While I did not ultimately purchase my gown here, I had a wonderful experience with the team at Ultimate Bride. The receptionist was lovely- she even took a photograph of my sisters and me when she realized we were trying to get a photo together yet failing miserably! I had not had an experience shopping with them due to COVID, so it meant so much to us to memorialize the day with a photo. The space serves a stunning backdrop to the beautiful gowns there. Our consultant, Brandy, was great at pulling dresses, pinning, and accessorizing gorgeously. She truly has a great aesthetic eye! I was focused on a Monique Lhullier look, but she was able to mix in other designer gowns that were just as stunning (hello Mira Zwillinger)! Though I reinforced my love for Monique dresses there, I ultimately purchased one elsewhere (that I was not shown during my appointment). I do not hesitate to recommend this boutique to other fashion loving brides- you will not be disappointed! read more

Ultimate Bride - Featured gowns in the boutique. - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had such a disappointing and disheartening experience at Ultimate Bride. I drove over 4.5 hours from Michigan for this appointment, after clearly explaining my style preferences over the phone in advance. I was fully prepared to go over budget if it meant finding a dress I loved--but that didn't seem to matter. After trying on only three dresses, the stylist abruptly told me she had no other options in the style I liked. I found this not only unhelpful but incredibly dismissive and off-putting. I've been to several other bridal boutiques, and every one of them took the time to listen, understand my vision, and work with me to find dresses that aligned with my taste. This was the first place that made me feel shut down. Bridal dress shopping should feel special. Instead, I left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and like my time and effort were completely wasted. I would not recommend this place to any bride looking for a thoughtful or supportive experience. read more

I came here with my family and flew in from Los Angeles to see dresses in the Chicago area. My sister made the appointment and told the staff on the phone I was looking for multi-colored dresses. My sister was assured on the phone that Ultimate Bride would have options available for me. When I arrived, I could already tell that the person helping me, Kathia, was annoyed that I was looking for something so specific. While she did go retrieve some dresses from the back, she tried to tell me that my sister was not "specific enough." If that's the case, when she literally called your staff to ask about your dress availability, why did they not ask for follow up questions? My sister opened up the door for you to get the information you needed, and it wasn't asked. We are not experts in wedding dress shopping, you are. And, the store could've asked to speak to me directly, since my sister made it clear the appointment was for me and not for her. The store only had 3 or 4 dresses that had color even though my sister was assured that there was a wide selection. When we voiced our disappointment to Kathia, she said if we had been more specific, a dress could have been ordered for the appointment. I once again reiterate the fact that most customers don't know this, and this option should have been offered to us when my sister called the store. Every other store that I've been to since this appointment has offered me this option without me asking, so it's honestly crazy to me that Kathia acted like this was somehow on us. The store also has an odd setup that frankly reminds me of a clothing store dressing room, and was very cramped. The setup makes it so that anyone walking down the hall might get in your way throughout the appointment since they have to cross through the area where you're trying on dresses. Overall I had awful vibes from this store. The staff made me feel really bad, it was not a fun process, and dress shopping should be fun. They had some beautiful dresses that honestly I may have considered, but I would never support a business with such disrespectful and rude staff. We had a wonderful experience at two other stores, and it reassured me that not all bridal appointments will be like this one (thank goodness). read more

Beware they charge $250 to take measurements. Felt very manipulated into getting measurements done as in from out of town and store not open the next day. the stylist was nice and they had good dress selections. read more

