Overall I think Novella is not bad, but their lead alteration person is retired and while I was…read morecoming in, she was retiring. I ended up being charged more than the quoted amount and had to bring my dress back a few times because she missed some basic things. I don't think the person whos doing alterations there is still there so perhaps this review is quickly outdated, but I would say there's definitely not the kind of attention to detail I would have appreciated being at this price point and for this kind of thing where attention to detail for wedding dresses is so important. Every time I've been there, there's been some brides trying on beautiful gowns, so it seems like they have a good selection of dresses if that's what you're in the market for!

I visited Novella bridal on a whim yesterday after having spent the day in the city. I had gone…read morebridal dress shopping twice previously, with two different entourages in two other cities, and I was feeling discouraged about what I wanted, and pleasing others. First of all, PLEASE make an appointment with them. They have a small staff, and are quite busy accommodating brides! I was incredibly lucky to be greeted by Seneca, who after listening to my sob story offered to squeeze me in for an afternoon appointment to try a couple sample dresses I'd seen listed on Stillwhite. She was such a sweetheart, and when I returned for my appointment, had the two dresses I'd requested pulled, as well as a few others of the similar style. Although I didn't have a group with me, Seneca was incredibly patient and supportive while I mulled over the dresses, and hyped me up to fall in love with my original vision. Some of the sample dresses being sold are quite affordable for the budget conscious bride which was a huge plus! Additionally, I've seen fantastic reviews about their in house alterations. Highly recommend whether you're lost in your wedding dress search, or if you want an exceptional experience picking exactly what you want!

Galina did an amazing job altering my dress for a very affordable price. She changed my straps,…read moreopened up the back of my dress and made it fit like a glove. She really helped make my wedding day special. Only advice to customers is to make sure you book her well in advance of your event as she gets very busy. Other than that, her work is AMAZING.

I don't understand how she's received any stars less than 5…read more My friend recommended her to me after her experience. Her prices are competitive, she's very thorough, she's always answered all the questions I had. She doesn't try to sell you or push you on anything. Which I highly appreciate. Galinda is an absolute sweetheart and really cares about the work she's doing. Definitely reach out if you want quality work for great prices!

Marina at Le Caprice is a lifesaver!…read more I ordered a Vivienne Westwood gown from a very popular bridal shop. When I tried it on during pickup, I knew something was off. It took 3 stylists just to hook the dress together before it could be zipped up. I had not gained any weight since ordering, and the dress felt like it had been ordered a size too small. The stylist who was helping me put on the dress kept reassuring me that the gown had a hard corset, and because it was strapless, it was meant to fit that tightly. Well before my actual wedding, I had my courthouse ceremony... I needed a lot of help to get the dress hooked on, and when it came time to drive to the courthouse, I couldn't even sit up. I had to lean the car seat all the way back in order to make it to the courthouse. The entire afternoon I was so uncomfortable that I didn't even want to drink water. After that experience, I brought my dress to Marina at Le Caprice. She took one look at my back and didn't even bother zipping me up. She assured me that my dress was too small, that it was not just in my head, and offered to remove the zipper and replace it with a corset back! I was nervous because I really loved the top part of my dress and how snatched it made my waist look, but when I received my dress it still looked just as perfect! Not only that, but I was completely comfortable in it when I was sitting and eating at my reception (: Marina was able to complete the alterations super fast at a fair price and I think the corset was elegantly executed. I highly recommend coming to Le Caprice!

My wedding dress turned out so beautifully! I'm a petite person so needed a good amount of length…read moretaken off the front and skirt adjusted higher to hit my waist. I also wanted to emphasize some curves and add extra lift to the girls~ All the above was done without an issue! I was also allowed to schedule in quick try ons to see an alternate bustle option and if my veil matched well. The staff was professional, honest, and thorough with answering my questions. My dress and veil were steamed before pick up, and I was glowing on my wedding day

Great new addition to Berkeley's Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood! Zaver & Mor is a really cute,…read morecontemporary jewelry store with pieces from local designers. All of the pieces that they carry are rather unique. Rada, the owner of the store, has a great relationship with the designers so if you find a piece that isn't your size or you would like in a different color or with a different stone, she is able to order a piece that is to your taste. This is going to be my new go-to place for gift items!

Rada has amazing customer service, and this shop is beautifully curated and full of wonderful,…read moreunique pieces. Go shop here and support this amazing local woman-owned business - you will NOT be disappointed! My fiancée and I came here last year looking for an engagement ring together - I knew I wanted something unique, but wasn't sure where to start. Rada's collection is amazing and full of so many treasures. She worked with us and one of her artists to customize a ring based on a stone we loved, and she made me a custom matching wedding band at the same time. It turned out better than I could have possibly imagined, and was surprisingly affordable - she will work with your budget and give you a variety of options. I get so many compliments all the time on my ring, and it's by far my favorite possession! Flash forward a year - it's a week before our wedding, and I remembered at the very last minute that I should probably clean my ring before the wedding photos. I sent Rada a frantic note to see if there was any way she could help me with that, acknowledging the very short time frame. In just two days, she had my ring cleaned, the band was repolished, and returned to me looking better than ever. And she did this all for no charge!! I'm blown away by the customer service and so grateful to Rada for going out of her way to help me. Will definitely be returning to scoop up some more pieces in the future. In short: this place is amazing, go check it out and support Rada's growing business!!

