Thank you to Khadija and Maheen for their expertise and workmanship they showed when altering a gown recently. They were willing to make accommodations for my rush request and were cheerful about it. I appreciate the time and energy they spent on my gown. I can't wait to wear this beautiful gown, made possible by these lovely talented ladies. Thank you , Diane R. read more

I made an appointment by myself on a Saturday just to figure out what wedding dress shopping is all about. Not going to lie, I was expecting to be paired with a stylist, asked what my favorite style was, then given a bunch of options to try on.... This was not that, but that's okay! Before coming to my appointment, I was sent a messaging requesting I limit the amount of people coming with me because there is limited space. I had an appointment but waited about 10-15 minutes until a stylist was available. I was matched up with Hosana who was super friendly! She told me to pick out 5 dresses or more that I wanted to try on. A lot of the try on dresses were between sizes 4-12~. There are options in larger sizes but it didn't seem like a lot of variety. There's a large clearance wall separated by size. My stylist recommended trying on something bigger if possible and they could clip it in the back. I tried on five dresses and really liked one. Hosana took pictures of me in all of the dresses and she explained to me what happens next once you want to order the dress. It was really pleasant working with her. I didn't purchase anything same day but I saw another woman who selected a dress. They gave her a sign and told her to ring a bell really loud when she was ready and we would all cheer for her. It felt really special even as someone who was just watching lol I would recommend coming here. I'm still going to try a few other dress places but I do hope I pick the dress I really liked. read more

Say Yes to the Dress! And Najoua Almi!!! My brother and my new sister in law eloped and with the assistance of Najoua we found the perfect dress and shoes in less than an hour! The selection was good and the prices are very fair, but Najoua Almi was amazing. I highly recommend for all your wedding needs. 5 stars! read more

Do not trust the alterations here - this is the second time I've been screwed. Nearly 20 years ago, I purchased a bridesmaid dress here and they altered the dress so tight I literally could not breathe. When I protested during the fitting they told me 'it has to be this tight'. I had to switch out of the dress for the reception because I literally could not eat while wearing it. I just picked up my wedding dress and they've once again altered a dress to a point where it's practically unwearable. The person staffing the alterations when I picked it up could barely get the zipper to close because the dress is now so tight. But I've already paid (they have you pay for all alterations in advance...I wonder why) and my ceremony is in four days. I'll have to find another dress to wear in short order because the one I bought here is essentially trash unless I lose 10 pounds by Monday. I truly wish I never stepped foot in this place. read more

We went here yesterday to shop for my sisters upcoming wedding. All the staff was really nice and the dresses were reasonably priced. We made an appointment for an hour and was able to try on several dresses. read more

Coming from someone who's about to be a bridesmaid for the third time in two years (whew!), I know now to order dresses way in advanced. Wedding is in about 8 months so I decided it was time to head in. Before coming in, I called to make sure they had the styles the bride had asked for. The lady behind the phone was super helpful and set aside the dresses I needed. I didn't have an appointment, but when I came in, they graciously squeezed me into a fitting room, wrote my name on a tag, and paired me with an associate named Nicole L. Nicole was super helpful in grabbing me the dresses that were set aside, giving honest feedback, helping with sizing, and inputting the dress into the bride's event under her David's Bridal event. Though I didn't buy right away (wedding is in NJ and there's no clothing tax over there ), I so appreciate Nicole and the lady on the phone helping me out and giving me the time to find THE PERFECT bridesmaid dress. read more

David's Bridal - Galina Signature - Bridal Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Employees were kind, our dress assistant was amazing. She pulled so many dresses to make sure we found the perfect style, color and size. Only thing I didn't like was that they didn't have mirrors in the dressing rooms, wasn't sure if it's intentional but that was the only thing I can complain about. Other wise it was a great experience. read more

Great location for me, but short handed and manager wasn't helpful at all. Only one stylist working at 6:15 but she was helpful and friendly-request Kelly. Customer service is everything, so with that said heading back to the Woodbridge location. read more