I truly regret buying my wedding dress from Ultimate Bride. From the beginning, the entire process felt like a money grab. Additionally, the stylist pressured me to order the dress and veil without giving me adequate time to think about my decision. Their pushy sales tactics made me feel rushed and uncomfortable during what should have been a joyful experience. I initially gave them the budget I wanted to stay around as well as inspiration pictures. The stylist kept bringing out dresses that weren't remotely what I was looking for. She then mentioned that if I wanted the dress I was looking for, I would need to go up in budget. I agreed to go up to see what other dresses there were. After that, she finally brought in a couple of dresses that were more what I was looking for. I found one I liked but didn't love and kind of gave up hope and went home. I went back a couple of days later to try it on again, as well as a couple of other dresses that I had tried on previously. I decided on a different one and went with that. When she showed me the price, the dress itself was double my budget. They then added on even more fees, making the dress four times more expensive than my original budget. I went home that night wanting to take some time to think about it and go to another dress store. They called me and pressured me into buying the dress that night, as well as the matching veil, adding a $1,367 fee for rush shipping on top of their standard shipping price. I went dress shopping in February and my wedding is in September. The dress got delivered to their store in June and it wasn't lined properly. They had added a fee of $620 to line the bodice, so it was disappointing that it wasn't done right. I tried on the veil and I didn't love it. The stylist kept pushing me to try it on again at the fitting, reassuring me that I would like it. When I asked what could be done about the return, they added a 25% restocking fee, which came to $700. I ended up taking my dress elsewhere to be altered. I was worried that each fitting and alteration would come with an unexpected fee. The focus on upselling and squeezing out as much money as possible overshadowed any semblance of customer service. I also went elsewhere for my veil and other accessories. The second place I went to was so much more accommodating. If you're looking for a stress-free and transparent shopping experience for your special day, I would strongly recommend going elsewhere. read more

Had a wonderful experience at Ultimate Bride twice with Kathia! I did purchase my wedding gown elsewhere because they didn't carry the designer of the dress I chose but I had such a great experience and loved the gowns so much I went back to see Kathia for my second look. I purchased my dress from them and will also be doing alterations! The salon is right downtown. It is small, but definitely has luxury vibes. The first time I went was a weekday and it was very quiet. Kathia picked some stunning gowns and even surprised me with a few I never would've chosen but looked amazing on! I'm a size 8-10 and was pleasantly surprised that the dresses were not all super teeny (yay!). She was never pushy which I appreciated so much since I was nervous! The second time I went was a Saturday and it was busier but we still had a wonderful, luxury experience! If you love luxury designers like Monique, Ines Di Santo, Mira, etc., this is by far the place to go! read more

UPDATE: I wasn't going to write this until I saw my original review received a reply with some pointed comments. I also want to quickly note that it's VERY typical for brides to lose weight before alterations and I was told multiple times over it wouldn't be a problem. I was even encouraged to make changes to the dress so it could be perfect for me. I don't really feel that's a good explanation for what happened. Manager Diane from Ultimate Bride called me a few weeks ago after seeing my review to share they were "sorry I had this experience" and to say they were surprised to see the negative review, though I'm not sure how. I was very disappointed when she shared she left her family vacation early, "taking time away from her child" to be at one of our fittings, which was news to me and my mom. We would've never asked that of her. She replied "Well I would never have told you that," so I'm not sure why she thought then it was appropriate to share now and again in her reply to my review. It felt very manipulative, implying I should feel bad that she had to step in and do her job when the alterations team was continually missing the mark, her personal plans unbeknownst to anyone else. Just rubbed me wrong to have that thrown at me now post-wedding. They offered me money to take the review down but I didn't feel like compensation after the fact warranted not warning other brides. Like I mentioned, regardless of the storefront in a nice neighborhood, the talent isn't there right now and you can find any of those dress in other boutiques. Do with that what you will. read more