Sylvia is an absolute LEGEND! Sylvia has such incredible knowledge of fashion and the construction…read moreof how real garments are supposed to be made. I brought in my wedding dress, a beautiful yet difficult dress to re-construct and with her guidance, the dress turned out better than I could ever imagine. Her eye for detail, her expertise with fabric, understanding of women's bodies and the way the dress is supposed to look, not what "we" think it should look like... is outstanding!!!!! Its hard to have blind faith in someone, especially when it is such a special occasion, but I would never consider anyone else for the task. Sylvia's manner of a fact attitude toward the assignment matched with her caring and warm personality made for the most wonderful and memorable experience. If you have a wedding dress and aim to be the epitome of perfection, working with Sylvia is your only choice. Get on the waitlist, make the time, work through your vision and you will be met with tears of joy the way I did.

First of all, she is terribly rude and inflexible about when you can go to her dark and creepy…read moreapartment. Then, she demanded upfront payment of over $500. I can see why she wants to be paid upfront, because she ruined my dress. STAY AWAY

It's been almost 7 years since I started coming here and I can't believe I haven't posted a review…read more Jila is one of the most attentive and passionate tailors I have ever met. Her attention to detail and knowledge of fabric, cut and style is impeccable. If I need something to fit me like a glove, I do not go anywhere else. I trust her with my everyday items, casual, business, etc. i'm so thankful for the day my husband introduced me to her. Her boutique is quaint and pretty and has a curated selection of clothing and accessories from all over the world. She made me look beautiful on my wedding day and did a great job of altering my Anthropologie gown.

Wow! Thoroughly impressed by Jila's services. She altered 3 dresses from my bridal wardrobe:…read more 1. A flowy, ruffled colorful dress for my welcome party. She amended the waistband to be tighter and shortened the dress while maintaining the flow and comfort of the dress. 2. My after party dress had a beaded skirt and jila carefully shortened it. Fit perfectly. 3. Lastly, my Kim Kassas wedding dress!! Its ruffled mermaid tail is what made it beautiful. I plan to resell my dress and jila altered it so that if someone taller than me buys it, the stitching just needs to be snipped to get it back to the original length. It fit me like a glove. She did an amazing job and I'd highly recommend her to alter clothing for any special occasion!

For me, it was difficult to find the nearest wedding gown rental here in SJ, especially within…read morereasonable pricing. A month prior, Jessica responded via email and was able to help fit me into her schedule. The shop had a clean and cozy atmosphere with variety of wedding gowns to choose from. Jessica greeted me and was attentive into helping me find the right dress along with help fitting me into the dress. I tried on at least 4-5 and chose the perfect dress! She also does hair and makeup so it was super convenient to book it all at once, not to mention her service is excellent! Note: Previous Customers/Clients have received a text notification from her stating that she will be "departing from this business" in case those don't receive or receive a slow response. Hopefully this helps.

I was searching on Yelp for bridal dress rentals and found JC Bridal Boutique. I made an inquiry on…read moretheir website and scheduled an appointment to try on dresses. This was my first bridal shop. I looked through all of the dresses available and picked out a couple that I liked. There is a lot of variety here- from big poofy dresses to long tighter dresses and everything in between. Each one of the dresses are very beautiful and elegant. I fell in love with the first dress that I tried on, but wanted straps on them (it was a strapless dress). Jessica said that she can alter the dress to sew straps on for me, but suggested that I try on a couple other dresses just in case I liked those more. I did and it made me love the first dress even more! Jessica made me feel comfortable and was very accommodating. She did not rush me and allowed me to take all the time that I needed with every dress that I tried on. I've heard stories from friends that took up to a year to find the one. I am so lucky that I was able to find a rental that I love so quickly. I had to come back prior to picking up before the big day because my mom wanted me to wear something that did not show my tattoos and Jessica was able to still make it work for me in the same dress that I fell in love with! JC Bridal Boutique is definitely a gem!! Thank you Jessica!

5 Stars - The Perfect Dress & The Perfect Experience!…read more Helen was an absolute dream to work with during my wedding dress journey! From the moment I walked in, she made me feel comfortable, supported, and truly cared for. As a nervous bride hoping for everything to fall into place, Helen's patience and kindness meant the world. She provided me with a variety of beautiful options to try on, was incredibly communicative throughout the process, and helped me find the perfect dress--within my budget! Her eye for design is amazing, and she really knows how to help brides feel confident and beautiful. Her team was also fantastic--quick with alterations, transparent about timelines and pricing, and so warm and welcoming. I felt genuinely loved and cared for every step of the way. Helen is incredibly talented and exactly the kind of person you want by your side when choosing your wedding dress. I would wholeheartedly recommend her to any bride-to-be. It was an absolute pleasure working with her!

Helen and Irina are the ultimate wedding dress team! I could not have been happier with my one of a…read morekind Helen Miller custom dress. It was everything that I wanted: elegant, ethereal, and whimsical. Prior to finding Helen's Bridal shop, I had been to about 10-15 bridal shops around the Bay Area and was even talking to international designers. Helen's place was my last stop and I was about to go with another dress I wasn't 100% sure about, until I got that "feeling" while trying on dresses at And Something Blue. Helen's dresses are unique and exude elegance + class. She is a true visionary. Her prices for a custom dress are incredibly low and cannot be beat. She has her dresses made in Europe, so if you are looking for a European feel in San Francisco, this is the place for you. Irina was also an expert on what to do on all things alterations. It's clear she has an incredible depth of knowledge that few seamstresses have. I cannot recommend Helen and Irina enough!