had a large budget. Nothing out of the ordinary, but definitely worth checking out. read more

This was the first store I visited in looking for my dress, and I returned for a second view and to try on some additional ones. I had an absolutely wonderful experience here. Ashley was my bridal consultant, and she was extremely sweet and helpful. She was very patient the two times I came in. The entire staff was generally very nice, caring, and helpful. (I nearly had to cancel my appointment because I landed in the hospital the night before and just about everyone at the atelier inquired after my well being.) They also helped me secure a second look at a dress that was part of a trunk show, and they negotiated on my behalf with the designer to waive the rush fee I would incur. (It turns out you cannot order a dress within 5 months of your wedding without a rush fee.) I liked Ashley's ideas on customizing different dresses-- sashes and such. The dresses here are very beautiful, made of high quality luxurious materials. They are also very pricey. There is good privacy and a large space for trying on dresses, and comfortable seating for the entourage. I especially liked that the two fitting areas were on opposite ends of the store so I had some extra sense of privacy while showing off my dresses. I would have given this store 5 stars except that there was not much of a selection of dresses that offer more coverage or a selection of more affordable dresses. (Clearly this will not matter to everyone.) Three of the four stores I visited had the same issue-- mostly strapless dresses-- but Carine's had a far smaller selection of non-strapless dresses than any other. I was reminded at every store that I could have sleeves or straps added, but I really did not want to buy a dress without seeing what it looked like in its final form. All in all I would definitely encourage all brides to visit Carine's Bridal Atelier, at least to feel a bit of glamour and set the gold standard for a dress experience. read more

My sister bought her wedding dress here after (what seemed like) endless searching. (Sorry, I'm a guy. I don't get the wedding dress thing.) But all the anxiety that my sister built for 24 years was erased by the tranquility of Carine. It was all my sister could talk about. I don't know how stressful a wedding can be, (yet), but to see my sister confident that she got the best wedding dress around was all I wanted. Thank you, Carine, for your patience and your expertise. I'm glad I have a chance to tell the world about your amazing store. All the best, D.C. read more

I said yes to the dress here! Carine's was not a store that I initially chose to visit during my dress hunt. Honestly, I was worried it would be a little too upscale. After visiting 9 other salons and not being able to find a dress I was getting frustrated (and almost desperate). And then, I saw what I thought would be my future dress on a wedding blog. It was a Liancarlo, and Carine's is the only store in the area who carries that designer. So I emailed them to see if they carried that particular dress in the store AND THEY DID. It was fate. My consultant at the appointment was Victoria, she was wonderful! I really was only interested in Liancarlo dresses but she pulled a few other designers for me that I liked, but didn't love. Unfortunately I was not in love with the dress of my dreams. I just couldn't make a decision so I went home empty handed. A week later I discovered a few other Liancarlo dresses online that I loved but Carine's did not carry them. However, Victoria called the designer and arranged to have them shipped to me. I had to pay a $50 shipping fee, but that fee would be credited to the dress if I purchased it. This was it, either I was getting one of these dresses or I was just going to get married in a pantsuit a la Carrie Bradshaw. When the dresses arrived I came back for another appointment. I went back and forth between the dresses and it was nerve wracking and I couldn't decide! But Victoria and the other girls in the store were very supportive and never rushed me to make a decision. When I finally chose a dress, they brought out champagne in a can for my mom and me! They even gave me a trunk show discount since the designer was having a trunk show literally the next weekend. As for the space, it is not huge. When you come out of a dressing room to look in the big mirror, you're literally in the middle of the store. Someone who is super self-conscious might not like that, but I didn't care. I would recommend asking to have the fitting room with the windows, natural light can make a really big difference! I'd recommend making an appointment here if you have a large budget because the designers they carry are on the pricier side. So with all that said, I found an amazing dress at Carine's and I thought the people who worked there were great and they went above and beyond to help me find my beautiful dress. read more

The selection was great, but in the end, the service is what drove me away. I did NOT buy my dress here. I got a little lost on the way there and called to ask directions and inform my assistant that I would be five minutes late. I hate being late, maybe that is what made it more obvious to me that she was annoyed when I arrived. I wasn't really asked what style I was looking for or given any helpful guidance, we just walked through the racks of dresses while I gave a thumbs up or thumbs down. At a different bridal boutique, the assistant's guidance led me to a style I would have never considered for myself. Ultimately I was rushed and left not really sure of what really worked for me, I just know I saw a lot of pretty dresses. Maybe I just had a bad draw with my assistant. I give them 3 stars instead of 2 simply based on the selection of dresses, which are worth a look. read more