I had an appointment at Ultimate Bride to shop for my wedding dress, and the experience was awful from start to finish. For one of the highest end bridal salons in the city (with the highest price tags to match), I was shocked at how rude people treated us. First of all, it is the most cramped bridal salon we visited. Most other salons in the area have secluded try-on areas with a couch or seating for a few friends. Ultimate Bride has a hallway that resembles a Nordstrom, with 1-2 plastic chairs per guest. I was trying on my dress 8 feet from girls on either side of me, with everyone's parents and friends commenting. People who brought more than 1 guest had members of their party stand. Everyone was very nice, but it was jarring to try to make such a big decision while getting comments from strangers telling me what they thought looked good. It is extremely crowded. I came in with a sizable budget, well in excess of what we actually ended up spending on my dress. When I told the sales associate my maximum price, she made a shocked face like I was being unreasonable. From there, it just felt like she wasn't listening to what I was saying. I said nothing with a deep V-neck - she brought me 2 dresses with deep V's. I said nothing too sexy - she showed me a dress with a slit up the entire leg. At the end she asked which dress I was going to buy. I said I wasn't ready to make a decision right now and she said "Why not?" It was very rushed, and my mom and I both felt like she wasn't listening to us and was trying to rush us through for her next appointment. In speaking with other girls I know who've gone bridal shopping AND vendors we used in our wedding, I am not the only one to have this experience. If you don't have a budget of $10,000+, you are more likely than not going to get awful customer service here. This is the only place we had a negative experience while wedding shopping, and honestly I'm sorry I wasted my time at a shop that clearly didn't value my business while I was making the largest purchase of my life. read more

I was very nervous on where to go for my wedding dress but after reading the reviews I knew I had to give it a try. The staff was very helpful and were willing to reason with me on finding the perfect dress for my price range. Katia was being supportive, kept reassuring and asking me how I'm doing. Will definitely come back and recommend to others! read more

I had the best experience at Ultimate Bride! My stylist Kathia was helpful and picked out the best selections for me. I can't wait for my gown to arrive. read more

My daughter is getting married so we made an appointment to go to ultimate bride although the dresses were phenomenal and the sales lady was knowledgeable and kind and attentive however there was no place to hang our coats there was not enough chairs so the four family member that went along with her we were sitting on pile of our winter coats no offering of any coffee water I think if you come in to a shop to spend 15,000+ for a wedding gown that shop needs to create an experience for its customers not to leave them to fend for themselves and look and search for the bathroom or go out of store to find something to drink read more

Ultimate Bride - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I bought my dress here - overall, the experience of selecting was easy as I knew the exact dress I wanted. My sales associate was very kind and helpful in the beginning. I spent a substantial amount of money on my gown so expected the entire experience to be top notch. Unfortunately, the alteration experience was subpar. Alterations are mandatory through Ultimate Bride, yet the seamstress I worked with was not good at all and didn't do everything I asked. I had to ask several rounds for her to do the same thing over and over again. She did not take notes therefore, I believe she forgot every time. My dress had issues that she was supposed to fix and weren't fixed when I ultimately received the dress. I was very disappointed in the alterations and expected more since I spent so much money. After I received my dress, I reached out twice and never heard back. I would suggest going elsewhere for alterations at the very least. read more

We went in and were immediately told they didn't have dresses in sizes that fit me. After literally begging for 15 minutes for the opportunity to spend $5,000, we were shown dresses that fit. We visited a dozen of stores, this was the only one that was rude and terrible. For a good experience try the family owned Annabella Boutique. read more

In February of 2022, my fiance and I went to the Ultimate bride to look for a wedding dress and speak to a bridal consultant. Seeing all the gorgeous dresses took my fiance's breath away as we entered Ultimate bride! If you're on the fence about a particular style, the staff was extremely accommodating, knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive with exceptional service. I highly recommend the Ultimate bride for a glorious wedding gown and a lifetime experience! read more

We waited fifteen minutes for our appointment and were told we could help ourselves to water. No one offered an explanation or apology for the for the delay. I felt that our consultant, although very pleasant, was showing us the same style again and again in spite of my daughter's request for something different. One of the sample dresses that we were shown was very dirty. Disappointing experience. read more

Two takeaways: (1) AMAZING selection of gowns, though not all of them are on the floor so come with pictures of designers they carry/specific dresses you like (2) ask for Amanda!! Amanda was the perfect associate - extremely helpful and kind without any kind of pressure. She helped me find this gorgeous Ines Di Santo dress (designed SOLELY for this store!) which I ultimately ended up not choosing, but that I still love to this day (please someone buy it so I can live vicariously through you). read more