I wish I could write a great review about this place but absolutely not. I came in for my alterations, they took complete advantage of the fact I was alone during this. The lady was pinning my dress in places that did not need to be pinned and I could feel it in my stomach that this was going to go terribly wrong if I followed through. My dress fit me like a glove and all I needed was just padding on the inside. I called them 5 hours later and told them never mind with the alterations and that I would get my dress the next day instead. Told me that they will not refund me for the price I paid for the alterations and that I signed a "non-refundable" contract with them - which is ridiculous because I assumed it was non-refundable when you get actual alterations done. Not helpful at all. They were incredibly stoic and apathetic about the situation and refused to comply or give me anything in return. Told them I'm calling corporate to get this sorted. I have no idea how you can just charge someone money, for no alterations to be done. Never coming here ever again and I am extremely disappointed with David's Bridal. Save your money and go somewhere else for alterations, all I have read is that they are horrendous with alterations and will mess up your dress and I believe it from my experience. read more

Hi, I'm Monica! I used to work for David's Bridal several years ago in Colorado Springs. I got engaged last February, and when I went home to buy my dress I went to David's Bridal. My family and all of my friends are in Colorado, so doing my wedding dress appointment in their Colorado Springs location (that I used to work at) I expected the same bubbly energy I always gave to my brides. Unfortunately I didn't get that at all there, but I still found my dress. I made an appointment here back home at the Springfield location, for my one bridesmaid that I have here. I was 100% blown away by the customer service. From the second we walked in we were welcomed and assisted with the dresses I had on my wish list. I was told that my stylist wasn't in yet, but got us started. Well.. Samantha and I were already having a blast when (please forgive me, I had her name right here in my head until I started writing this.. M something!!?) Anyways, she showed up and basically just joined our party, made us feel so welcome, and we found our dress! I only WISH I would have had her as the stylist back in Colorado Springs when I shopped for my wedding dress. Thank you so much M for the best day! read more

David's Bridal - Bridal Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

PSA for those looking at getting a dress from David's Bridal: I needed sleeves added to my wedding dress and they told me they could add them without difficulty. A month later they call me in to see the finished product and the sleeves are a disaster. They don't match the fabric of the dress, are asymmetrical, there are holes everywhere, and they bunch up in weird places. They also added a bit of fabric to make the back more covered, and the buttons are barely holding on. I can't even put on the dress without it falling apart. I now have to find a new dress less than 3 months before my wedding and David's Bridal refuses to refund me. So if you are thinking about getting a dress from David's Bridal, make sure you don't need substantial alterations because they won't be upfront with you about the skill level of their seamstresses. read more

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What an awful experience we had at David's Bridal in Springfield today. I have shopping on this location a few years back and was pretty happy with my past experience so I decided to make an appointment to my close friend who is getting married in September. Unfortunately it was a totally different experience. If I could I would give 0 stars review and highly recommend if you are shopping around don't go there. The staff was really rude, the stylist who was "helping" us told the bride to be that she would be able to try only dresses in her budget. They also refused let her try more than 5 different styles. They told us if she wanted to see more options she would need to make another appointment even thought the store was empty. They pretty much push us out of the door. It is such was a special day for all of us and it almost got ruined if wasn't for the David's bridal on Potomac Mills. I called them and explained what happened in Springfield and they told us they would take care of the bride without an appointment. We were so well treated in there and I was so happy for my friend who found her beautiful dress! read more

I stopped by here earlier this year to go wedding dress shopping with my friends. When we arrived, I mentioned to the consultant that I was looking for an A-line dress with simple straps. She said she would pull a few options. When I got into the fitting room, she had pulled a strapless dress and a fit and flare option. I mentioned that the options didn't meet what I was looking for and the consultant was really pushy and told me to try it on and trust her. I felt absolutely terrible in all of the options I tried on. I specifically asked for a-line with simple straps because I knew I would feel comfortable with that style and I didn't have an opportunity to try on any styles that matched. She kept trying to push the strapless or fit and flare. I didn't like how I looked in the dresses and the material didn't feel nice so I left after 10-15 minutes. I was pretty upset because I felt like the consultant didn't listen to anything I said read more