All I can say is Wow. I had an amazing time at Carine's this past weekend shopping for my wedding dress with my mom, and to be sister-in-law and mother-in-law. It was my first day dress shopping, and of the three we had planned, Carine's was the first. Of the whole day, my best experience and favorite dresses came from Carine's. I am SO glad that I started the day here! First of all, I made it clear even before I arrived that I would only be looking at the sample dresses. My budget was $2500, and up to $3000. Their dresses start at $3,000, but their samples start at $2000. Even though I made it clear that I was only looking at samples, my wonderful fabulous could-not-be-better consultant, named Maddie, treated me as if I was looking at $10,000. Of the three bridal salons we had appointments at that day, Maddie was by far the most attentive and impressive consultant I had. Since I had an open mind about what I wanted, she brought me a variety of dress styles, really listened to the feedback from me and my family, incorporated that into what she showed us next, helped me into every dress, and generally just made me feel really comfortable and good about myself, giving me a confidence boost that was so crucial for the day. Maddie never tried to upsell me or push me past a price point that I was comfortable with. One of the most telling points for me about how attentive Maddie was came during my second appointment. My future sister-in-law wanted to see a veil with a dress I was trying on at the second place, and the consultant at that place brought a veil that must have been just the first one she saw. It was heavy and didnt go with the dress at all. Maddie at Carine's Bridal, on the other hand, had showed us a veil with a couple different dresses. Each time, she really thought about which veil to bring me. For example, the veil that she brought me for a lace dress I had tried on was very different from the veil that she brought me for a satin dress. That kind of thoughtfulness and attentiveness makes such a big difference when you're shopping for such a large and important purchase. And then, to top it all off, of the five dresses that I am now completely torn between, four of them are at Carine's. So, in addition to the fantastic service (i was so nervous that consultants at a higher end store would be judgmental, but the reality with Maddie could not have been more opposite), the dresses are BEAUTIFUL and so well made. And I only looked at samples! So...dang. Great place, gorgeous dresses, and the service could not be beat. My family and I are still talking about how special Maddie and Carine's Bridal made me and all of us feel. Thank you Maddie and Carine's for an experience that truly cannot be topped. read more

I was a bit nervous going to my appointment at Carine's because my budget was on the lower end of what they offer - I was worried I wouldn't find what I was looking for, would be pressured into looking at pricier gowns, or maybe wouldn't be given the same degree of service as bigger budget brides. My actual experience was nothing short of magical. The consultant who helped us, Bianca, was so sweet and completely set us at ease, and really took the time to understand what I was looking for. She was extremely knowledgeable and excellent at clipping me in and providing feedback on styling and customization ideas. We never felt rushed even though I tried on probably at least 15 dresses across my two appointments. The selection of dresses is also really incredible - many designers you can't find anywhere else within hundreds of miles. After two appointments I said yes to an incredible ML dress and could not be happier with my experience at Carine's so far, and I can't praise Bianca highly enough! read more

SAMPLE SALE! AKA visit #2 I visited Carine's for the second time today (Yes, I plan to update w/ each visit. I'm neurotic like that.). Carine's was the very first stop in my wedding dress search, and it was so easy and fun! Since then, I've hit 4 or 5 other stores (Hitched, Love Couture, David's--UGH UGH SHUDDER--, I Do I Do) before returning to the safe haven that is Carine's. See my other reviews for details re: other bridal salons. SELECTION PROCESS: My consultant, Jessica, was nice enough to start from scratch. I did get to try on my favorite Jenny Lee from my initial visit, and Jessica even suggested a very similar Jenny Lee that was $1,000 cheaper! Jessica also pulled my sample sale picks and added several sample and regular gowns. DRESS SELECTION: To be honest, I wasn't very excited by many of the sample dresses. They were in pretty good condition, but they weren't my style. Perhaps they just seemed a bit less glamorous because they were on the "Other" (sale) rack? Either way, I found only 1 sample dress I liked on me. Jessica also pulled some great non-sample sale dresses. Like Ashley, Jessica listened to my feedback and continually edited the dress selection and order to fit my needs. Again, there was some good belt/sash/accessories action as well. OUTCOME: Ok, sample sale or not, I am a very, VERY indecisive person. Even the prospect of saving $4,000 (as was the case today) isn't enough to push me into making a decision. Carine and Jessica were wonderfully patient when I explained that I'm the kind of person who needs to have Mom's approval. So Carine propped her laptop on the sofa and actually took photos of my top picks (front and back) and emailed the photos and dress information. I'm really happy with the service I received today, despite being a "bargain-hunting" sample sale shopper. I'm hoping Mom gives one of the dresses her seal of approval. If not, I'll start from scratch yet again. Either way, I'll probably go back to Carine's to get THE DRESS, whichever dress that ends up being.... read more