Ultimate Bride - Ines Di Santo dress exclusive only to Ultimate Bride! - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice, clean store that was following COVID safety protocols. It was quite crowded, but to be expected on a Saturday. This is not a bad store - they obviously have beautiful gowns. It just did not feel like a very welcoming experience to me personally. I was turned off when my stylist put me in a dress that was $3k over my budget without telling me. Of course I really liked the dress. I totally understand an upsell, but 3 grand over (and that was without alterations) was too much. That really rubbed me the wrong way and has not happened at other bridal salons. In the future, I would recommend telling a client that a dress you think they would love is over budget and THEN ask if they are interested in trying it. read more

I said yes to the dress here and Amanda was so patient and fun to work with! I love that ultimate bride carries a wide range of styles and my favorite designers (Berta, ines di santo, Monique Lhuillier). With Covid precautions I loved the feeling of having almost the entire studio to myself and made it easy to feel at ease. I hadn't anticipated in finding my dress this early considering my wedding isn't for a good while but when you know, you know and don't need to wait to good about your choice :) read more

I was really excited for my appointment as a couple of my bridesmaids and I had made a whole day out of wedding dress shopping. We went in to Ultimate Bride with high spirits because we had such a pleasant experience at a different bridal shop right down the street earlier that day. My appointment was for 4pm but when we walked in, we were told that they were backed up and the first available consultant will come grab us. We were okay waiting but we had to wait a full half an hour - I should mention that their normal closing hour is 5pm. Our consultant was nice and she showed us to our room. My bridesmaids put their stuff down in the chairs in front of the room and we walked away with our consultant to look for a few dresses - when we came back, another consultant had put her client in our room. We notified her that we already had that room and we were just standing in front of the room with a couple dresses already while the consultants could not figure out what to do for a few minutes. I nor my bridesmaids said anything as we were trying to be understanding but the other consultant kept the other client in my room while she kept repeating that there's no other rooms available... we understand... but that's my room and my appointment is already half an hour late. I showed my consultant the type of dresses that I had tried and liked so far but the few first dresses she pulled out were completely not my style - I tried one on just because I felt bad but ultimately told her that I did not like them. At that point it seemed like she wasn't really trying and told me their designers probably don't have what I want (I told her I liked beading, and either a fit and flare or A-Line or some type of strapless ballgown). I couldn't tell if she was being serious or if she was ready to leave because it was 5pm and it was time for closing. I left the appointment by 5 and in less than half an hour since the start of my appointment without having found a single dress I was interested in. Overall the appointment was a disappointment and the experience was less than pleasant/enjoyable. I really would not recommend this shop to any of my friends getting married. read more

Brandy O at Ultimate is AMAZING. She was so kind and easy to work with. She really listened to what I was looking for and pulled my favorite designers. Even though I didn't end up saying yes to my dress here, I couldn't recommend Brandy enough! read more

I had a lovely experience with Amanda who welcomed me during a recent Monique Lhullier trunk show. She listened to what I wanted and was well educated on the gowns that had just arrived from the designer. I felt safe during my experience in terms of COVID safety protocols and procedures and I look forward to coming back and finding THE dress since Ultimate Bride is truly one of the only places top designers and beautiful dresses go to in Chicago! read more

I visited the store with my mom and maid of honor shopping for my wedding dress. The appointment reservation process was super easy online. We arrived to the space a few minutes early and had to wait about 15 minutes or so but the boutique offered water, snacks, and champagne which was a nice break in the day. Jillian, our stylist, was very warm and listened closely as I shared what I liked and disliked from other shopping experiences. Jillian pulled some beautiful options and we tried on about 8 different styles. The changing room was very spacious making the try on process easy and comfortable. With a 3500 budget, I had enough choices however I wouldn't bank on finding something here if your budget is much lower. That said, the gowns were stunning and they offer most prominent bridal designers as well as more couture designer labels. I ultimately found my dress elsewhere but highly recommend checking out Ultimate Bride as you shop around! read more