I had an amazing experience here! The first time I tried to go wedding dress shopping, I went to a boutique. I thought I wanted the "whole sipping champagne while standing in a beautiful little shop" experience. However, real life turned out to be different. I found the boutique experience to be stuffy and a little pushy. I left disappointed having found nothing I really liked and feeling discouraged because everything was so expensive. My experience at David's Bridal was so. much. better! I booked an appointment online, which was very easy and intuitive. David's Bridal then sends you emails letting you know how to get ready for your appointment. When I walked in, the atmosphere was relaxed and casual. Totally different from the high-pressure boutique experience. My stylist was Suzy and she is the BOM DOT COM! Trust me, you want to work with Suzy. She knows her stuff! I knew what I was looking for and she did a good job listening to my preferences. She then picked out a dress that I hadn't even considered, and that is the dress I ended up loving the most! She also picked out a gorgeous veil that just was so perfect for my vibe. Here's what you need to know about David's Bridal: You need to make an appointment in advance in order to have the best experience (which is easy to do online). They have a huge selection, which for me was very comforting. This is not a one-on-one experience - your stylist will be multi-tasking between you and other appointments. However, I actually preferred this. I came with my mom, so I already had someone to zip me up and I personally prefer not to have a stranger do that haha. The store was actually nicer than I was expecting. Not a boutique, but not dingy either by any means. It was a very nice shopping experience. So if you are a bride on a budget, you made an appointment online, and you have someone you can bring with you to zip you up into the dresses, 10/10 recommend David's Bridal. Also, did I mention that Suzy is AMAZING!? Give that woman a raise! read more

With all the COVID disruptions we decided to scale our wedding down and get married quickly. I needed a dress that would ship within two weeks and David's Bridal in Springfield were so accommodating and a pleasure to work with. They have a large collection and Suzy, the sales rep who helped me, asked me all the right questions to ultimately help me pick out the perfect dress. I wouldn't have chosen this dress for myself had she not pulled it for me, but it fit me like a glove. She knew exactly what size I should order, who color suited my skin tone, and gave me an honest answer about when the dress was going to arrive in the store. Thanks to Suzy's knowledge of bridal ware and the collection, she made this process so easy and stress free. The store was very tidy and clean with a very strict mask rule for the staff and customers. Details that are very much appreciated during COVID! read more

David's Bridal - Loving my dress! - Bridal Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

If I could give more stars I would ! Mary L , Alana and manager on duty on 9/3/2024 were absolutely amazing ! Our local David's bridal shut down so we had to travel over an hour to go and my daughters dress was pretty snug and they were able to order her another and have it here and supposed to be able to do any alterations if needed all before her October wedding. You made a mama and Bride happy and will definitely go back adn refer to them thank you ladies ! They went above and beyond read more

No refunds are being given. Lousy customer service. They can't own up to their own mistake in measurements. Shame on me for thinking a seamstress could write down correct numbers. I will never be setting foot in another David's Bridal store. read more

Had a very poor experience here. From the moment I arrived - bad vibes. It's a no from me, dawg. Good dress selection but my consultant was clueless. Before the consultant even introduced herself - she told me we had a time limit (which [for me] is just not a great way to kick things off). Luckily, I had two former brides with me, so I wasnt totally left to figure things out on my own. The consultant was pressty stand-off ish as well. She wasn't super engaged or "ready to jump in" when it came time to help get me in or out of the dresses. She had a hard time writing the dress numbers/codes down correctly; luckily, I took pics of the tags but I was def like...oh no. None of the dresses I had emailed the shop were pulled for me ahead of time, and some of the dresses weren't available. Her iPad want working (obvi not her fault), but all these things started adding up and I couldn't be in the moment. Which as I re-read this sounds pretty sad! What was really annoying was that a group of people who didn't have an appointment we're sitting in my bridal "staging area". I asked my constant multiple times if she would ask them to move, but she sort of walked away/acted like she didn't hear me. One of my family members told me later she said, "It's not my job to tell people what to do." ‍ Both of the brides I was with got their dresses from a DB but in another state. Needless to say, they told me they couldn't beleive how poorly the consultation went. I feel really angry because three of the four people with me had to fly in from out of state to witness this subpar experience unfold. This was my first time wedding dress shopping, so the bar is pretty low. All I can say is that it'll definitely be a memory we all laugh about later. read more