After going to a million and a half bridal appointments, I can look back and say that Carine's was one of the best experiences we had. Not only is Carine's just a joy to be in, with the beautiful layout and bright lighting, but it manages to feel intimate, even though you're standing in the middle of the store. Everyone at Carine's was extremely knowledgable, and was able to pick out a wonderful variety of dresses for my sister to try on that stayed within our budget (for the most part).). A special shout out to Jessica, who was just perfect. She was able to inform us of every fact about every dress, helped us in every way possible, talked us through the pros and cons of every dress, and somehow managed to find the best dress ever for my sister, despite not being the type she was looking for initially. In the end, we did not get the dress here, but I truly enjoyed our experience of trying on dresses and would recommend Carine's to everyone I know. read more

Gorgeous bridal salon with designer gowns. Friendly staff that are a knowledgeable about designs, dress styles, trunk shows, etc. Unfortunately I experienced a disconnect when trying to schedule an appointment. Emailed and followed the instructions to list specific dates/times of availability. Received a generic email asking me to call to schedule, called the salon multiple times, left a message on the last try, still did not hear back. Finally decided to just stop by to see if they were open, they had no available appointments the rest of the week. Staff was accommodating and tried to fit me into the trunk show, unfortunately the designer they had visiting was out of my price range. Luckily I found an absolutely PERFECT gown in NYC so my search is over :) My advice - be persistent about calling/email to schedule an appointment, this place is definitely busy busy busy! read more

I just got my dress here and I am SO excited. I was also very happy to buy my dress specifically at Carine's because the staff is so exceedingly nice. This was my first stop when dress shopping and I have to say I was afraid dress shopping was more like jeans shopping (you feel awful about yourself, you spend way more than you want to etc) so I was pleasantly surprised to find that I felt awesome and wasn't pressured into spending more than my budget allowed. Carine worked with me to find dresses that fit my venue, style, figure, and budget. Plus, the store has a large variety of designers and styles. And most importantly, I wasn't rushed out after a predetermined set of time (Hannelore's and Hitched, I'm looking at you), which meant a lot to me since my mom was only in town for a few days. Whether or not you're a "typical" bride, you want to feel gorgeous and catered to and you can't help feeling that way here. read more

I won't be purchasing my dress here (only because my budget is way under their average), but I highly recommend stopping by and checking them out. I came early on a Saturday before the rush of Georgetown started, and it was a great time. It wasn't crowded, etc. By the time I left, it was getting cramped in there (is it really necessary to bring 5-6 people with you?) as the space isn't all that large. The staff was really friendly, they allow you to take as many pictures as you want, and they do have a great selection of dresses. I tried on a few that I probably wouldn't have normally, but the consultant suggested them and I didn't regret it. Check it out! read more

Carine and her team are great. My wedding dress was beautiful and the alterations were perfect, which led to a comfortable and carefree day. The place is also very low-stress and low-drama; everyone there seems to genuinely care about the wellbeing of the brides and does everything they can to make finding a dress and getting it alerted as easy and fun as possible. It was wonderful to have a nice place to go for my fittings. Highly recommended. read more

Carine's Bridal Atelier - Wedding Dress from Carine's Bridal - Bridal Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I would give Carine's 5 stars on selection and atmosphere but just 2 stars in my experience of getting my gown tailored. Their tailoring is very expensive, and I wasn't really wowed with the final result. The bustle fell down after half and hour and the top of the gown gaped a bit in photos. I think it's a great place to buy a gown, but not to tailor one. read more