Elizabeth was so amazing!!! I couldn't have had better service. She was sweet and so attentive to everyone in my party. She made me feel so confident and you can tell she's a total pro at her job. It couldn't have been better! read more

I first stopped into Ultimate Bride just a few days after I got engaged (I was a little over anxious to go wedding dress shopping!) to make an appointment. I gave my information to the woman up front and asked if I could come in the following week to try on dresses. She said "you do realize our dresses are over $2800?" as she looked me up and down! I looked down at my own outfit expecting to have some big stain on my shirt or rip in my jeans, but no...I looked presentable. I mean at least Julia Roberts actually looked like a hooker when she was treated in the same manner! I ended up having to cancel my initial appointment, but now a few months later Elizabeth N and I found ourselves trying on dresses at Ultimate B**ches...I made the appointment with their beautiful Monique Lhullier dresses in mind. I planned on going to my boot camp class straight from here and so I showed up in my workout clothes...and this time by the way I looked they had the right to question how much I could spend on a wedding dress (although no need to tell me of course!). However, because I already had an appointment and Elizabeth looked presentable they were much nicer. Beverly was my sales associate, who has been working at Ultimate Bride for 11 years...and I'm impressed with anyone who's been able to do the same thing day after day for 11 years! She was a very sweet older woman, but I just didn't feel like I was able to relate to her like many of the other younger sales associates who have helped me at other bridal boutiques. Personally I like working with someone around my age, but then again with age comes experience so Beverly may be a great fit for someone else. As for the dresses...they sure have some gorgeous dresses. Some of the designers include Monique Lhullier, Oscar De La Renta, Alvina Valenta, Ravini, Carolina Herrera. The problem is that you tell them what you like and then they bring a few dresses, but you can't actually walk around and point out dresses you want to try on (like you can at Belle Vie). Luckily I'm a girl who knows what she wants, but I have a feeling most brides have no idea where to begin and they could miss out on the dress of their dreams! I'll probably be back to revisit the 4 or 5 dresses I really liked, but if not I'm also interested in checking out their bridesmaids dresses: Badgley Mischka and Thread. That is if they think my bridesmaids can afford them. :) Edit: 3/11/08: I was at a wedding event this past weekend and spent some time chatting with one of Ultimate Bride's sales associates, Stephanie, as well as the owner, Elena. Both were so sweet and I'm bummed that they weren't the ones helping me a few months back when looking for a dress. They were showcasing a few dresses from this season at the show and one of the Carolina Herrera dresses was magnificent! If you make an appt here ask for Stephanie to help you- she really seems to know her stuff when it comes to bridal gowns! read more

When I called to remind my sister about my upcoming visit to Chicago, she immediately got excited and asked me how I'd feel about going to a store or two to start shopping for my wedding dress. Hmmm... Being that it had only been a few days since Jared popped the question, I hadn't thought about it, but sure - why not, right? I would have to do it sometime, and what better time to do it than to have my sister by my side! And so a few minutes later, Aubrey called me back and said that we had a 10am appointment at Ultimate Bride. When Saturday morning approached, our plan was to wake up at 8am for a quick workout before our appointment. Oops - we woke up a bit late and decided to skip the workout. At about 8:45, I turned from my computer to see Aubrey opening the door to a surprise visitor.... In walked my mom with a bagful of muffins. She flew in from Michigan to surprise me and go shopping with us! How exciting! After a quick breakfast, we bundled up and hopped in a cab for our appointment. None of us had any clue what to expect. We checked in with a woman up front who wanted all of my personal information including my wedding date. Hopefully Fall or Winter 09 is what I said... we haven't set it yet! A few minutes later, Elise, our consultant, came over and introduced herself... she was so sweet and friendly - immediately we all felt at ease. We all went into a dressing room where Elise asked me my sizes and brought me a bustiere and a pair of shoes. Next she asked me what kind of styles I was looking for and proceeded to bring me about 8 dresses during our hour time slot that she helped me in and out of, matched up with veils, etc... By the time we left, I'd chosen two dresses that I loved, took Elise's card, and told her that as soon as we figured out the date and location of the wedding, I'd be back in touch. Now I feel like it's for real - I am going to be a bride! Yay! If you're engaged and looking for the perfect wedding dress, call Elise at Ultimate Bride - she is fantastic! read more