It's a shame for me to write this because S. Choon gets 5 stars. She took great care of us and was extremely cordial and professional. Sales "Manager" SARAH DIXON gets negative -5 stars because she doesn't even deserve one star for the way she treated us tonight. I'm in the customer service/management part of my industry, and people like her with such poor customer service and a fragile ego wouldn't last a day in management with the extraordinarily rude & unprofessional service that I just received. This "Sales Manager" wouldn't even give me her name. She rudely stated at the end that her name was printed at the top of the receipt (I guess as a way to try to recover.) By the way she was acting, I doubt the folks above her really care or won't do anything about this. I'm not one to write a negative review online, but this was just disgraceful and she should be ashamed of herself. On top of that if she's the manager, she's setting an extremely poor example to the other 3 associates that were standing around watching our interaction. Shame on you Sarah Dixon, you could have done so much better! read more

My wedding dress was shipped to one of my bridesmaids. I was supposed to pick the dress up in store. I never received a call/email/tracking nothing - store just took the dress & shipped it out. To my bridesmaid. Customer service confirmed that the store would email a shipping label to my bridesmaid to forward the dress to me. Four hours later, this location tried to tell me that they couldn't actually do that. Not only would they have to physically mail the shipping label to my bridesmaid but they could only have it sent back to the store. I paid $35 to have her send it directly to me. I'd love to continue to elaborate on all of the incredible displays of incompetence I've experienced from this store but there's a character limit. Shop online or go to a different location. read more

Don't shop here, I would have given 0 out of 5 stars if possible. I recently had an appointment where my mother felt very ridiculed and ignored. My sister's wedding is soon and her and all her nine bridesmaids made appointments at this location on different occasions and always received top customer service from the associate who would assist them. My mom, however, did not receive the same type of assistance. Despite having an appointment in which my mother and I arrived on time, my bridal consultant, Alana, was not giving her the same assistance as another person who arrived 30 mins after my mother and I . My mother speaks broken English and I understand if at times people may have difficulty understanding her, however, Alana completely just ignored her when she spoke with her and did not provide the customer service we were hoping for. When my mother asked politely if they carried any gold colored dress, the lady rudely said they didn't sell gold dresses and my mom should "just look for herself". After a whole 15 seconds my sister found the gold colored dress, in which my mom then asked for a different size in the same or any similar dress. She asked for a size eight (which she had been measured for only a month prior) but the lady decided and said "you're more of a size 16" which was funny coming from that whale of a consultant! When my mom came out of the dressing room in the clearly oversized dress, Alana headed straight to the other customer and asked if they needed help, completely disregarding my mom. After waiting for over 20 minutes, my mom decided to express her frustration to the manager in which Alana just seemed to show attitude when she did. If the manager who assisted us is reading this, thank you for your help. Please give Alana more training since she clearly lacks basic customer service skills and maybe even a mint next time around! read more

This was first and only bridal shopping experience and I have to thank Mimi, my stylist at my appointment, for helping me find "the one"! Mimi took my budget and the fact that I'm getting married on the beach into consideration when selecting gowns for me to try on. Mimi made a point to make sure I was as comfortable as possible when changing between gowns and gave really good feedback on the fit/alterations that could be made specific to each gown. She was so sweet and got along great with my guests! Thank you again Mimi for making my experience so flawless and fun! read more

David's Bridal - Bridal Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

Bridesmaid Point of View: Came to Davids Bridal multiple times to find a a bridesmaid dress for my friend's wedding. I was lucky enough to find one after multiple attempts. Our first helper was so patient and understanding what we were looking for. The second helper was persistent and very pushy. I found it much easier to make an appointment online rather by phone. As well, there are multiple parking spots in front of David's Bridal store. read more

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I went into the Springfield location on Wednesday looking for a last minute dress for my Vegas wedding this Friday. Sharon was a true lifesaver. She didn't give up even when I wasn't hopeful we'd find anything that I'd like and in my price range. I left there so excited and grateful. Thank you sooooooo much Sharon you are the best!!!!!!! read more

David's Bridal - My Wedding dress - Bridal Near Me - Springfield, Virginia

I went in there not planning on really getting anything. I just wanted to look around and see what I saw but I met Kathy Johnson. I had the best experience ever. I loved every bit of my time with her and didn't want to leave. I would suggest her because she seems like she truly loves her job. Just never go on the weekend. I went on a Friday and it was pretty nice and calm which I like. I found my dress and I was so happy. I even got discounts and was just HAPPY overall. I would suggest everyone go there. Just everyone. They have pries for all, literally. I will definitely be going back and telling my friends to go back too. SHE found my perfect dress. I just came along for the ride. read more