I can't say enough great things about Ultimate Bride! The entire experience felt personal, and everyone at Ultimate Bride went above and beyond....especially Lori, William, and Maria who took care of my alterations. I had been to several shops before my appointment at UB. I had a very specific vision in mind, and none of the other stores had anything close to what I wanted. When I walked in for my first appointment at UB, they had several versions of what I was looking for, but none were exactly 'the one'. That didn't stop Lori, though! Once I had found a dress that I thought could be doctored up to fit my vision, she immediately called the designer to talk logistics on getting more fabric to make the bow that I wanted on my dress. This happened while I was still in the store - the relationship that UB has with their designers allows them to call them, personally, while you are still in the store - amazing! I had several fittings since part of my dress was custom. William, Lori, and Maria were all incredible at each of them and make sure that what I had in mind was executed flawlessly. Aside from the customer service, the decor and atmosphere at the store is wonderful. It's elegant and beautiful and really elevates the dress shopping experience. I wish there was another occasion I could wear my dress for, I loved it so much. Thanks Ultimate Bride team! read more

Ultimate Bride - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I purchased my dress here on my 3rd visit, Bliss by Monique Lhuillier. The second visit I pretty much found it, but I needed some time to digest. I had that moment on the 3rd visit as I stood there, dress on in front of the mirror, before I uttered the words..."Okay this is it. Yes, this is the dress." I had tears in my eyes, my mother had tears in her eyes...it was perfect. And Ultimate Bride from that point on was perfect too. From a timely shipment to fittings and alterations. ALTERATIONS: considering how pricey the dress was I really thought I was going to shell out some big bucks. So I started calling around and other places were starting at $300 just for a hem and could go up almost $1000. Maria really rocked it out and was reasonably priced. I spent less than $300 and had my dresses length altered, back altered, plus a 3pt bustle. read more

Unfortunately, I had a very poor experience at Ultimate. People talk about this being the highest-end bridal salon in the city, and that may be because they carry designers like Monique and Mira, but my experience there was far from luxury. I wish I remembered the sales associates name because she was truly terrible. Unfriendly, judgmental, unlike the sales associates I worked with at any of the other boutiques in the city. She seemed disgusted with my 10K budget, which was certainly within the range of most Monique dresses they were showcasing. I had a difficult time getting her to show me a variety of designers. I'm not sure if she was just generally unfriendly or just having a bad day, but my experience with her both ruined the ~magical~ experience of trying on wedding dresses and was actually the main reason I decided not purchase a dress with her. In the future treat all clients with respect. Not sure how this business is one of the top salons. Not to mention they have all of their inventory hidden, so with an unhelpful salesperson, it's really difficult to find a dress read more

I ended up purchasing my wedding dress here Saturday from Lori. She was fantastic to work with. When we first walked in she asked my about my style and what I was looking for- we then walked through some options on the floor to get an idea of things I liked. The first dress she had me try on I never even saw on the floor- she pulled from the back after getting an idea of what I liked. The dress was absolutely perfect and was the one I ended up going with! She was very knowledgeable and conscious of the budget. While the appointment itself was great, the icing on the cake was actually right before we paid for the dress. Lori asked if I liked the veil I tried the dress with. When I said yes, she said "Great, I'll include it in for free." Very, very nice. It was a gesture I did not expect at all and really appreciated. Can't wait to be back for fittings ahead of the big day! The entire staff was nice and accommodating. read more

I came here to try on dresses and had experienced a couple less than ideal appointments and was very happy with the service I received from Nancy, the sales consultant. Nancy was helpful, kind and made me feel very comfortable trying on gowns. Some of the gowns from Berta were very tight and she made me feel at ease even though a few of them didn't fit over my chest. The suggestions she gave and dresses she pulled for me outside of the ones I came in to try on were well selected and ones I would have picked myself. She didn't rush the appointment, she wasn't overly pushy and she has great follow up. I would highly recommend making an appointment with her if you're looking for a dress at Ultimate Bride! read more

After visiting 5 stores in the downtown area, I found my mother of the bride dress at Ultimate Bride. William and staff go above and beyond! Great selection and service. I would highly recommend! read more

Ultimate Bride - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had the absolute best experience with Amanda in September of 2020! I was looking for two dresses for my November 2021 wedding weekend, one for a church ceremony and the other for another ceremony and reception. She helped me narrow down my vision and I ended up with a stunning Monique Lhuillier dress and veil for my church ceremony! I recommend doing your homework before your appointment at any bridal salon by researching what designers they carry and who you are interested in and figuring out a realistic budget. This will not only help manage your expectations, but will aid the stylist you are working with as well. Pay attention to trunk shows and try to avoid a weekend appointment as the salon can get busy. Once the dress arrived, it fit almost perfectly so alterations were minimal, but I still felt like I was getting the royal treatment. Highly recommend checking out Ultimate and requesting Amanda for your appointment! read more

Ultimate Bride - Bridal Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Lori is an angel! Ultimate Bride was our last stop on our hunt for the dress journey. After trying on an what felt like an endless number of dresses, I was losing hope. That is, until Lori handpicked a dress (that I did not think I was even interested in!) and had me try it on. As soon as I looked in the mirror, I knew it was the one. Without her expert eye and wonderful customer service, I would not have found "the dress"! Thanks again, Lori! Ultimate Bride is the best in the business. read more

I have had a Yelp account for years and have never felt compelled to write a review until now. My friend and I came to Ultimate Bride to peruse for my wedding gown last weekend. As a bride on a budget, I was a little intimidated by its Oak Street locale and elite clientele. Lucky for me, I had Courtney as my consultant. She put me at ease right away and was completely respectful and considerate of my budget. She even spent an extra hour with me as I tried on two dresses again and again, all the while explaining fabrics and stitching techniques (which I know nothing about). Above all other qualities, she has a joyful personality and a great attitude, and she made this a memorable and exciting experience for me. Of course, their selection is incredible and the impeccable quality of the gowns can be spotted from a mile away. But what sold me on this place was hands down the beyond excellent service. Ask for Courtney! read more

Ultimate Bride is great if you're willing to purchase the first dress they show you and keep your appointment under 1/2 hour. I made an appointment here and I brought in two photos of dresses. The consultant showed me these dresses and one other dress. So, three dresses. After forty minutes, she said, well I'll write down the prices for you, and that was that. I tried to make another appointment with Stephanie, as she seems to get a lot of love on Yelp, but I was assigned the same consultant. Great. This appointment lasted less than a half an hour, and the consultant seemed really frustrated and bothered anytime I asked a question. She kept asking me why I didn't bring my mother, which apparently is bridal consultant code for "you're not really going to buy a dress today, are you?" I'm getting married in Chicago, not Alabama, and I'm a little old to need my mother to purchase a dress. So, I purchased my dress from Belle Vie, whose customer service was outstanding. read more

I was told this was the place to go for a dress. I walked in for my appointment, which they didn't take us for about 2 mintues (the appointments are an hour). This was the first place we went to try on a dress, maybe a mistake. The girl helping us, didn't listen to a thing we said about what kind of dress we wanted to try on. She kept bringing out dresses that were not the right style or that I wouldn't have considered. I didn't like that the dresses weren't out for you to see, so you didn't know what you were missing or what they were thinking. We kept telling her, to bring more simple things in, streamlined, not broken up, though the ones brought were fancier and totally opposite than what we had asked for. I didn't feel the selection was great, and the girls just seemed off. I felt she was being obnoxious or I wasn't good enough for the store. I wasn't educated when I went into the store, though that is their job. I would only recommend going here if you really know what designers they have, and exactly what you want, otherwise I think you will be wasting your time (even if it is just an hour). read more