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Not only was my sisters experience with Lisa disheartening, but her unhelpful attitude also affected the enjoyment of my family, who were with her for support. The lack of assistance and professionalism from both Lisa and the overall environment at David's Bridal made what should have been a joyful occasion quite the opposite. It's disheartening when a special moment is marred by poor customer service. read more

Unfortunately, I had a horrible experience at David's Bridal (Springfield) today. When I asked if they had a specific bridesmaid dress, I was told I could not be helped. I tried to ask a different associate and was again told I could not be helped. I finally found the dress for which I was looking, and I asked to be in line for a dressing room. After 25 minutes (which I understand because it was busy), an associate approached a few people in line and said, "I have an open room". However, I had no clue as to who she was referring. So I asked "For me?". She did not respond, yet rolled her eyes. It turns out she was actually referring to me. So, I went into the fitting room and she left after I asked if she could help zip up my dress. I ended up having to call for my husband to help me. Meanwhile, there were several sales associates just "hanging out" not willing to help when I asked. What should have been an exciting experience for a bridesmaid, turned out to be horrific. I hope no one else has to experience this here. I get it...everyone has a bad day; however, it's not hard to treat people with kindness. As an individual who struggles with self-image, all I hope for is that this business can learn from this review. Do better. You never know the impact you'll have on others. read more

Ask for Suzy when you book your appointment! She was the sweetest and so informative.

My fiancé and I were shopping for a wedding dress on short notice and with a budget under $1,000. A real bridal gown would easily cost several thousand dollars or more, and tailoring and customizing a gown might cost an additional thousand dollars at most stores. We expected the gown selection and purchase process to be a long and difficult one. We decided to go to David's Bridal in Virginia Beach. The first dress I tried there was a perfect fit. We were told of the return and exchange policy that allows customers to return or try something different if the dress doesn't work out for any reason. David's Bridal in Springfield, VA, provided us excellent customer service. Although we got the dress in Virginia Beach, we received service at their Springfield store close to where we live, because these stores work together as one. We cannot write enough about the staff, inventory selection, classic styles, and affordable prices we found at David's Bridal. We would recommend that any couple who is shopping for a classic, quality, and affordable wedding dress to go to David's Bridal first. It will be a hassle free experience! read more

I'm not sure what I expected from David's bridal but I guess I thought it might be cheesy. Only because it's one of those places you don't think about til you need it. For my daughter's wedding I looked at so many dresses and finally went to David's. The lady there Suzy was so nice and very knowledgeable and helped me find a dress that I like and fit. Wedding is Saturday but I appreciated their help so much and they do alterations on site. read more

The alterations department need some work on how to handle a customer. I went in today for my final fitting for my bridesmaids dress and unfortunately it was a little snug in empire part of the dress. The seamstress ( didn't catch her name she short and I assume was in charge tonight 9/9) then told me I had gained and after telling her that I do weigh myself weekly she the takes out the tape measured and takes my measurements and tells me I have gained weight by telling me the measurements. Then stating that if I go on a diet and drink water the dress will fit. mind you the fitting area has multiple people in there and no she wasn't discrete or quiet when telling me all of this . I have never been this humiliated in my life. I will never come back to this place ever again.! I'm soo glad I didn't buy my wedding dress here or had any of my bridesmaids purchase dresses here! read more

I walked in on a Saturday morning, alone, just to browse. The sales ladies asked me what I liked, and I pointed out a few styles from a helpful poster of the basic dress cuts. They pulled about 5 or 6 dresses for me (all small sizes, as I'm a size 2P). Dress #4 was the perfect dress - Mikado and Tulle. They told me, "That's the one." It was absolutely perfect in every way. They helped me order it in a size 2P, which fit *perfectly* when it came. I mean, so perfectly that it needed NO adjustments for fitting, and didn't even need to be hemmed once I had on my shoes. (All they had to do was trim the front layer of tulle.) My excellent floor rep was Sharon. The manager was also super sweet and helpful!! And did I mention my dress was a bargain compared to the bridal salons? 1000% recommend! read more