Amanda was incredibly sweet, did not push any sale, and was simply real! She felt like another friend or family member who came to help me find a bridal dress. 10/10 recommend having her as your consultant. read more

There are three components that should come together in order for me to appreciate any store. Bridal store is no exception. The three components are selection, customer service, and price. Ultimate Bride, in my personal opinion, is not succeeding in any one of those categories. Ultimate Bride is located on Oak street and clearly caters to a typical Oak street clientele. Thus, the selection of their gowns tend to be more about the richness of materials than about the uniqueness of design. In other words, you get your typical variety of classical wedding gowns from the top bridal designers. There are almost no architectural, deconstructed, funky, etc. designs that can suit somebody with a modern and eclectic taste. The only exception would be gowns from Suzanne Ermann who is a smaller French designer and whose gowns are very fairy tale influenced and have a distinctive European vibe. The store also stocks Carolina Herrera, who is probably the most unique of the American bridal designers. However, Ultimate Bride's selection of Carolina Herrera is fairly mediocre. With respect to the prices, they start at $ 2800 and go all the way to $ 20000. Moreover, their sales people try to "size" you the moment you enter the store by asking you completely unrelated to the gown shopping questions about the size and location of your wedding. They also bring you gowns they preselected for you. You can's go and pick you own gowns. Interestingly enough, they try to show you the most expensive gowns first so that, maybe, you can fall in love with the dress at the top of your budget before you saw a less expensive choice. Customer service is also less than desired especially if you had an opportunity to compare this shop to similar bridal boutiques like Belle Vie. Unlike Belle Vie, this shop is nothing but pretentiousness, ignorance, and attitude. They treat you as if you owe them money, especially if you are not in the $10000 plus gown category. This store is only worth the trip if you are 1) into Monique Lullier gowns because their selection of Monique is probably the best in town, 2) unable to find anything good in other bridal stores, and 3) want to spend at least $ 3000 for a gown. read more

Made an appointment here for wedding dress shopping. The dresses are lovely and glamorous and all that, but the woman that "helped" my party apparently had a hearing problem. My requests were slim: WHITE/IVORY, STRAPLESS, & SANS BLING. I tried on dress after dress (w/o any help, btw - God forbid the consultant have to lift a finger ... "no, I'm fine, I'll just do these 35 buttons behind my back by myself") and they just kept getting worse. The consultant was not listening. She kept trying to push me in to various "cafe au lait" numbers, covered with crystal and beading, because she thought it would look nice with my skin color. I was all, "no thanks, it's the one day you can really pull off a white ensemble, no?" Well, needless to say, she did not listen. And the capper came when my sister was like, "That dress is brown. You just tried on a brown wedding dress." Exit Allie. Back to HOB! read more

I actually couldn't decide if I was going to write this review. A year ago I came here with my daughter from the recommendation of my consultant. We arrived, for our first downtown appointment. The store was beautiful but I was shocked when no one offered us even a glass of water. My daughter is about a size 2 so very easy to fit. There was a designer there that day and our sales person showed us only 4 dresses from that designer. Most of them were OK but when she saw we weren't being wowed , rather than show us something from another designer she actually finished our appointment. It lasted 45 minutes and we had a high budget. The salesperson then asked us where else we were going, and we told her Vera Wang and Bella Bianca. Her response was " well most brides don't go to all their appointments". Really? My daughter replied," well I am." The sales person then said well, come back later and we will pop the champagne when you purchase the dress. Ha- we didn't return. We had a fabulous experience at Vera Wang ( where Emily helped us and we purchased the dress) and Bella Bianca where they also had nice dresses and a helpful staff. I was shocked that so many people buy their dresses here- I would never recommend this store. The sales person actually called me two weeks later to inquire what our status was - I didn't return the message. read more