When you visit, you HAVE to ask for Melanie. She was an absolute dream. From zipping me up to tying the back of the dresses I tried on, she was lovely. Melanie is one of the most patient salespeople I have ever met. She showed me other dresses in the same styles and colors I liked and was so fast too. The store itself has so many different dresses and is very organized. Overall an incredible 12/10 experience, and I will definitely be back!! Thank you Melanie again for the wonderful experience and help! read more

Came here twice and the experience has been good. Nothing like TLC show environment but they do the job. I think they should make the place little more welcoming with renovation and decorations. Absolutely no drinks other than water. No food allowed as well. So make sure you're not going in the long haul hungry. read more

The dress was great but the alterations we paid for were horrible. The dress came back full of holes and half-stitched seams. It was falling apart as my fiancé tried it on in the store. They wouldn't give us a refund for the dress or the alterations... so now she is out 1,300 two months before the wedding and has to find another dress. read more

Definitely has a lot of variety for all occasions. Came here to look for bridesmaids dresses for a friend's wedding. She really didn't know what she was looking for and we spent about 3 hours just looking. The staff was very friendly and even though they closed, didn't rush us out but answered all her questions and let her continue to try on dresses so she could make a decision. read more

First off I must say MEGAN IS AMAZING! I was very nervous about going shopping for dresses being a plus size bride. I was also nervous because I was going by myself (we are having a destination wedding with just the 2 of us) so i was worried I would not get the full wedding experience. All that worrying I did for nothing! Megan made me feel like any other regular size bride and she was all the cheering section I needed. She made me feel beautiful she made me feel like any dress I wanted could be mine. I ended up finding my dream dress and it was actually the first one I tried on and the rest just didn't live up to the expectation. I didn't want to ring the bell in front of everyone but did say yes to the dress. I ended up leaving that day after Megan put the information of what dress i wanted and the size in the system so that I could just call back and order the dress once I got paid which would be 2 weeks later. I just called the store this morning and got to talk to Megan again and she actually remembered me and my dress. It is so amazing to have someone who truly loves their job and just wakes up having and loves to bring job and simplicity in such a stressful time. I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone scheduling an appointment! read more

Brought in my David's Bridal dress for alterations. I had trouble finding a dress that looked right on my body. Top heavy, no hips so I was super happy to have found an awesome dress online. Lace top with a mesh bottom and ribbon detail. The location had it for four weeks. Arrive for my appointment on July 30 to pick up dress and it had not been touched. The team was "unsure if it needed to be taken in or let out". The tag had my body measurements, it'd be common sense that it needs to be taken in, or you know call. Wedding is on August 12. So there's no QA check or audit at all. Ie which dresses need to be picked up...are they ready. And front of house doesn't check with alterations when they make their reminder calls. Alterations were made but were rushed, which ended up making the dress too tight and I had to be squeezed into the dress (mind you a three hour difference so I know I didn't gain weight), fat popping from the front and back, bodice is lopsided, boning was taken out to fix lopsided chest and give me room back, which took away dress structure. I'm so upset, I can't even be angry anymore. Of course, newbie me didn't take before alterations pictures. Some of the poor workmanship was blamed on a manufacturer defect. I'm a planner by profession, so I can spot defects abs imperfections easily. If that was the case, I would have never kept the dress. The time, energy and money wasted. They've tried to make it right by refunding the alterations, but ultimately, my dress is botched, there isn't time to find another, I'm stressed and I don't feel attractive anymore. Luckily, I'm only a bridesmaid. So beware, apparently two brides ran into the same issue of alterations not being done the day before. read more

We have shopped here many times as my daughters were growing up for prom dresses, bridesmaids dresses, even one wedding dress. But it is not the same unfortunately. I made an appointment to shop for a MOB dress. They even called to confirm the appointment the day before. Unfortunately, they had three appointments at the same time (10:30am) and only one consultant. I fended for myself as the other two were brides but even they had to share which is not right. MOB selection was slim and mainly in Plus sizes. read more

So they definitely have a good selection, and you're allowed to try on tons of dresses that you and your party can choose on your own! I don't know if I would recommend coming here based solely on how my consultant was... I didn't get her name but she definitely didn't make me feel special. She didn't ask me many questions about what I wanted or about my wedding, and she didn't help get me in to the dresses or clip them up so they'd fit better. I easily could've walked out tonight with my dress, but my consultant didn't make that happen. I've heard great things about David's and wouldn't completely count it out, but the consultants do make a difference. read more